Portugal is a country located in southwestern Europe. Portugal is part of the Iberian Penisula. The west and south coasts of the country lie on the Atlantic Ocean, and the north and east sides border Spain.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal was a world power, but suffered economically and politically after several historic devastations, including its position during the Napoleonic Wars, the damage to Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake, and the independence granted to Brazil.
Portugal is slightly smaller than Indiana. Lisbon is Portugal's capital and largest city.
Portugal’s Mediterranean climate, featuring warm winters and hot summers, makes it a popular vacation spot. There is an occasional snowfall in the winter, usually near the mountains.
Portugal is a secular state, which means that, officially, there is neither support nor opposition (by the government) of a particular religion. However, approximately 80 percent of its population are Roman Catholic.
The estimated population is 10.6 million people. The majority of its inhabitants are of Mediterranean descent. Colonial refugees from Africa make up a smaller percentage of the population.
Portuguese, the third most widely spoken European language worldwide, is the native tongue. English, Spanish and French are also spoken.
Portugal continues to operate under the constitution adopted in 1976. It is a democratic republic with four chief governing bodies – the president of the republic, the government, the assembly of the republic, and the courts.
Football (soccer) is the country’s most popular sport. In fact, it is internationally known for its excellence in the sport. The totobola, or football pools, are among the country’s most celebrated forms of entertainment. Other nationally recognized sports are hockey, cycling, kayaking, fencing, surfing, and the country’s original martial art, jogo do pau.
The monetary unit of Portugal is the euro.
Web Sites
- British Broadcasting Corporation
- Lonely Planet Publications
- portugal-live.net
- U.S. Department of State
- visitportugal.com
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Portugal.
Databases
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