Portuguese is considered a major language in countries that have given it the status of official language. It's the official language of
Portugal. It's also the official language of the former Portuguese colonies of
Angola,
Cape Verde Islands,
Guinea-Bissau,
Mozambique, and
Sao Tome and Principe, in Africa. And it's also the official language of the former Portuguese colony of
Brazil, in Latin America; and of
East Timor, and
Macau, in Asia. Additionally, it's one of the nine officially recognized regional languages in
The Co-operative Republic of Guyana, where the official language is English.
Portuguese also is considered a major language in countries that have substantial Portuguese-speaking populations, such as Equatorial Africa, Mauritius, and Senegal. And it's a major language in Argentina, and Uruguay, where its learning is compulsory for schoolchildren.