According to Itamaraty data, the number of Brazilians living abroad surpassed the 4.2 million mark in 2020, reaching the highest number registered in history. With more job opportunities abroad and in search of financial prosperity and quality of life, the Brazilian population in foreign lands has grown 36% in the last 10 years.
Still according to Itamaraty data, among the five countries with the largest number of Brazilians are the United States, with 1.7 million; Portugal, with 276,000; Paraguay, with 240,000; the United Kingdom, with 220,000; and Japan, with 211,000. However, it is important to point out that these are only official figures that do not include illegal residents in other countries.
As a curiosity, there are four countries with only one Brazilian. According to records, they are: Eritrea in East Africa, Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, Micronesia in Oceania, and North Korea in East Asia.
Want to know more about the countries abroad with the largest Brazilian communities? Keep following and check it out!
United States of America
The Brazilian community in the United States is one of the strongest outside Brazil. This is because the country ranks first in the list of countries abroad with the largest Brazilian communities. So if you are planning to move to the land of Uncle Sam, know that you are sure to find fellow countrymen there.
However, five states concentrate most of the Brazilian immigrant population in the United States. They are: Massachusetts (23%), Florida (20%), New Jersey (10.4%), California (8.7%), and New York (7.1%). Together, these states constitute 69% of the Brazilian population in the USA.
A few years ago, when the overwhelming majority of Brazilians who migrated to the United States did so to work in professions considered “low-level”. Today, the profile has changed and there are more opportunities for those who want to continue working in their training areas.
And if you are planning to travel to study, the United States is also among the best countries to study in. In these moments, having a welcoming community of Brazilians around makes all the difference for when you feel homesick.
Portugal
It is not news to anyone that Portugal is one of the most sought after countries by Brazilians who decide to live abroad. Familiarity with the language, traditions, and even the climate in some regions are positive points to encourage moving. However, another good reason to adopt Lusitanian lands as home outside Brazil is that Portugal is one of the countries abroad with the largest Brazilian communities.
The main Portuguese cities, such as Lisbon, Porto and their surroundings, concentrate a large number of Brazilians, as does Braga, the capital of Minho. According to a report in the O Globo newspaper, the Brazilian community in the city has grown from about 2,500 residents to almost 7,000.
The Brazilians in the country have a varied profile, but they all have one thing in common: a strong sense of community. By recognizing each other, immigrants soon create bonds of friendship and form a large support network.
Paraguay
When talking about migrating to other countries, few people think of Paraguay as an option. However, the country occupies the third position in the list of countries abroad with the largest Brazilian communities in the world.
Besides the historical migratory issue, which has formed a large Brazilian community in the country since the 1970s, in recent years many Brazilians have migrated to the neighboring country for two reasons: to undertake business and to study medicine. According to articles in the newspapers Estado de Minas and Folha, in the last 10 years countless entrepreneurs have chosen to open companies in Paraguay because of the lower costs.
In addition, Paraguay is also becoming one of the best options for those who want to study medicine. One of the main reasons is the tuition of the undergraduate courses, which is more accessible and has a notable price difference with studying in Brazil.
Thus, the Brazilian community in Paraguay continues to grow stronger.
United Kingdom
It is also not unusual to find Brazilians scattered around the UK. This is because of the 67 million inhabitants of the entire nation, about 220,000 are Brazilian immigrants – which makes Brazil the Latin American country with the largest community.
Just like in the countries mentioned above, the Brazilian community in the UK is very active and embraces each other as one family. It is interesting to mention that in London there is even a part of the city called Willesden Green, known as Little Brazil, which is home to about 60,000 Brazilians.
Japan
Finally, Japan is the fifth of the countries abroad with the largest Brazilian communities. The Japanese cities with more Brazilians are Hamamatsu (Shizuoka), Nagoia (Aichi), Oizumi (Gunma), Shizuoka (Shizuoka), Gifu (Gifu) and Saitama (Saitama). Of these, the great majority are of Japanese descent and have gone in search of work. Especially between the 80s and 90s – which formed the third largest contingent of foreigners in the country.
Despite the great cultural and linguistic differences between Brazil and Japan, many Brazilians choose to migrate to the country to try new job and life opportunities.
Even with so many differences, there is a strong feeling of Brazilian identity in the community. It organizes itself to celebrate its Brazilian cultural heritage, promoting carnival parties to the sound of samba, pagode, sertaneja music and North American music, as well as consuming typical Brazilian food, especially the churrasco (barbecue).
