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Portugal

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries

                           República Portuguesa
   Portuguese Republic

   Flag of Portugal Coat of arms of Portugal
   Flag             Coat of arms
   Motto: none
   Anthem: A Portuguesa
   Location of Portugal
   Capital
   (and largest city)    Lisbon
                         38°46′N 9°11′W
    Official languages   Portuguese^1
   Government            Parliamentary democracy
    - President          Aníbal Cavaco Silva
    - Prime Minister     José Sócrates
         Formation       868
    - Independence       June 24, 1128
    - Kingdom            July 25, 1139
    - Recognized         October 5, 1143
      Accession to EU    January 1, 1986
                                    Area
    - Total              92,391 km² ( 110th)
                         35,672 sq mi
    - Water (%)          0.5
                                 Population
    - July 2006 estimate 10,605,870 ( 75th)
    - 2001 census        10,148,259
    - Density            114/km² ( 87th)
                         295/sq mi
        GDP ( PPP)       2005 estimate
    - Total              $203.4 billion ( 41st)
    - Per capita         $19,335 ( 37th)
        HDI  (2004)      0.904 (high) ( 28th)
         Currency        Euro ( €)^2 ( EUR)
         Time zone       WET^3 ( UTC)
    - Summer ( DST)      WEST ( UTC+1)
       Internet TLD      .pt^4
       Calling code      +351
   ^1 Mirandese and Portuguese Sign Language are officially recognized and
   protected.

   ^2 Prior to 1999: Portuguese escudo.
   ^3 Azores: UTC-1; UTC in summer.
   ^4 The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European
   Union member states.

   Coordinates: 38°42′N 9°11′W Portugal, officially the Portuguese
   Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa; pron. IPA [ʁɛ'publikɐ
   puɾtu'gezɐ]), located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula,
   is the westernmost country of mainland Europe. Portugal is bordered by
   Spain to the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and
   south. The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are also
   part of Portugal.

   The territory which forms the modern Portuguese Republic has witnessed
   a constant flow of civilizations during the past 3,100 years, since the
   earlier pre-Roman inhabitants, to the Roman, Germanic, and Moorish
   peoples who made an imprint on the country's culture, history,
   language, and ethnic composition. During the 15th and 16th centuries,
   with its vast transcontinental empire, Portugal was one of the world's
   major economic, political, and cultural powers. It is a member of the
   European Union since 1986, and a founding member of Eurozone and NATO.

History

   First portuguese flag.
   Enlarge
   First portuguese flag.

   Portugal came into existence as an independent nation on June 24, 1128,
   when Afonso Henriques, Count of Portugal, defeated his mother in
   battle, Countess Teresa, and her lover, Fernão Peres de Trava, thereby
   establishing himself as sole leader. Afonso Henriques proclaimed
   himself king of Portugal on July 25, 1139, after the Battle of Ourique
   and was recognized as such in 1143 by Alfonso VII, king of León and
   Castile, and in 1179 by Pope Alexander III.

   Afonso and his successors, aided by military monastic orders, pushed
   southward to drive out the Moors, as the size of Portugal covered about
   half of its present area. In 1249, this Reconquista ended with the
   capture of the Algarve on the southern coast.

   In 1373, Portugal made an alliance with England, which is the
   longest-standing alliance in the world. In the following decades,
   Portugal spearheaded the exploration of the world and undertook the Age
   of Discovery. Prince Henry the Navigator, son of King João I, became
   the main sponsor and patron of this endeavor.

   In 1383, the king of Castile, husband of the daughter of the Portuguese
   king who had died without a male heir, claimed his throne. An ensuing
   popular revolt led to the 1383-1385 Crisis. A faction of petty noblemen
   and commoners, led by John of Aviz (later John I), seconded by General
   Nuno Álvares Pereira, defeated the Castilians in the Battle of
   Aljubarrota. This celebrated battle is still a symbol of glory and the
   struggle for independence from neighboring Spain.

   In 1415, the Portuguese empire arose when a fleet conquered Ceuta, a
   prosperous Islamic trade centre in North Africa. There followed the
   first discoveries in the Atlantic: Madeira and the Azores, which led to
   the first colonization movements.

   Throughout the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed the coast of
   Africa, establishing trading posts as they looked for a route to India
   and its spices, which were coveted in Europe. In 1498, Vasco da Gama
   finally reached India and brought economic prosperity to Portugal and
   its then population of one million residents.

