As of 2007 Portugal had 10,617,575 inhabitants of whom 332,137, or 3.13%, were legal immigrants (51,7% female, 48,3% male).^[1]

Today, many Brazilians, Eastern Europeans (especially Ukrainians, Moldovans, Romanians and Russians), as well as Africans, are making Portugal their home.

[edit] Immigration

Portugal, long a country of emigration, has now become a country of net immigration, and not just from the last Indian (Portuguese until 1961), African (Portuguese until 1975), and Far East Asian (Portuguese until 1999) overseas territories. Since the 1990s, along with a boom in construction, several new waves of Ukrainian, Brazilian, people from the former Portuguese colonies in Africa and other Africans have settled in the country. Those communities currently make up the largest groups of immigrants in Portugal. Romanians, Moldovans and Chinese also have chosen Portugal as destination. A number of EU citizens from the United Kingdom, Spain and other EU member states, also have chosen Portugal as destination, with a major part of the British, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian communities being mostly composed of persons looking for quality of life, including an increasing number of pensioners, and the Spaniards composed of professionals (medical doctors, business managers, businesspersons, nurses, etc.).^[2]

Foreign-born naturalised citizens in Portugal by 2001.

Immigration to Portugal has grown since the 1990s, with an increase of the number of foreign citizens from diverse origins. Some immigrant communities, like those arrived from Africa and South America, grew as a result of economic emigration - foreigners looking for better economic conditions abroad. Other immigrant communities, like most of those arrived from other EU member states, are a result of the attractiveness of the country for high income foreign citizens looking for a better quality of life, a warmer sunny weather, security and exquisite cuisine.

[edit] See also

• Angolans in Portugal
• Demographics of Portugal

[edit] References