# Brazilian diaspora

The Brazilian diaspora is the migration of Brazilians to other countries, a mostly recent phenomenon that has been driven mainly by economic recession and hyperinflation that afflicted Brazil in the 1980s and early 1990s, and since 2014, by the political and economic crisis that culminated in the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016 and the election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018, as well as the re-election of Luís Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, in addition to chronic violence in Brazilian urban centers.

## Demographics

There are an estimated 4,4 million Brazilians living abroad,$^{:4}$ mainly in the U.S. (1,905,000), Paraguay (245,850), Portugal (275,000), United Kingdom (220,000), Japan (212,325), Spain (165,000), Italy (162,000), Germany (138,955) and Canada (122,400).

### United States

There were an estimated 246,000 Brazilian Americans as of 2007. Another source gives an estimate of some 800,000 Brazilians living in the U.S. in 2000, while still another estimates that as of 2008 some 1,100,000 Brazilians live in the United States, 300,000 of them in Florida. As of 2022, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates some 1,905,000 Brazilians living in the United States. Major concentrations are in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin, and California.
West 46th Street has historically been a commercial center for Brazilians living or visiting New York City. In 1995 the city officially recognized it as "Little Brazil Street".
In Massachusetts, there is significant concentration of Brazilian immigrants in the town of Framingham, which in recent years has spilt out into the neighboring towns of Marlborough and Hudson, among others. In the Brazilian community, it is said that Pompano Beach in Florida has the greatest concentration of Brazilians in the USA. The Brazilian communities in these towns are vibrant, having contributed much to the local cuisine and culture, but Brazilian immigrants often feel discriminated against and are often thought to be illegal immigrants by their non-Brazilian neighbors.
A disproportionate number of Brazilians who have emigrated to the US came from the town of Governador Valadares, in the state of Minas Gerais.
In New Jersey, there are almost 15,000 of Brazilian ancestry in Essex County. The Brazilian diaspora has impacted the lifestyle of this county. They have built a community based on diversity and relatability. Creating a new home to replicate their pátria mãe (motherland). In Newark New Jersey, there is an area referred to as the Ironbound. This is a heavily populated area by Brazilians because there was an influx of migrants.

### United Kingdom

There are no precise figures for the number of Brazilians living in the UK. The 1991 Census recorded 9,301 Brazilian-born people in the UK, and the 2001 Census recorded 15,215. In 2004, the Brazilian Consulate in London recorded 13,000 Brazilians who had voluntarily registered themselves with them, but said this was not an accurate figure for the number living in the UK; the Brazilian Embassy estimated that figure to be about 80,000. The Office for National Statistics estimates suggest that there were 56,000 Brazilian-born people resident in the UK in 2008. In 2015, the Brazilian Consulate estimated a total of 120,000 Brazilians resident in the UK. The ONS estimated that in 2018, 87,000 people born in Brazil were living in the UK. As of 2022, about 220,000 Brazilians live in United Kingdom.

### Japan

The majority of Brazilians living in Japan are of Japanese descent, and the Immigration Act was altered to allow children and grandchildren of Japanese nationals, as well as their non-Japanese spouse, to receive a work permit easily. Reasons for the migration of Brazilians were mainly economic. Brazilians sought out opportunities to improve their life, escape unemployment, and also to support their family. In contrast, cultural factors were considered not important as a reason for migrating to Japan. Most of them live in industrial areas where there used to be a plenty of job offers at factories, such as Aichi, Shizuoka and Gunma Prefectures, among others. While approximately 300,000 Brazilians lived there at its climax, the economic crisis in 2008 slashed their job and more than a third of them have decided to return to Brazil. As of June 2024, there were 212,325 Brazilian nationals in Japan.

### Canada

There are an estimated 122,000 Brazilians living in Canada. Major concentrations are in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Brampton, and Calgary.

### Germany

The 2022 estimates from Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows 138,955 Brazilians living in Germany.

