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| When Brazil was discovered as a new land by the ] in 1500, its native population was composed of between 3 and 6 million ], living there for the last 15,000 to 20,000 years.<ref></ref> During several decades afterwards, the country remained sparsely inhabited by ]s, mainly ]. | When Brazil was discovered as a new land by the ] in 1500, its native population was composed of between 3 and 6 million ], living there for the last 15,000 to 20,000 years.<ref></ref> During several decades afterwards, the country remained sparsely inhabited by ]s, mainly ]. | ||
| Another important instance of forced migration has been the ]. Over 3 million ]ns were captured by their enemy neighbors during feuds to be sold and bought, captured and transported to ] in Brazil, for |
Another important instance of forced migration has been the ]. Over 3 million ]ns were captured by their enemy neighbors during feuds to be sold and bought, captured and transported to ] in Brazil, for two and half centuries, adding to the demographic and racial composition of the country.<ref></ref> | ||
| === Immigration discussion and policy in the 19th century === | === Immigration discussion and policy in the 19th century === | ||
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| Another immigration boom to this region started in 1875. Communities with Italian immigrants were also created in southern Brazil. The first colonies to be populated by Italians were created in the highlands of Rio Grande do Sul (]). These were ] and ]. These immigrants were predominantly from ], in northern ]. After five years, in 1880, the great numbers of Italian immigrants arriving caused the Brazilian government to create another Italian colony, ]. After initially settling in the government-promoted colonies, many of the Italian immigrants spread themselves into other areas of ] seeking further opportunities. They created many other Italian colonies on their own, mainly in highlands, because the lowlands were already populated by Germans and native ''gaúchos''. The Italian established many vineyards in the region. Nowadays, the wine produced in these areas of Italian colonization in southern Brazil is much appreciated within the country, though little is available for export. In 1875, the first Italian colonies were established in ], which lies immediately to the north of Rio Grande do Sul. The colonies gave rise to towns such as ], and later also spread further north, to ]. | Another immigration boom to this region started in 1875. Communities with Italian immigrants were also created in southern Brazil. The first colonies to be populated by Italians were created in the highlands of Rio Grande do Sul (]). These were ] and ]. These immigrants were predominantly from ], in northern ]. After five years, in 1880, the great numbers of Italian immigrants arriving caused the Brazilian government to create another Italian colony, ]. After initially settling in the government-promoted colonies, many of the Italian immigrants spread themselves into other areas of ] seeking further opportunities. They created many other Italian colonies on their own, mainly in highlands, because the lowlands were already populated by Germans and native ''gaúchos''. The Italian established many vineyards in the region. Nowadays, the wine produced in these areas of Italian colonization in southern Brazil is much appreciated within the country, though little is available for export. In 1875, the first Italian colonies were established in ], which lies immediately to the north of Rio Grande do Sul. The colonies gave rise to towns such as ], and later also spread further north, to ]. | ||
| A significant number of ] have settled in Southern Brazil. The first immigrants arrived in 1869. |
A significant number of ] have settled in Southern Brazil. The first immigrants arrived in 1869 and until 1920, it is estimated that over 60,000 Poles migrated to Brazil, 95% of whom were peasants. The State of ] received the majority of Polish immigrants, who settled mainly in the region of ], in the towns of Mallet, Cruz Machado, São Matheus do Sul, Irati, and União da Vitória. ] and ] are present as well. The latter group, numbering as many as 350,000, live primarily in South Central ] around the city of Prudentopolis. | ||
| Europa do Centro-Leste para o Brasil </ref> | |||
| ===Southeast=== | ===Southeast=== | ||
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Brazil is a racially diverse and multiracial country. Intermarriage among different ethnic groups has been part of the country's history, and most Brazilians can trace their origin to European, Amerindian, and African ancestors.
Ethnic groups
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) classifies the Brazilian population in five categories: white, black, pardo (brown), yellow, and Indigenous, based on skin color as given by the individual being interviewed in the census.