   In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in Brazil and claimed it for
   Portugal. Ten years later, Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa, in
   India, Ormuz in the Persian Strait, and Malacca in what is now
   Malaysia. Thus, the Portuguese empire held dominion over commerce in
   the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic.
   Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Lisbon
   Enlarge
   Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Lisbon
   The Castle of Guimarães, known as the "Cradle of Portugal".
   Enlarge
   The Castle of Guimarães, known as the "Cradle of Portugal".

   Portugal's independence was interrupted between 1580 and 1640. Because
   the heirless King Sebastian died in battle in Morocco, Philip II of
   Spain claimed his throne and so became Philip I of Portugal. Although
   Portugal did not lose its formal independence, it was governed by the
   same monarch who governed Spain, briefly forming a union of kingdoms;
   in 1640, John IV spearheaded an uprising backed by disgruntled nobles
   and was proclaimed king. This was the beginning of the long-lived
   dynasty of Braganza. By this time, however, the Portuguese empire was
   already under attack from other countries, specifically Britain and the
   Netherlands. Portugal began a slow but inexorable decline until the
   20th century. This decline was hastened by the independence in 1822 of
   the country's largest colonial possession, Brazil. This contributed to
   a period of political chaos and civil war.

   In 1910, a revolution deposed the Portuguese monarchy, but chaos
   continued and considerable economic problems were aggravated by a
   disastrous military intervention in the First World War, which led to a
   military coup d'état in 1926. This in turn led to the establishment of
   a right-wing dictatorship by António de Oliveira Salazar. In the early
   1960s, independence movements in the colonies of Angola, Mozambique,
   and Portuguese Guinea resulted in the Portuguese Colonial War. In 1974,
   a bloodless left-wing military coup led the way for a modern democracy.
   Portugal joined the European Union in 1986, and ever since Portugal has
   engaged in a process of convergence with its EU counterparts.

Government and Politics

   Assembly of the Republic
   Enlarge
   Assembly of the Republic

   Portugal is a democratic republic ruled by the constitution of 1976
   with Lisbon, the nation's largest city, as its capital.

   The four main governing components are the president of the republic,
   the assembly of the republic, the government, and the courts. The
   constitution grants the complete separation of powers among
   legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

   The president, who is elected to a five-year term, has a supervising,
   nonexecutive role. The Assembly of the Republic is a unicameral
   parliament composed of 230 deputies elected for four-year terms.

   The government is headed by the prime minister, who chooses a Council
   of Ministers, made up of ministers and their assistants, the
   secretaries of state. The national and regional governments are
   dominated by two political parties, the Socialist Party and the Social
   Democratic Party.

   The courts are organized into categories, including judicial,
   administrative, and fiscal. The supreme courts are the courts of last
   appeal. A nine-member constitutional court oversees the
   constitutionality of legislation.

Foreign Relations and Military

   Portugal has been a member of NATO since 1949, the European Union since
   1986, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries since 1996. It
   has a friendship alliance and dual citizenship treaty with Brazil. It
   has good relations with the United States, the United Kingdom, and
   China (due to Macau), as well as the other European Union countries.
   Portugal has centuries-old diplomatic ties with Morocco.

   The only international dispute concerns the municipality of Olivenza,
   which Spain received in 1801 under the Treaty of Badajoz and has since
   administered. Portugal claimed it in 1815 under the Treaty of Vienna.
   Nevertheless, diplomatic relations between the two countries are
   cordial.

   The armed forces have three branches: Army, Navy, and Air Force. In the
   20th century, Portugal engaged in two major military interventions: the
   First Great War and the Colonial War (1961-1974). Portugal has
   participated in peacekeeping missions in East Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo,
   Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. The draft was abolished in 2003.

Administrative Divisions

   Map of Mainland Portugal and the two autonomous regions of Portugal.
   Enlarge
   Map of Mainland Portugal and the two autonomous regions of Portugal.

   Portugal has an administrative structure of 308 municipalities
   (Portuguese singular/plural: concelho/concelhos), which are subdivided
   into more than 4,000 parishes (freguesia/freguesias). Municipalities
   are grouped for administrative purposes into superior units, the most
   significant being the classification since 1976 into either mainland
   Portugal (Portugal Continental) or the autonomous regions of Portugal (
   Azores and Madeira).

