Where Is Portuguese Spoken? A Guide to Portuguese-Speaking Countries Around the World

With over 220 million native speakers, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world. When including those who speak it as a second language (L2), the total reaches about 270 million speakers.

So, where in the world is Portuguese spoken?

Portuguese is the official language of nine countries across four continents. It is the sole official language in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

Additionally, it is a co-official language in Equatorial Guinea and East Timor, as well as in the autonomous region of Macau in China. There are also several Portuguese-speaking communities around the world where the language is part of daily life.

Now, let’s take a closer look at these figures by country.

Angola

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Mother tongue of the majority?
31.3 m	Official	Yes

Portuguese has been spoken in Angola since the late 15th century when Portuguese explorers arrived in the region, which was then part of the Kingdom of Kongo.

Today, Portuguese is widely spoken in Luanda and most regions of the country. However, indigenous languages remain part of daily life, particularly in some rural areas.

The most widely spoken native languages are Umbundu, Kimbundu, and Kikongo.

Brazil

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
211.0 m	Official	Yes

Brazil is by far the largest Portuguese-speaking country, both in area and population. It accounts for the majority of the 220 million people who speak Portuguese as their first language.

Portuguese was first introduced to the region by explorers and missionaries in the 16th century and gradually became the dominant language.

Over time, the language has evolved in both Portugal and Brazil, leading to the development of two distinct variants: European and Brazilian Portuguese.

Learn more about how Brazilian and European Portuguese compare: European vs. Brazilian Portuguese.

Cape Verde

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
0.55 m	Official	No

Portuguese was introduced to Cape Verde by settlers in the 15th century.

Although it is the country’s official language, its use is mainly limited to politics, administration, the press, and education.

Crioulo, a Portuguese-based Creole, is the most widely spoken language in Cape Verde. In recent years, local activist movements have been advocating for its recognition as a co-official language.

East Timor

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
1.3m	Co-official	No

East Timor has two official languages: Portuguese and Tetum. However, Portuguese is primarily used in financial and administrative sectors.

Estimates suggest that around 70% of the population speaks Portuguese as a second language, particularly in urban areas, though only a smaller percentage uses it in daily life.

The most widely spoken language is Tetum-Prasa, with 30.6% of the population speaking it as their first language. Other indigenous languages include Mambai, Makasai, Tetum-Terik, and Baikenu.

Equatorial Guinea

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
1.36 m	Co-official	No

In 2010, Equatorial Guinea adopted Portuguese as an official language, alongside French and Spanish.

The government justified this decision as a way to strengthen bilateral relations with other Portuguese-speaking countries and honor its historical ties with Brazil, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

While Portuguese is used as a liturgical language by the Catholic community, it has little presence in daily life compared to Spanish.

Guinea-Bissau

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
1.92 m	Official	No

Portuguese settlers and traders arrived in Guinea-Bissau in the first half of the 15th century.

Although Portuguese is the country’s sole official language, its use is largely confined to the intellectual and political elites.

Fewer than 3% of the population speaks Portuguese as a native language, but as a second language, it is spoken by about one-third of the population.

Crioulo, however, is the national language and is widely spoken in daily life by the majority of the population.

Mozambique

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
30.4 m	Official	No

Portuguese was introduced to Mozambique after Vasco da Gama and his fleet rounded the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean in 1498.

Although Portuguese is the only official language, it is primarily used as a lingua franca across the population.

Those who speak Portuguese as a first language are a small minority, primarily living in Maputo or a few other urban areas.

The majority of Mozambicans speak Bantu languages, with Makua, Lomwe, Tsonga, Sena, and Shona being among the most widely spoken.

Portugal

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
10.3 m	Official	Yes

Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, where it originated, and is spoken natively by nearly the entire population.

Mirandese, a language from the Astur-Leonese group, is also recognized as a regional language in several municipalities in northeastern Portugal.

S. Tomé e Príncipe

Population (World Bank – 2019)	Portuguese language status	Majority’s mother tongue
0.22 m	Official	Yes

When Portuguese explorers first arrived on the islands of São Tomé e Príncipe in 1470, the islands were uninhabited. Along with Portuguese settlers, African slaves were brought to work on sugar plantations.

Portuguese is both the official and national language of São Tomé e Príncipe, and nearly all islanders use it in daily life.

In addition to Portuguese, there are a few Portuguese-based creoles spoken, with São Tomense being the most widely spoken.

Portuguese-speaking communities around the world 

In addition to the countries where Portuguese is an official language, there are several other places around the world where the language is spoken in daily life.

Portugal’s maritime and colonial expansion left a lasting legacy of Portuguese-speaking communities that continue to thrive today.

These communities can be found in cities like Malacca in Western Malaysia, Goa in Western India, and Macau in Southeast China.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, waves of Portuguese emigration to European countries and the Americas occurred, driven by poverty, political instability, and Europe’s longest dictatorship in the 20th century.

Similarly, in Brazil, there was significant emigration during the latter half of the 20th century, as people sought to escape widespread poverty and political unrest.

As a result, the Portuguese language is now spoken by large communities of Portuguese and Brazilian descent across the globe.

	Pop. of Portuguese descent (millions)	Pop. of Brazilian descent (millions)
AMERICAS
USA	1,47 m	1,32 m
Canada	0,43 m	0,04 m
Venezuela	0,30 m	–
Paraguay	–	0,33 m
EUROPA
France	1,72 m	0,11 m
Luxembourg	0,12 m (16% of total pop.)	–
Switzerland	0,34 m	0,08 m
UK	0,26 m	0,12 m
Germany	0,17 m	0,11 m
Spain	0,09 m	0,13 m
AFRICA
South Africa	0,30 m	–
ASICA
Japan	–	0,17 m
Macau	0,15 m	–