Portuguese speaking communities in Australia
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The Portuguese speaking communities in Australia, estimated at over 100,000 people is composed mostly of Brazilians, followed by East Timorese but you can also find Portuguese speakers coming from all continents.
Portuguese is the 34th most spoken language in Australia (2013). The first is English followed by Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese and Greek. The suburb that includes more Portuguese speakers per square meter is located in Sydney, Earlwood with 633 speakers, 3.8% of the population of that suburb.
Earlwood is about 10km from the centre of Sydney and not far from the Portuguese district of Petersham, that although is the centre of Portuguese cuisine in Sydney counts only 220 Portuguese speakers. Other suburbs with a large number of Portuguese speakers are: Marrickville and Dulwich Hill with 566 and 315 speakers of Portuguese, both east of downtown.
According to the latest census 33,351 people claimed to speak Portuguese at home, representing 0.2 per cent of the total Australian population. Of these 33,351 the majority (68.4%) were born in Portugal, 11,418 (34.2%) or in Brazil (34.2%).
The third largest group of Portuguese speakers (20%) corresponds to over 6.000 thousand people born in Australia who claimed to speak Portuguese at home. East Timor comes fourth with 1,154 Timorese born in East Timor who speak Portuguese at home 13.5% of the total. Followed by the following Portuguese speaking countries: Mozambique 390, Angola 275, Cape Verde 15 people, São Tomé and Príncipe 9 people and Guinea-Bissau 6 people.
In total the number of speakers of Portuguese is still much lower than the Australian resident population of countries that speak Portuguese. If we consider that only the Portuguese community in total (including those born in Australia) is composed of 61,847 people according to the number of respondents to the 2011 census.
What we can also see is that there was a large growth of the Brazilian community since the 2006 census, an increase of 93.6% compared to the 2006 census.
Brazilian Community
History of immigration - the most significant immigration began in the 80’s coinciding with the end of the dictatorship in Brazil and a period of economic crisis. The 2001 Census recorded 4,650 Brazilians that were born in Brazil in Australia, a number that has increased substantially ever since in part due to the number of Brazilians who choose to study in Australia.
In 2006 the Brazilian population born in Brazil in Australia was already 7,490, an increase of 60.9% 2001. Of these 13% arrived between 1996 and 2000 and 48.6 % between 2001 and 2006.
In total the Brazilian community in Australia (census 2006) consisted of 14,160 people, with 7,490 thousand of those born in Brazil and 6,670 claiming to be descendants.
Today the Brazilian community in total (brazilian born and descendents) should be much higher than 15,000. At the last census (2011) the population born in Brazil living in Aiustralia 11,590 thousand an increase of 93.6% from 2006 census. Getting closer to the Portuguese community figures that amounts today to 15,328 Portuguese born.
Languages spoken at home - according to the 2011 census the number of Brazilians born in Brazil who speak Portuguese at home is 11,4098 almost equal to the number of Portuguese 11,419 in the same situation. The previous census figures (2006) indicated that the majority of Brazilians born in Brazil living in Australia spoke Portuguese at home (71.3%), followed by English and 20% Spanish (1.9%).
Of the 12,173 Brazilians born in Brazil who claimed to speak a language other than English at home 90% percent said spoke English very well or well.
Geographic Distribution - In 2011 the state with the largest number of brasilians was New South Wales 6,503 followed by Queensland 3,418, Victoria 2,013 and West Australia with 1,748 thousand.
Culture and cuisine - Like the Portuguese Brazilians have several associations and clubs, and they are more active when it comes to organizing events and initiatives to support and integrate newcomers, including workshops offering professional guidance. There is also an annual festival called Rhythm in Sydney.
Brazilian music and cuisine are becoming increasingly popular and it is possible to watch a performance or eat a Brazilian dish in places where there is a concentration of Brazilians.
Brazilians still do not have a characteristic neighbourhood in Australia, but most are concentrated in Sydney, New South Wales and the Gold Coast in Queensland. In Victoria there are many in the municipalities of Port Philip, Boroondora and Glen Eira.
There are some restaurants in the Portuguese neighbourhood of Petersham offering Brazilian food but its in Bondi and Manly, in Sydney, where you are more likely to hear Portuguese from Brazil. To learn more about Brazilian associations in Australia, visit our page Brazilian Associations.
Timorese Community
Immigration history - the invasion of East Timor by Indonesia em1975 and the subsequent occupation led to a large exodus of immigrants from East Timor to Australia.
The 2001 Census recorded 9,380 were born in East Timor in Australia, a number that has declined substantially in part due to the number of Timorese who have returned to East Timor since independence in 2002.
In 2006 the population born in East Timor in Australia was 9.320, a decrease of 0.7 per cent compared to 2001. Of these 9.329 the majority 89% arrived before 1996 and 4.3 per cent between 1996 and 2000. Only 2.7 per cent arrived between 2001 and 2006.
In total the Timorese community in Australia at the 2006 census consisted of 15,590 people with 9,320 of those born in Brazil and 6,270 were descendants. The 2011 census figures for this community were not disclosed yet.
Australia is Timor-Leste´s largest bilareal donor. From 1999 to June 2011, Australia has given Timor-Leste $1.04 billion in emergency and development aid.
Languages spoken at home - according to the 2011 census the number of Timorese born in East Timor who speak Portuguese at home is 1,154 far below the number of Portuguese (11,419) and Brazilians (11,408) in the same situation.
In the previous census the numbers pointed to that most Timorese born in East Timor in Australia speak Hakka at home (42.4%), followed by Mandarin (12.9%) and Portuguese (12.9%).
Geographical distribution - Victoria is the state with more Timorese 5,010 followed by New South Wales 2,280 the Northern Territory 1,020 and Queensland 510.
Culture and cuisine- like the Portuguese they have several associations and clubs and the Timorese community often participates in the Festival of Portuguese-speaking communities on June 10 in Melbourne and also performs their own festivals.
Timorese do not have a characteristic neighbourhood in Australia, but in Victoria the majority are concentrated in the municipalities of Yarra, Casey, Greater Dandenong and in the suburbs of Broadmeadows and Footscray. In these locations there are some Timorese restaurants.
To learn more about Timorese associations in Australia, visit our page Timorese Associations. In regards to other Portuguese-speaking communities from Angola, Cape Verde and the like there is no information available.
More information and data:
- 2011 Census Portuguese speakers - Census explorer
- Brazilian community - Community Information Summary pdf page and Brazil country brief
- Timorese community - Community Information Summary pdf page and East Timor country brief
- Other communities - profiles http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html