A new government team named by Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has women in nine of the 17 cabinet positions.

Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa has presented his new government team, marking the country's first cabinet with a majority of female members.

Nine of the 17 cabinet members announced are women.

Members of Portugal's new parliament took up office on Friday, among them the country's first black women lawmakers who campaigned on promises to fight racism and inequality.

The three women, who all trace their origins to Guinea-Bissau, an impoverished former Portuguese colony in west Africa, won office in the October 6 general election when Prime Minister Antonio Costa's Socialists were re-elected but without an absolute majority.