Portuguese society, once regarded as rather inward-looking, is now becoming increasingly integrated into the rest of Western Europe. Ethnic and religious tensions are limited. African immigrants, who come mainly from the former colonies, such as Angola, Mozambique and Guinea, have been assimilated into mainstream society with considerable ease.
As is true of other predominantly Catholic countries, the Church has lost much of its social influence in recent decades, as illustrated by falling birth rates and more liberal attitudes toward abortion and divorce. Nevertheless, with the exception of large urban areas, the north remains devoutly Catholic.
Family ties remain all-important. Women now have greater access to business and media jobs. Overall, democracy and rapid socio-economic change have tended to produce a more egalitarian society.
