Spanish is spoken throughout Central and South America because these are the regions colonized by Spain after Columbus discovered the New World. The colonists and conquistadors brought the Spanish language with them as they conquered the local populations and established their rule in the area. As such, it also includes many of the Caribbean island nations, as well as Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. Because of the heritage of these nations, Spanish and Portuguese are most commonly spoken, but there are many other languages in the region as well. Brazil is the largest country in South America and is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas. It is the world's fifth-largest country, both in geography and in population. The reason Brazilians speak Portuguese is because Brazil was colonized by Portugal, but the history is a bit more complex. The Spanish language was brought across the Atlantic to the Americas by Spanish explorers and Conquistadors in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it spread rapidly throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Spanish is spoken throughout Central and South America because these are the regions colonized by Spain after Columbus discovered the New World. The colonists and conquistadors brought the Spanish language with them as they conquered the local populations and established their rule in the area.