### Portugal

Portugal has grown to be a popular destination for Brazilian migrants because of their similar language and culture. The very simple procedure for Brazilians to obtain Portuguese citizenship is one of the main causes. Many Brazilians have been able to obtain dual nationality after Portugal changed its nationality rules to permit any grandchild of a certified Portuguese citizen to apply for citizenship, which has increased the number of Brazilians migrating to Portugal. Portugal is a desirable travel destination because of this legislation as well as the cultural similarities between the two nations. Brazilian pop culture is also well known to the Portuguese, which facilitates the assimilation of Brazilian immigrants.
As a result, Brazilians make up a sizable portion of the immigrant population in Portugal, accounting for almost 25% of all foreign residents. Since the mid-2010s, there has been an increase in the number of qualified professionals, including engineers, IT specialists, and health workers. Even though a large number of Brazilian immigrants have advanced degrees, they frequently struggle to find employment that matches their skills, which occasionally forces them to work in industries like construction, services, or elder care. Despite these difficulties, Portugal's friendly atmosphere, pleasant temperature, and tranquil way of life draw a lot of migrants. Portuguese social and economic life is significantly influenced by the Brazilian community, which is still thriving, especially in Lisbon, Porto, and Setúbal.

### Paraguay

Brazilians and their descendants living in Paraguay are called Brasiguayos. This numerous community of landowners is mainly involved in agriculture.

### Switzerland

There is a large population of Brazilians present in Switzerland although the exact number is difficult to pinpoint due to a majority of them being undocumented. The Switzerland Federal Department of Statistics has the population of Brazilians residing in Switzerland to 14,108, but the Brazil Ministry of Foreign Relations has the number close to 60,000 Brazilians in Switzerland.

### Ireland

During the late 1990s Brazilians migrated to Ireland to work in meat processing shops in small towns due to the severe labour shortages that was present during the time, a majority of them were considered undocumented. Brazilians in Ireland were also mistreated by certain business owners, preferably towards the ones who barely spoke English and were undocumented. For example, in a certain case which saw five Brazilians sue a plant owner due to having worked long hours, weren't being paid what was promised, and receiving illegal deductions from their wages. It's also been reported that some Brazilians in the late 2000s were being paid around €5 an hour for an 8-hour working day which significantly below the minimum average at around €8.30.
The total amount of Brazilians that were present in Ireland from the years 2002-2013 was clocked in at 8,704 which came from the Ireland census.

