Portugal is a nice country in the Western part of Europe, bordered by the Spain at North and East and Atlantic Ocean at West.
Capital: Lisbon
Surface: 92 038 Km2
Borders: Spain at North and East; Atlantic Ocean at West;
The islander territory (Autonomic Regions of Azores and Madeira) is situated in the Atlantic Ocean.
Population: 10 million inhabitants
Medium Density: 110 inhabitants per Km 2
Official Language: Portuguese
Political Organization: Parliamentary Republic
Currency: Escudo
The continental territory is rectangular with 561 Km long and 218 Km large. It is separated from Spain by a large border of 1 215 Km; its coast along the Atlantic Ocean has aproximately 832km.
Tagus, Douro and Sado are the main portuguese rivers, characterized by large estuaries where the major commercial harbors of the country can be found; Lisbon, Oporto and Setúbal.
Azores Archipelago (2.335Km2) consists of nine islands (S.Miguel, Sta.Maria, Terceira, Faial, Pico, S.Jorge, Graciosa, Flores and Corvo) located in the middle of Atlantic Ocean 1 500 Km far from Continental Coast.
Madeira Archipelago consists of two inhabited islands and three uninhabited (Desert and Wild) it is located 1 000Km southwest Lisbon, right in front of the Coast of Africa. The two Archipelagos have the political statute of autonomic regions.
Of latin origine, the portuguese is spoken by 170 million people in Europe (Continental Portugal, Azores and Madeira) South America (Brazil), Africa (Angola, Mozambic, Guiné-Bissau, Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe), Asia (Macau) and Oceany (Timor). Luis de Camões, Eça de Queiroz and Fernando Pessoa are, among others, great exponents of Portuguese language.

Administrative divisions:
18 counties and 2 autonomous regions; Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu.
Dependent areas:
Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 20 December 1999)
Independence:
1140
Independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910
Constitution:
25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982 and 1 June 1989
Legal system:
Civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Day of Portugal, 10 June
Executive branch:
President, Council of State, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers.
Legislative branch:
Unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justica)

• The Flag - two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line.
  and the National Anthem of Portugal

INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP:
AfDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC.

HISTORY

The foundation of Portugal dates back to the year 1143. The stability of its continental borders, which have remained virtually unchanged since the thirteenth century, make Portugal one of the oldest nations in the world, reflecting its distinctive identity and internal unity.
Manhood vestiges in the present portuguese territory are ancient, showing a considerable amount of population density for several periodes in the far past. By the beginning of the VI century b.C. the Celts invaded Iberian Peninsula and merged with the resident population the Iberians. This merger gave place to an important civilization that lasted for the Iron Age. This civilization was transformed and absorbed by the Roman Occupation that started in the III century b.C.
Inspite of the resistence of the population of the mountains, specially the Lusitanos, the Romanization of the Portuguese territory was total, from the adoption of the language to the ways of living. On the Vth century Iberia was invaded by the Suevos and Visigodos and in the VIIIth century was the Arabes' turn, so the first part of the Middle Age was fulfilled with a slow process of Christian Reconquer. On the XIIth century was finally created the "Condado Portucalense" opening the way for the creation of a Portuguese Nation which became totally independent in the middle of the XIIth century and whose first King was Afonso Henriques.
Portugal, is an independent country for aproximately 850 years.
The name of Portugal has its origines in "Portus Cale" , name of an important episcopal city located on Douro's right river bank. This very important territory was repeopled by Vimara Peres during the period ruled by Afonso III who expanded Portucalense territory to Braga, Viseu and Coimbra.
The First Dinasty lasted till 1383 and that was when the occupation of the territory to the extreme south of Algarve and the borders definition took place, and the Royal power was consolidated trough Feudalism. Commercial relations overseas began. On the XVth century the Avis Dinasty started the "Expansion" with the discovery of Madeira in 1419 and Azores in 1431, crossed the Cape of Good Hope in 1487, discovered the maritime way to India in 1497 and confirmed the arrival to Brazil in 1500.
During the next 100 years Portugal suffered a period of decadence. Acting as intermediary between the East and European Countries it had to fight to keep its influence and control . Portuguese human ressources were not enough to support such a cruzade. King D.Sebastião was defeated and killed in the Alcacer Quibir battle (Morocco) and Portugal lost its autonomy to Spain.
The National Autonomy was regained in 1640, and Bragança Dinasty instaured and followed by a long war till its confirmation. The lost of the oriental ressources was temporarily compensated by the gold and precious stones that came from Brazil during the first half of the XVIII century. During the third quarter of this century the Marquês do Pombal pursuited an economical system reform with weak results, but energically faced the tragical consequences of the great earthquake that destroyed Lisbon in 1755. Portugal also suffered three Napoleonic Invasions and the escape of Portuguese Kings to Brazil between 1807 and 1810.
In 1820 the first Liberal Revolution took place but it didn't last long . A long civil war ended in 1834 by the time the Constitutional Regime was established under monarchy, and this regime ruled the country till 1910. In that year the Republican Regime was proclaimed after a victorious insurrection on the 5th October . In 1926 the democratic system was overthrown and the dictatorial regime instituted and lasted for almost half a century.
With the Revolution of the 25th April in 1974 conditions were created to build a democratic Nation with a pluriparty political regime, full of social justice helping the country to its integration in larger international relationships.
The decolonization opened the way to the independence of Portuguese ancient colonies and Portugal kept privileged relations with them.
Portugal makes part of European Council and joined European Union on the 1st January of 1986.

