This biogeographical region includes the Mediterranean Sea and seven Member States, either partially (France, Portugal, Italy, Spain) or completely (Greece, Malta, Cyprus).
The Portuguese are a Southwestern European population, with origins predominantly from Southern and Western Europe. The earliest modern humans inhabiting Portugal are believed to have been Paleolithic peoples that may have arrived in the Iberian Peninsula as early as 35,000 to 40,000 years ago.
They are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.
Portuguese people have typical Mediterranean features such as olive skin, brown eyes, and brown hair. Unfortunately, they have been struggling with obesity issues in the past decade, which their government has been trying to address.
Bordering Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, the Western Mediterranean is a culturally rich region filled with an incredible array of sights and experiences. Spanning the coast of Europe and nudging the continent of Africa, it's filled with ancient and modern wonders.
Portugal is located on the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula and plateau, that divides the inland Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. It is located on the Atlantic coast of this plateau and crossed by several rivers which have their origin in Spain.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with mild, rainy winters and warm to hot, dry summers.
Most Portuguese have typical Mediterranean features like brown eyes, brown hair, and a height of less than 6 feet.
People with ancestries in Brazil, Portugal and the Philippines do not fit the federal government's official definition of “Hispanic” because the countries are not Spanish-speaking.
Did you know that the Northern part of Portugal, from the Rio Douro, has genetic and cultural ties with Celtic nations like Ireland, Galicia, Asturias, and even the Basque Country. So, yes, the Portuguese are Celts, in a certain sense.
They occupy the southern and insular parts of Europe. According to William Z. Ripley, the marked features of the Mediterranean race were dark hair, dark eyes, a long face, dolichocephalic skull, and a variable narrow nose.
The Mediterranean includes a vast array of cultures with diverse cuisines, including the Maghrebi, Egyptian, Levantine, Ottoman, Greek, Italian, Provençal, and Spanish.
94 % of the population is Portuguese. Brazilians, Black, mixed race and other Europeans each represents about 1.2 % of the total population.
Portuguese people are of white European descent. Their ancestors were mostly from Portugal, but there is a significant minority with ancestry from other parts of Europe, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. There is also a small number of people with African or Brazilian ancestry.
With regard to Portuguese culture more broadly: Lusitano/a, or Luso/a for short, defines anyone of Portuguese descent or origin, while lusitano/a is the corresponding cultural adjective; these are equivalent to English Lusitanic.
According to these definitions, a person from Brazil (where Portuguese is spoken) would be considered Latino (and not Hispanic) and a person from Spain would be considered Hispanic (but not Latino).
age of European monarchy
Neighbouring Portugal acquired independence in 1668 after revolt and war protracted by the stubborn determination of Philip IV to maintain his patrimony. This small country had suffered since 1580 from its Spanish connection. Resentment at the loss of part of Brazil and most of…
The Portuguese language developed in the Western Iberian Peninsula from Latin spoken by Roman soldiers and colonists starting in the 3rd century BC.
Silva/da Silva
Silva is the most popular surname in Portugal, and da Silva takes the lead in Brazil.
In Portugal, the national average of the population shows 11% of varying traces of blondism, peaking at 15% blond people in Póvoa de Varzim in northern Portugal.
Where in the world are the most green eyes? The highest concentration of people with green eyes is found in Ireland, Scotland, and northern Europe. In fact, in Ireland and Scotland, more than three-fourths of the population has blue or green eyes – 86 percent!
Is Portuguese Food Healthy? Yes, and no. Many of the ingredients used in Portuguese dishes are healthy foods (fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs, grains, etc.), however, many of those healthy ingredients end up being fried rather than roasted or baked — plus, the Portuguese love a healthy dousing of olive oil!
Portuguese food is not (only) Mediterranean cuisine, but Atlantic, African, Asian and Brazilian cuisine. This comes from Portugal's History of which also a bit of the World's History.
Generally speaking, typical Portuguese home-cooked food revolves around proteins such as pork, chicken and fish, legumes, vegetables (particularly leafy greens used in stews and soups which we explore further below, or simple preparations which will have them boiled or steamed), bread, cheese, and cold cuts (including ...