## Statistics

| | Brazilian diaspora per consulate in 2022 | Brazilian diaspora per consulate in 2022 | Brazilian diaspora per consulate in 2022 |
| Place | Consulate | Country | Population |
| 1 | Boston | United States | 380,000 |
| 2 | New York City | United States | 500,000 |
| 3 | Miami | United States | 475,000 |
| 4 | Ciudad del Este | Paraguay | 98,000 |
| 5 | Paris | France | 90,100$^{12}$ |
| 6 | London | United Kingdom | 220,000 |
| 7 | Los Angeles | United States | 115,000 |
| 8 | Atlanta | United States | 120,000 |
| 9 | Nagoya | Japan | 119,298 |
| 10 | Houston | United States | 90,000 |
| 11 | Hartford | United States | 70,000 |
| 12 | Lisbon | Portugal | 180,000 |
| 13 | San Francisco | United States | 65,000 |
| 14 | Chicago | United States | 45,000 |
| 15 | Milan | Italy | 92,000$^{10}$ |
| 16 | Tokyo | Japan | 56,079 |
| 17 | Zurich | Switzerland | 37,000$^{15}$ |
| 18 | Madrid | Spain | 90,000 |
| 19 | Brussels | Belgium | 32,000$^5$ |
| 20 | Asunción | Paraguay | 48,000 |
| 21 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | 80,000 |
| 22 | Salto do Guairá | Paraguay | 30,000 |
| 23 | Cayenne | French Guiana | 80,000 |
| 24 | Munich | Germany | 51,000 |
| 25 | Washington D.C. | United States | 45,000 |
| 26 | Barcelona | Spain | 75,000$^8$ |
| 27 | Berlin | Germany | 40,000 |
| 28 | Porto | Portugal | 70,000 |
| 29 | Geneve | Switzerland | 40,000 |
| 30 | Encarnación | Paraguay | 33,500 |
| 31 | Hamamatsu | Japan | 30,882 |
| 32 | Sydney | Australia | 45,000$^{37}$ |
| 33 | Bogotá | Colombia | 4,065 |
| 34 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 65,000 |
| 35 | Toronto | Canada | 90,000 |
| 36 | Faro | Portugal | 25,000 |
| 37 | Rome | Italy | 70,000$^{10}$ |
| 38 | Dublin | Ireland | 70,000 |
| 39 | Frankfurt | Germany | 47,955 |
| 40 | Beirut | Lebanon | 21,000 |
| 41 | Luanda | Angola | 13,290 |
| 42 | Georgetown | Guyana | 10,000 |
| 43 | Paramaribo | Suriname | 30,000 |
| 44 | Mexico City | Mexico | 40,000 |
| 45 | Leticia | Colombia | 4,000 |
| 46 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | Bolivia | 20,000 |
| 47 | Caracas | Venezuela | 11,800$^1$ |
| 48 | Montreal | Canada | 12,400 |
| 49 | Canberra | Australia | 15,000$^{36}$ |
| 50 | Pedro Juan Caballero | Paraguay | 29,000 |
| 51 | Santiago | Chile | 18,644 |
| 52 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 15,000 |
| 54 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | 6,000 |
| 55 | Vancouver | Canada | 15,000 |
| 56 | ShanghaI | China | 1,153 |
| 57 | Oslo | Norway | 10,698$^9$ |
| 58 | Cochabamba | Bolivia | 6,500 |
| 59 | Guangzhou | China | 3,500 |
| 60 | Montevideo | Uruguay | 15,000 |
| 61 | Stockholm | Sweden | 17,000$^{14}$ |
| 62 | Maputo | Mozambique | 3,029$^{22}$ |
| 63 | Wellington | New Zealand | 6,663$^{38}$ |
| 64 | Ramallah | Palestine | 6,000 |
| 65 | Vienna | Austria | 8$^5$ |
| 66 | Saint-Georges | French Guiana | 2,500 |
| 67 | Cobija | Bolivia | 4,000 |
| 68 | Concepción | Paraguay | 7,350 |
| 69 | Athens | Greece | 4,000 |
| 70 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 4,800$^7$ |
| 71 | Lima | Peru | 6,572 |
| 72 | Quito | Ecuador | 3,000 |
| 73 | Rio Branco | Uruguay | 2,633 |
| 74 | Cordoba | Argentina | 4,617 |
| 76 | Amman | Jordan | 2,900 |
| 78 | La Paz | Bolivia | 5,000 |
| 79 | Artigas | Uruguay | 23,200 |
| 80 | Pretoria | South Africa | 2,500$^{17}$ |
| 81 | Ottawa | Canada | 5,000 |
| 82 | Warsaw | Poland | 3,000 |
| 83 | Mendoza | Argentina | 780 |
| 84 | Puerto Iguazu | Argentina | 1,806 |
| 85 | Seoul | South Korea | 970 |
| 86 | Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | 900 |
| 87 | Doha | Qatar | 1,000 |
| 88 | Iquitos | Peru | 350 |
| 89 | Panama City | Panama | 4,000 |
| 90 | Singapore | Singapore | 1,700 |
| 91 | Moscow | Russia | 1,006$^{35}$ |
| 92 | Taipei | Taiwan | 1,705 |
| 93 | Chuy | Uruguay | 1,200 |
| 94 | Beijing | China | 800$^{30}$ |
| 95 | Helsinki | Finland | 2,466 |
| 96 | San Jose | Costa Rica | 1,500 |
| 97 | Budapest | Hungary | 1,091 |
| 98 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 1,200 |
| 99 | Havana | Cuba | 179 |
| 100 | Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | 629$^{16}$ |
| 101 | Prague | Czech Republic | 1,500 |