- White (49.7% of the population): usually a Brazilian of full or predominant European ancestry or other ancestry (such as Arab Brazilian) who considers himself or herself to be White.
- Pardo or Brown (42.6%): usually a Multiracial Brazilian of brown skin color and mixed-race features who considers himself or herself to be "Pardo".
- Black (6.9%): usually a dark-skinned Brazilian of Black African ancestry who considers himself or herself to be Black.
- Yellow: (0.5%) usually a Brazilian of East Asian descent, mostly Japanese.
- Indigenous (0.3%): usually a Brazilian of full or predominant Amerindian ancestry who considers himself or herself to be Amerindian.
Brazil's population history
| Immigration to Brazil, by Ethnic groups, periods from 1500 to 1933 Source: Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE) |
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| Ethnic group | 1500-1700 | 1701-1760 | 1761-1829 | 1830-1855 | 1856-1883 | 1884-1893 | 1894-1903 | 1904-1913 | 1914-1923 | 1924-1933 |
| Africans | 510,000 | 958,000 | 1,720,000 | 618,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Portuguese | 100,000 | 600,000 | 26,000 | 16,737 | 116,000 | 170,621 | 155,542 | 384,672 | 201,252 | 233,650 |
| Italians | - | - | - | - | 100,000 | 510,533 | 537,784 | 196,521 | 86,320 | 70,177 |
| Spaniards | - | - | - | - | - | 113,116 | 102,142 | 224,672 | 94,779 | 52,405 |
| Germans | - | - | 5,003 | 2,008 | 30,000 | 22,778 | 6,698 | 33,859 | 29,339 | 61,723 |
| Japanese | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11,868 | 20,398 | 110,191 |
| Syrians and Lebanese | - | - | - | - | - | 96 | 7,124 | 45,803 | 20,400 | 20,400 |
| Others | - | - | - | - | - | 66,524 | 42,820 | 109,222 | 51,493 | 164,586 |
When Brazil was discovered as a new land by the Portuguese in 1500, its native population was composed of between 3 and 6 million Amerindians, living there for the last 15,000 to 20,000 years. During several decades afterwards, the country remained sparsely inhabited by Europeans, mainly Portuguese.
Another important instance of forced migration has been the Atlantic slave trade. Over 3 million Africans were captured by their enemy neighbors during feuds to be sold and bought, captured and transported to slavery in Brazil, for two and half centuries, adding to the demographic and racial composition of the country.
Immigration discussion and policy in the 19th century
See also: Immigration to Brazil
Brazilian ethnic constitution was widely influenced by race-based ideas from the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century, leading Brazil to chose white immigrants as the ideal “race” to constitute Brazilian population. This Brazilian immigration policy was closely connected to the so-called “questão da mão-de-obra” (workforce question), which is the name of the legislative discussions, and planters’ concerns about how to substitute the slave workforce. This concern indicates that Brazilian elites were at that moment considering slavery a bad institution and former slaves as undesired population components which should be mixed within the white population.
Brazilian Slavery was abolished in 1888 but immigration policies were being formulated throughout the second half of the 19th century and culminated in the early Republican period (1890s). Those discussions intended not to be based only in practical experiences but sought to be based in ideas and philosophies considered scientific in the 19th century such as “natural inequality of human beings”, “hierarchy of races”, Social Darwinism and Positivism.
In Brazil, the dominant idea was that the national worker was unable to develop the country, and that only free foreign workers could racially and culturally improve Brazil. The goal was to "whiten" Brazil through new immigrants and through future miscegenation in which former slaves would disappear by becoming “whiter.” In 1878, ten years before the abolition of slavery, Rio de Janeiro hosted the Congresso Agrícola (Agricultural Congress) and that meeting reflected what the Brazilian elite (especially coffee planters) expected from their future workers. Besides national workers were an option to some of the participants, most of them agreed that only immigration would be good to Brazil , and, moreover, European immigration. The Congresso Agrícola showed that the elite was convinced that Europeans were racially and culturally superior to other “races”.