Geography and Climate

   Continental Portugal is split by its main river, the Tagus (Tejo). The
   northern landscape is mountainous in interior areas, with plateaus
   indented by river valleys, which allow agricultural development. The
   south, between the Tejo and the Algarve (the Alentejo), features mostly
   rolling plains and a climate somewhat warmer and drier than in the
   cooler and rainier north. The Algarve, separated from the Alentejo by
   mountains, enjoys a Mediterranean climate like Morocco or southern
   Spain.

   Snow is usual in the northern half of the nation, around the 40 N
   parallel. It is a rare event in the south, but it does happen.

   The islands of the Azores and Madeira are located in the Mid-Atlantic
   Ridge. Some islands have had volcanic activity as recently as 1957.
   Portugal's highest point is Mount Pico on Pico Island, It is an ancient
   volcano measuring 2,351 m (i.e., 7,713 ft.).

   The climate can be classified as Mediterranean in the south and Oceanic
   in the north. One of the warmest European countries, yearly temperature
   averages in mainland Portugal are 13°C (55°F) in the north and 18°C
   (64°F) in the south. The Madeira and Azores archipelagos have a
   narrower temperature range. Spring and summer are sunny, whereas autumn
   and winter are rainy and windy.

Economy

   Modern Parque das Nações, where Expo'98 took place.
   Enlarge
   Modern Parque das Nações, where Expo'98 took place.

   Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and started a process of
   modernization within the framework of a stable environment. It has
   achieved a healthy level of growth. Successive governments have
   implemented reforms and privatized many state-controlled firms and
   liberalized key areas of the economy. Portugal was one of the founding
   countries of the euro in 1999.

   Major industries include oil refineries, automotive, cement production,
   pulp and paper industry, textile, footwear, furniture, and cork (the
   world's leading producer). Agriculture no longer represents the bulk of
   the economy, but Portuguese wines, namely port wine (from Porto )and
   Madeira wine, are exported worldwide. Tourism is also important,
   especially in the Algarve and Madeira Islands.

Energy, Transportation and Communications

   An Airbus A330-200 from national airline TAP Portugal.
   Enlarge
   An Airbus A330-200 from national airline TAP Portugal.

   In June 2006, U.S. energy companies GE Energy, PowerLight Corp. and
   Portuguese renewable energy company Catavento began building the
   world's largest solar power plant in southeast Portugal.

   The world's first commercial wave farm opened in October 2006 in
   northern Portugal.

   As of 2006, 55% of electricity production was from coal and fuel power
   plants. The other 40% was produced by hydroelectrics and 5% by wind
   energy. The government is channeling $3.8 billion into developing
   renewable energy sources over the next five years.

   Transportation was seen as a priority in the 1990s, pushed by the
   growing use of automobiles and industrialization. The country has a
   68,732 km (i.e., 42,708 mi.) network of roads, of which 2,000 km (i.e.,
   1,240 mi.) are part of 44 motorways.
   World mobile phone usage
   Enlarge
   World mobile phone usage

   The two principal metropolitan areas have subway systems: Lisbon Metro
   and Porto Metro, each with more than 35 km (22 mi) of lines.
   Construction of a high-speed TGV line connecting Porto with Lisbon and
   Lisbon with Madrid will begin in 2008; it will replace the Pendolinos.
   A new Lisbon airport will be built at the same time in Ota.

   Portugal has one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the
   world. As of October 2006, 36.8% of households had high-speed Internet
   services and 78% of companies had Internet access. Most Portuguese
   watch television through cable (June 2004: 73.6% of households).

   The most important airports are in Lisbon, Faro ( Algarve), Oporto,
   Funchal ( Madeira), and Ponta Delgada ( Azores).

Demographics

   The country is fairly homogeneous linguistically and religiously.
   Native Portuguese are ethnically a combination of pre-Roman Iberians
   and Celtics with some Roman and Germanic influences, among other minor
   contributions.

   In the 2001 census, the population was 10,356,117, of which 51.7% was
   female. By the end of 2003, legal immigrants represented 4.2% of the
   population, and the largest communities were from Ukraine, Brazil, Cape
   Verde, and Angola, with other immigrants from parts of Latin America
   and Eastern Europe. The great majority of Portuguese are Roman
   Catholic. The biggest metropolitan areas are Lisbon, Oporto, Braga,
   Coimbra, and Aveiro.

