Ministry of Culture
Camões Institute
Community of Portuguese Language Countries

PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE

Portuguese was born from the separation of Galician-Portuguese (Galicia northern Portugal) in mediaeval times. It is a Latin based language that has accumulated many influences throughout the ages, namely Arabic and Germanic in the early years; Greek and Latin during the Renaissance; African, Asian and South American during the Discoveries; French in the 18th century and finally English during the 20th century.

Nowadays, Portuguese is one of the most spoken languages in the world, with about 200 million native speakers in eight countries, Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome & Principe and East Timor. Portuguese is also to be found in Macao and in some parts of India, such as Goa, Daman or Diu, making it one of the world's major languages, ranked seventh by the number of native speakers.

PORTUGUESE LITERATURE

National Digital Library
Vercial Project

CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

Portuguese History Academy
National Library
Centro de Arte Moderna Azeredo Perdigão | Centre for Modern Art
Portuguese Photography Centre
Cinemateca Portuguesa | Cinema Museum
National Ballet Company
DGEMN | National Monuments
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Fundação Casa da Música | Music House Foundation
Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém | Belém Cultural Centre
Fundação Luso-Americana | Luso-American Foundation
Oriente Foundation
Fundação de Serralves | Serralves Foundation
Gabinete do Direito do Autor | Copyright Office
Gabinete das Relações Culturais Internacionais | International Cultural Relations Office
Instituto dos Arquivos Nacionais / Torre do Tombo | National Archives
Instituto das Artes | Institute for the Arts
Institute for Cinema, Audiovisuals and Multimedia
Portuguese Institute of Archaeology
Instituto Português de Conservação e Restauro Portuguese Conservation and Restoration Institute
Portuguese Museums Institute
Portuguese Architectonic Heritage Institute
Portuguese Books and Libraries Institute
Oceanário de Lisboa | Lisbon Oceanarium
Teatro Nacional D. Maria II | National Theatre
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos | National Theatre
Teatro Nacional de São João | National Theatre
Port Wine Institute

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE IN PORTUGAL

World Heritage List
IPPAR - World Heritage

Historic Centre of Angra do Heroísmo, Azores
Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, Lisbon
Batalha Monastery, Leiria
Convent of Christ, Tomar
Historic Centre of Évora
Alcobaça Monastery, Leiria
Cultural Landscape of Sintra
Historic Centre of Porto
Pre-historic Rock Art at Foz Côa
Laurissilva Forest, Madeira
Historic Centre of Guimarães
Alto Douro Wine Region
Cultural Landscape of the Pico Island Wine Region, Azores

CURRENT PORTUGUESE APPLICATIONS TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

Arrábida Nature Park
Historic Centre of Lisbon
Serra do Buçaco
Southwest Coast, Alentejo
Elvas Fortress
Palace and Convent of Mafra
University of Coimbra

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE WITH PORTUGUESE PRESENCE

World Heritage List
World Heritage with Portuguese Presence

Jesuit Missions to the Guarani, Argentina and Brazil
Historic Centre of Ouro Preto, Brazil
Historic Centre of Olinda, Brazil
Historic Centre of São Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
Historic Centre of São Luís, Brazil
Historic Centre of Diamantina, Brazil
Historic Centre of Goiás, Brazil
Historic Centre of Macao, China
Fasil Ghebbi, Ethiopia
James Islands and related sites, Gambia
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra Central and Western Regions, Ghana
Churches and Convents of Goa, India
Medina of Essaouira, Morocco
Island of Mozambique, Mozambique
Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinindad de Parana and Jesus of Tavarangue, Paraguay
Island of Goree, Senegal
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, Sri Lanka
Royal City of Ayutthaya and Portuguese Quarter, Thailand
Kilwa Ruins, Tanzania
Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay
Old Town of Hoi Na, Vietnam