| 102 | Bissau | Guinea-Bissau | 450 |
| 103 | Lethem | Guyana | 700 |
| 105 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | 405$^{27}$ |
| 106 | San Salvador | El Salvador | 500 |
| 107 | Jakarta | Indonesia | 1,000 |
| 108 | Guatemala City | Guatemala | 500 |
| 109 | Managua | Nicaragua | 300 |
| 110 | Muscat | Oman | 250 |
| 111 | Cairo | Egypt | 2,500$^{21}$ |
| 112 | Malabo | Equatorial Guinea | 30 |
| 113 | Cape Town | South Africa | 1,200 |
| 114 | Guayaramerín | Bolivia | 3,000 |
| 115 | Port-au-Prince | Haiti | 90 |
| 116 | Mumbai | India | 300 |
| 117 | Kuwait City | Kuwait | 280 |
| 118 | Istanbul | Turkey | 834 |
| 119 | Tegucigalpa | Honduras | 350 |
| 120 | Rivera | Uruguay | 4,815 |
| 121 | Bangkok | Thailand | 310$^{28}$ |
| 122 | Kingston | Jamaica | 260 |
| 123 | Brazzaville | Republic of the Congo | 96$^{25}$ |
| 124 | Rabat | Morocco | 309 |
| 125 | Accra | Ghana | 240$^{24}$ |
| 126 | Manila | Philippines | 380$^{31}$ |
| 127 | New Delhi | India | 460$^{32}$ |
| 128 | Zagreb | Croatia | 269 |
| 129 | Belgrade | Serbia | 441$^{13}$ |
| 130 | Abidjan | Ivory Coast | 120 |
| 131 | Windhoek | Namibia | 146 |
| 132 | Bratislava | Slovakia | 400 |
| 133 | Paso de Los Libres | Argentina | 3,000 |
| 134 | Ljubljana | Slovenia | 346 |
| 135 | Nicosia | Cyprus | 230 |
| 136 | Nassau | Bahamas | 200 |
| 137 | Nairobi | Kenya | 400$^{19}$ |
| 138 | Dili | Timor-Leste | 130 |
| 139 | Lagos | Nigeria | 300 |
| 140 | Ankara | Turkey | 345 |
| 141 | Tehran | Iran | 129 |
| 142 | Kinshasa | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 120 |
| 143 | Bucharest | Romania | 434 |
| 144 | Dakar | Senegal | 250 |
| 145 | Dar es Salam | Tanzania | 81$^{26}$ |
| 146 | Hanoi | Vietnam | 307 |
| 147 | Kyiv | Ukraine | 434$^{11}$ |
| 148 | Tunis | Tunisia | 50 |
| 149 | Yaounde | Cameroon | 76$^{20}$ |
| 150 | Sao Tome | São Tomé and Príncipe | 131 |
| 151 | Praia | Cape Verde | 350 |
| 152 | Tirana | Albania | 100 |
| 153 | Bridgetown | Barbados | 29$^3$ |
| 154 | Sofia | Bulgaria | 150$^6$ |
| 155 | Tallinn | Estonia | 472 |
| 156 | Ouagadougou | Burkina Faso | 50 |
| 157 | Astana | Kazakhstan | 106$^{29}$ |
| 158 | Islamabad | Pakistan | 54$^{33}$ |
| 159 | Belmopan | Belize | 30 |
| 160 | Baku | Azerbaijan | 75 |
| 161 | Algiers | Algeria | 56 |
| 162 | Libreville | Gabon | 79 |
| 163 | Tbilisi | Georgia | 27 |
| 164 | Katmandu | Nepal | 60 |
| 165 | Conakry | Guinea | 30 |
| 166 | Lilongwe | Malawi | 70 |
| 167 | Lome | Togo | 18 |
| 168 | Dhaka | Bangladesh | 10 |
| 169 | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 65$^{23}$ |
| 170 | Colombo | Sri Lanka | 20$^{34}$ |
| 171 | Sarajevo | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 50 |
| 172 | Yangoon | Myanmar | 13 |
| 173 | Lusaka | Zambia | 30 |
| 174 | Gaborone | Botswana | 20 |
| 175 | Cotonou | Benin | 76$^{18}$ |
| 176 | Bamako | Mali | 30 |
| 177 | Baghdad | Iraq | 130 |
| 179 | Castries | Saint Lucia | 14 |
| 180 | Minsk | Belarus | 25 |
| 181 | Yerevan | Armenia | 60 |
| 182 | Vatican City | Vatican City | 10 |
| 183 | Nouakchott | Mauritania | 10 |
| 184 | Puerto Quijarro | Bolivia | 3,500 |
| 185 | Port of Spain | Trinidad and Tobago | 563$^2$ |
| 186 | Manama | Bahrain | 280 |
| 187 | Damascus | Syria | 2,600 |
| 188 | Khartoum | Sudan | 6 |
| 189 | Harare | Zimbabwe | 10 |
| 190 | Pyongyang | North Korea | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 4,404,255 |
$^1$Data from 2018 - In 2020, Brazil closed its embassy in Caracas during the Venezuelan presidential crisis. The embassy is reopening in 2023.
$^2$The Brazilian Embassy in Port of Spain is responsible for Brazilians in Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba and Curaçao. There are 250 Brazilians living in Aruba, 200 in Curaçao and 113 in Trinidad and Tobago.
$^3$The Brazilian Embassy in Bridgetown is responsible for Brazilians in multiple Caribbean nations, there are Brazilians living in Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
$^5$In the case of European Union countries, due to the Schengen Space, Brazilians registered in other consulates or those who hold dual citizenship might live in other countries. The Consulate of Brazil in Brussels is responsible for Brazilians in Luxembourg. There are 8.000 Brazilians living in Luxembourg.
