Porteño


Porteños are an ethnic group primarily located in the southern cone of South America. They form the majority of Uruguay's population, and are also notably prominent in Argentina's Buenos Aires Province.

History

The term porteño literally means "port city person" in Spanish. As a result of great immigration waves from Europe peaking in the 1880s, the Río de la Plata area, and in particular Buenos Aires and Montevideo, became heavily populated with people of European descent, mainly Italian, Spanish and German. They called themselves Porteños to distinguish themselves from existing criollo ancestry, mestizos, and indigenous people.

Today

Culture

Porteños have a unique culture, different from that of their initial European homelands. Notably, equestrian sports are a huge part of Porteño life. Porteño are known to be some of the best polo players in the world, and have raised horses through fertile grasslands in the Pampas region. Each year, in November, the Palermo Open, the world's most prestegious Polo championship, takes place in the Palermo section of Buenos Aires.
Also tracing to the inherent geographies of the Pampas, Porteño cuisine consists heavily of beef. For example, the national dish of Argentina is Asado.

Demographics

Since Porteño is not officially reportable on any census, estimates differ regarding their population and geography. However, it is estimated that over 3 million Uruguayans identify as Porteño, making up over 90% of the country's population. While not the majority ethnicity in Argentina, Porteños are prominent in the eastern province of Buenos Aires. Outside Buenos Aires City, they make up most of the population, and a significant Porteño diaspora exists in the City's Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano neighbourhoods.

Outside the River Plate

In Chile, porteño/a is commonly used for residents of Valparaíso. In Costa Rica, porteño/a is commonly used for people from the province of Puntarenas in the Pacific Coast, and also for the residents of Puerto Cortés in Honduras.