PEOPLE
At the end of 1993 Portugal had a population of 9.9 million inhabitants, of which 9.4 million live on mainland Portugal, with a population density of 107.6 inhabitants per square kilometre. Between 1990 and 1995 demographic studies indicate that there was an annual negative growth of 0.09%, with life expectancy standing at 75 years of age. Portugal has one of the youngest populations in the European Union: about 25% is under 15.
Freedom of conscience, of religion and of worship are granted by the constitution of the Republic. The churches and religious communities are independent and separate from the State.
For historical reasons dating back to the foundation of the Portuguese nation the Catholic church still plays a dominant role nowadays.
Population: 10,486,140 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.36% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 11.59 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 9.77 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: (1992 est.)

• male: 71.43 years
• female: 78.56 years

Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Mediterranean stock in mainland, Azores, Madeira Islands; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%

INFO - Handicraft and Gastronomy

Portugal keeps its traditional handicraft rich and alive. On markets, fairs and shops you can buy magnificent pieces that could belong to a museum and which are made with the same ancient techniques.
Handicraft is a part of portuguese daily routine. All over you can find examples of magnificent "Azulejos" (hand painted ornamental tiles) decorating many buildings frontals, from churches to palaces, railway stations to underground stations.

• About Portuguese Handicraft and Gastronomy
• Azulejos - hand painted ornamental tiles
• Infomobil - About Portugal and much more

TOURISM
Portugal has a mild climate with no great variations in temperature but even so there are regional differences in climate and temperature. The north has an Atlantic climate, the center has a transition climate influenced by the Atlantic and Mediterranean and the south offers a mediterranic climate but with milder temperatures.
July and August are the hotest and driest months all over the territory.
Azores and Madeira have privileged climate conditions which make them international touristic places known all over the world.
TOURISTIC GUIDE by Antonio Esteves.
Generally speaking, Portugal has a temperate climate with average daily temperatures ranging between 8 and 18 degrees centigrade in winter, and 16 and 30 degrees centigrade in summer. However, at certain times of the year there are sharp differences between north and south and the coastal and inland temperatures.
The north has a higher rainfall and lower annual average temperatures but the greater temperature ranges are to be found inland. The Mediterranean influence is clearly felt south of the Tagus with long, hot summers and short, fairly dry winters. Madeira has a Mediterranean-type climate with mild, pleasant temperatures all year round, whilst the Azores have a temperate maritime climate with heavy rainfall.

CULTURE

WELCOME TO THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, PORTUGAL

In the region of Lisbon, Sintra has assumed a decisive role as a location for summer holidays or for eminent seclusion from the earliest times. Strongly enveloped in symbolism since pre-history (there are numerous megalithic monuments found there), the names that it assumed during antiquity reveal a mythical depth and a religious dimension associated with the great Serra. "Mons Sacer" or "holy mount" for Varron and Columelle, or "Mount of the Moon" for Ptolemy (indication of the persistence of important cults associated with Uranus). The Serra de Sintra is entrenched in the heart of an important sacred geography, a religious point of attraction for the "saloia" region or for the "çarhoi" - the Mozarabs, the rural inhabitants that embraced Christianity during the midst of the Muslim domination and tolerated as such during that period. They were the inhabitants of a extremely fertile land (that supplied Lisbon) and directed toward the celebration of the limits: from the earth looking at the sky and from the earth facing the sea.
Such locations were the receptacle for legends of giants, celebrated additionally in writing from the Manueline period and of fundamental importance in the origination of the "myth of the origins" of Portugal: the "Chronicle of Emperor Clarimundo" ("Crónica do Imperador Clarimundo") by João de Barros 1520. The mythical resonance of Sintra is also caught up with the fact that the Portuguese court lived there temporarily in the Paço Real da Vila (Vila Palace). Kings João I, Duarte, Afonso V and Manuel I, successively, remodelled it in an exotic style that combined the importation of the Gothic with the understanding (or the misunderstanding, with the resultant adaptations) of Islamic architecture.
King Manuel I, in particular, was involved in this. He was influenced during his visit to Andalucia, still recently married to his first wife, Isabel, and was amazed by the buildings with Islamic lines that he found there. Simultaneously he took into account the courtly style, the essentially civilian Luso-Moorish, and immortalised mythically the memory of the Palace of the Muslim "walis" of the Chão de Oliva.

FADO

Carlos do Carmo Portuguese FADO - Our culture, our tradition
Fado de Coimbra Coimbra Fado - Everything about Portuguese traditional music
Academia da Guitarra Portuguesa e do Fado Portuguese Guitar and FADO Academy
Fado de Lisboa Lisbon Fado - The famous Lisbon Fado in AU e RealAudio Format

LINKS
Infomobil About European Countries
European HomePage
A Bola Journal All the sports, all the days
F.C.PORTO The best Portuguese football team at a given moment. Champions: 1995, 1996 and 1997
CCA HomePage
ICEP
Journal de Noticias
Portugal: Educational System
Cultural Festivals - Fairs, Feasts, Popular Festivities and Processions

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