It has been estimated that between 190 and 230 million people speak Portuguese throughout the world. Portuguese is the eighth most spoken language on the planet, and after English and Spanish (or Castilian), the West’s third most spoken language.

Portuguese is the official language of the following eight countries spread across four continents:

• Angola (10.9 million inhabitants)
• Brazil (185 million)
• Cape Verde (415,000)
• East Timor (800,000)
• Guinea-Bissau (1.4 million)
• Mozambique (18.8 million)
• Portugal (10.5 million)
• São Tomé and Príncipe (182,000)

Portuguese has been one of the official languages of the European Union since Portugal’s accession in 1986. Furthermore, Portuguese is taught as a foreign language in the countries that form part of Mercosul (with the exception of Brazil where it is the official language), in accordance with the agreement signed by the member nations to create the Common Market of Southern Latin America.

In 1996, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (with the acronym of CPLP in Portuguese) (link: www.cplp.org) was formed with the aim of increasing co-operation and cultural interchange between members, as well as standardising and diffusing the Portuguese language itself.

If you want to know more about speaking Portuguese (or just learn how to say a few words!)  click here:  http://www.instituto-camoes.pt/cvc/guiadebolso/index.html