   Portugal, long a country of emigration, has now become a country of net
   immigration, and not just from the former Indian and African colonies.
   Today, many Eastern Europeans (especially Ukrainians, Moldavians,
   Romanians and Russians), as well as Brazilians, are making Portugal
   their home. There is a rapidly growing community of Chinese and a
   notable number of Macanese, who are descendants of Chinese and
   Portuguese settlers, with some Malays and Indians.

Education

   The tower of the famous University of Coimbra
   Enlarge
   The tower of the famous University of Coimbra

   The educational system is divided into preschool (for those under age
   6), basic education (9 years, in three stages, compulsory), secondary
   education (3 years), and higher education (university and polytechnic).

   Portuguese universities have existed since 1290 and were first
   established in Lisbon before moving to Coimbra. Universities are
   usually organized into faculties. Institutes and schools are also
   common designations, specially in politechnical institutions. The
   Bologna process is expected to be adopted before 2011.

Law

   The Portuguese legal system is part of the civil law legal system, also
   called the continental family legal system. Until the end of the 19th
   century, French law was the main influence. Since then the major
   influence has been German law. The main laws include the Constitution
   (1976, as amended), the Civil Code (1966, as amended) and the Penal
   Code (1982, as amended). Other relevant laws are the Commercial Code
   (1888, as amended) and the Civil Procedure Code (1961, as amended).
   Portuguese law applied in the former colonies and territories and
   continues to be the major influence for those countries.

Religion

   12th century Cathedral of Lisbon
   Enlarge
   12th century Cathedral of Lisbon

   Portuguese society is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Approximately 97%
   of the population consider themselves Roman Catholic , the highest
   percentage in Western Europe, but only about one-third attend mass and
   take the sacraments regularly. Yet a larger number wish to be baptized,
   married in the church, and receive last rites.

   The practice of religion shows striking regional differences. Even in
   the 1990s, 60% to 70% of the population in the north regularly attended
   religious services, compared with 10% to 15% in the historically
   anti-clerical south. In the greater Lisbon area, about 30% were regular
   churchgoers.

Culture

   Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon.
   Enlarge
   Jerónimos Monastery, Lisbon.

   Portugal has developed a specific culture while being influenced by
   various civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean or were
   introduced during the Age of Discovery.

   Portuguese literature, one of the earliest Western literatures,
   developed through text and song. Until 1350, the Portuguese-Galician
   troubadours spread their literary influence to most of the Iberian
   Peninsula. Gil Vicente (ca. 1465 - ca. 1536), was one of the founders
   of both Portuguese and Spanish dramatic traditions. Adventurer and poet
   Luís de Camões (ca. 1524-1580) wrote the epic poem The Lusiads, with
   Vergil's Aeneid as his main influence. Modern Portuguese poetry is
   rooted in neoclassic and contemporary styles, as exemplified by
   Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Modern literature is internationally known
   through the works of Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de
   Queirós, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, António Lobo Antunes, and
   1998 Nobel Prize winner, José Saramago, and others.

   Portuguese music encompasses a wide variety of genres. The most
   renowned is fado, a melancholy urban music, usually associated with the
   Portuguese guitar and saudade, or longing. Coimbra fado a unique type
   of fado is also noteworthy. Internationally notable performers include
   Amália Rodrigues, Carlos Paredes, Mariza, Mísia, and Madredeus. One of
   the most notable Portuguese musical groups outside the country, and
   specially in Germany, is the goth-metal band Moonspell. In addition to
   fado and folk, Portuguese listen to pop and other modern music. Bands
   who have international recognition include Blasted Mechanism and The
   Gift, who were both nominated for an MTV Music Award. Portugal has
   several music festivals: Zambujeira do Mar, Paredes de Coura, Rock in
   Rio Lisboa, and SuperBock SuperRock, among others.

   Traditional architecture is distinctive. Modern Portugal has given the
   world renowned architects Eduardo Souto de Moura and Álvaro Siza
   Vieira. Prominent international figures in visual arts include painters
   Vieira da Silva and Paula Rego.

   Since the 1990s, Portugal has increased the number of public cultural
   facitilies, in addition to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
   established in 1956. These include the Belém Cultural Centre in Lisbon,
   Serralves Foundation and the Casa da Música, both in Oporto.