$^6$The Embassy of Brazil in Sófia is also responsible for Brazilians in North Macedonia.
$^7$The Embassy of Brazil to Denmark is responsible for Brazilians in Lithuania.
$^8$ The Consulate of Brazil in Barcelona is responsible for Brazilians in Andorra.
$^9$ The Embassy of Brazil in Oslo is also responsible for Brazilians in Iceland. There are 287 Brazilians living in Iceland.
$^{10}$The Consulates of Brazil in Italy are responsible for Brazilians in Malta and San Marino.
$^{11}$The Embassy of Brazil to Ukraine is responsible for Brazilians in Moldova. There are 12 Brazilians living in Moldova.
$^{12}$The Embassy of Brazil to France is responsible for Brazilians in Monaco. There are 100 Brazilians living in Monaco.
$^{13}$The Embassy of Brazil to Serbia is responsible for Brazilians in Montenegro. There are 41 Brazilians living in Montenegro.
$^{14}$The Embassy of Brazil to Sweden is responsible for Brazilians in Latvia.
$^{15}$The Consulate of Brazil in Zurich is responsible for Brazilians in Liechtenstein.
$^{16}$The Embassy of Brazil to Saudi Arabia is responsible for Brazilians in Yemen.
$^{17}$The Embassy of Brazil in Pretoria is responsible for Brazilians in Lesotho and Mauritius.
$^{18}$The Embassy of Brazil to Benin is also responsible for Brazilians in Niger.
$^{19}$The Embassy of Brazil to Kenya is responsible for Brazilians in Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda. There are 280 Brazilians living in Kenya, 15 in Burundi, 35 in Rwanda, 20 in Somalia and 50 in Uganda.
$^{20}$The Embassy of Brazil to Cameroon is responsible for Brazilians in Chad. There are 16 Brazilians living in Chad.
$^{21}$The Embassy of Brazil to Egypt is responsible for Brazilians in Eritrea.
$^{22}$The Embassy of Brazil to Mozambique is responsible for Brazilians in Eswatini and Madagascar. There are 9 Brazilians living in Eswatini and 20 in Madagascar.
$^{23}$The Embassy of Brazil to Ethiopia is responsible for Brazilians in Djibouti and South Sudan.
$^{24}$The Embassy of Brazil to Ghana is responsible for Brazilians in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
$^{25}$The Embassy of Brazil to Republic of Congo is responsible for Brazilians in Central African Republic.
$^{26}$The Embassy of Brazil to Tanzania is responsible for Brazilians in Seychelles and Comoros. There is 1 Brazilian living in Seychelles.
$^{27}$The Embassy of Brazil to Malasya is responsible for Brazilians in Brunei. There are 5 Brazilians living in Brunei.
$^{28}$The Embassy of Brazil to Thailand is responsible for Brazilians in Cambodia and Laos. There are 15 Brazilians living in Cambodia.
$^{29}$The Embassy of Brazil to Kazakhstan is responsible for Brazilians in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. There is 1 Brazilian living in Kyrgyzstan.
$^{30}$The Embassy of Brazil to China is responsible for Brazilians in Mongolia.
$^{31}$The Embassy of Brazil to Philippines is responsible for Brazilians in Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. There are 3 Brazilians living in Guam and 1 living in the Federated States of Micronesia.
$^{32}$The Embassy of Brazil to India is responsible for Brazilians in Bhutan.
$^{33}$The Embassy of Brazil to Pakistan is responsible for Brazilians in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. There are 4 Brazilians living in Tajikistan.
$^{34}$The Embassy of Brazil to Sri Lanka is responsible for Brazilians in Maldives.
$^{35}$The Embassy of Brazil to Russia is responsible for Brazilians in Uzbekistan. There are 6 Brazilians living in Uzbekistan.
$^{36}$The Embassy of Brazil to Australia is responsible for Brazilians in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Nauru and Solomon Islands. There are 5 Brazilians living in Papua New Guinea, 10 in Vanuatu and 5 in Fiji.
$^{37}$The Consulate of Brazil in Sydney is responsible for Brazilians in French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Pitcairn Islands and American Samoa.
$^{38}$The Embassy of Brazil to New Zealand is responsible for Brazilians in Tokelau, Cook Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa and Tuvalu.