Henceforth, the Brazilian narrative of a perfect "post-racist" country, composed of the "cosmic race" celebrated in 1925 by José Vasconcelos, must be met with caution, as sociologist Gilberto Freyre demonstrated in 1933 in Casa Grande e Senzala. Although discussions were situated in a theoretical field, immigrants arrived and colonies were founded through all this period (the rule of Pedro II), especially from 1850 on, particularly in the Southeast and Southern Brazil.
These discussions culminated in the Decree 528 in 1890, signed by Brazil's first President Deodoro da Fonseca, which opened the national harbors to immigration except for Africans and Asians. This decree remained valid until 1907 when it was substituted for one that did not specify the immigrants’ nationalities or origins although Europeans were still favorite immigrants.
As a result of those discussions and policies, Brazil experienced immigration mostly from countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Poland during the end of the empire and the beginning of the republic period (late 19th and early 20th century). Later immigration, from 1920 on was not so much influenced by that race discussions and Brazil attracted, besides Europeans, more immigrants from Lebanon, Syria and Japan, for example.
Racial makeup and genetic studies
Nowadays, most Brazilians classify themselves as being Whites, closely followed by the Brown group. Recent genetic studies found a high degree of racial admixture in all ethnic groups of Brazil, concluding that the vast majority of Brazilians have some amount of European, African and Amerindian ancestors.
Admixture
According to a study, White Brazilians possess almost all their paternal ancestry of European origin (98% in the Y Chromosome) with a very small African admixture at 2% and a complete absence of Amerindian contributions. In the maternal side, there is a 39% European, 33% Amerindian and 28% African contribution to the total mtDNA pool. This would give White Brazilians the percentage of 68.5% European, 16.5% Amerindian and 15% African admixture. Another study found similar figures: 70% European, 18% African and 12% Amerindian admixture.
Black Brazilians have an average of 52% African and 48% non-African admixture. Another study calculated to Black Brazilians 67% African, 28% European and 5% Amerindian admixture. To Brown Brazilians, the study calculated a 45% African and 55% European and Amerindian admixture.
In all Brazil's regions, European ancestry predominates in the population. The percentage, however, varies from region to region. It was calculated that to the population of Northern Brazil as a whole, the genetic contribution is 47% European, 41% Amerindian and 12% African. In Northeast Brazil, the distribution is 51% European, 36% African and 13% Amerindian. In Southern Brazil 82% European, 11% Amerindian and 7% African.
Descendants of colonial settlers
Brazil's racial base are its colonial settlers (Amerindians, Portuguese and Africans):
- Over 90 million Brazilians (50% of the population) have some Portuguese ancestry.
- 86% of Brazilians have over 10% of their genes coming from Africans.
- Over 60 million Brazilians (33%) have some Amerindian ancestry.
Descendants of immigrants
The largest influx of European immigrants to Brazil occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. According to the Memorial do Imigrante statistics data, Brazil attracted nearly 5 million immigrants between 1870 and 1953. These immigrants were divided in two groups: a part of them was sent to Southern Brazil to work as small farmers. However, the biggest part of the immigrants was sent to Southeast Brazil to work in the coffee plantations. The immigrants sent to Southern Brazil were mainly Germans (starting in 1824, mainly from Rhineland-Palatinate, the others from Pomerania, Hamburg, Westphalia, etc) and Italians (starting in 1875, mainly from the Veneto and Lombardia). In the South, the immigrants established rural communities that, still today, have a strong cultural connection with their ancestral homelands. In South East Brazil, most of the immigrants were Italians (mainly from the Veneto, Campania, Calabria and Lombardia), Portuguese (mainly from Beira Alta, Minho and Alto Trás-os-Montes), Spaniards (mainly from Galicia and Andalusia).
Notably, the first half of the twentieth century saw a large inflow of Japanese (mainly from Honshū, Hokkaidō and Okinawa) and Arab (from Lebanon and Syria) immigrants.
Populations of immigrants and descendants in Brazil with over 1 million members:
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