Cuisine

   Pastéis de nata (cream custards)
   Enlarge
   Pastéis de nata (cream custards)

   Cuisine is particularly diverse. Recipes for rice, potato, bread, meat,
   seafood, and fish dishes are staples. The Portuguese have a reputation
   for loving cod ( bacalhau in Portuguese), for which, it is said, there
   are 365 recipes (i.e, one for each day of the year): pastéis de
   bacalhau, bacalhau à Brás, and bacalhau à Gomes de Sá are some of the
   most popular ones. Other fish recipes are popular like grilled sardines
   and caldeirada. The art of pastry, having its origins in old and rich
   recipes, is popular. Desserts and cakes, such as Lisbon's pastéis de
   nata (delicious with strong coffee), Aveiro's ovos-moles, and many
   others, are appreciated. Portugal has its own adaptation of fast food;
   one of the most popular is Porto's francesinha. Other recipes include
   the feijoada, made with pieces of meat, sausages, and beans served with
   white and dry rice, the cozido à portuguesa, made with various kinds of
   meat, rice, potatoes and other vegetables, all boiled, and the
   espetadas.

   Wines have been exported since the time of the Romans, who associated
   Portugal with Bacchus, their god of wine and feasting. Today, the
   country is known by wine lovers, and its wines have won international
   prizes. Many famous Portuguese wines are known as some of the world's
   best: Vinho Verde, Vinho Alvarinho, Vinho do Douro, Vinho do Alentejo,
   Vinho do Dão, Vinho da Bairrada and the sweet: Port Wine, Madeira wine
   and the Moscatels of Setúbal and Favaios (Douro). Port wine is the most
   widely exported, followed by Vinho Verde, whose export is increasing
   rapidly in response to growing international demand.

Sports and Games

   Luís Figo as captain of Portugal national football team.
   Enlarge
   Luís Figo as captain of Portugal national football team.

   Football is the most known, loved and practiced sport. Luís Figo was
   one of the world's top players along with Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo
   Quaresma, and Nuno Gomes, some of them new to the team, but the
   legendary Eusébio is still a major symbol of Portuguese football. Figo
   retired from the National Team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

   The Portuguese national team, Selecção Nacional, has won two FIFA World
   Youth Championships and several other UEFA youth championships. After a
   third place in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, they finished in fourth place
   at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In addition, they finished second in Euro
   2004, their best result in this competition to date.

   SL Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal and FC Porto, are the main
   clubs, often known as "os três grandes" ( "the big three"). Benfica has
   played in the UEFA Champions League final (then the UEFA Champions Cup)
   seven times and has two titles, FC Porto also has two titles in that
   competition and a UEFA Cup. Benfica is the most popular club in
   Portugal with more than 160000 affiliates and is recognised by the
   Guinness World Records as the club with more affiliates in the world.
   Sporting Clube de Portugal has won a European Cup Winners' Cup.

   Portugal has a successful rink hockey team, with 15 world titles and 20
   european titles, making it the country with more wins in both
   competitions. The most important Portuguese hockey clubs in the
   European championships are FC Porto, SL Benfica, and Óquei de Barcelos.

   The national rugby union team have not yet qualified for a Rugby World
   Cup, but are very close to entering France 2007. The Portuguese
   national team of Rugby Sevens is also strong, becoming one of the
   strongest teams, proving their status as European champions.

   Francis Obikwelu again won two European gold medals in the 100 m and
   the 200 m in 2006, having already received gold and silver medals in
   2004 and a silver in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Naide Gomes is a
   European elite athlete in pentathlon and long jump.

   In the triathlon, Vanessa Fernandes, three times European champion in
   elite sub-23, won the silver medal in the world championships and
   became the winner of 2006's World Cup by winning 12 consecutive Grand
   Prix (world record tied).

Festivals and Holidays

   Festivals play a major role during the summer. Almost every city, town,
   and village has a festival, and they are especially popular in June,
   when events are dedicated to three saints known as the santos populares
   (popular saints: Saint Anthony, Saint John, and Saint Peter). Why the
   populace associated these Catholic saints with pagan festivities is not
   known, but it is possibly related to Roman or local deities who existed
   before Christianity spread into the region. These festivities generally
   include wine and água-pé (a watered-down wine), traditional bread,
   grilled sardines or traditional meat-based dishes, pimba music,
   traditional street dances, fireworks, and religious processions.

Facts and figures

     * Official date format: YYYY/MM/DD (ex. 2006/09/08)
     * Common date format: DD/MM/YYYY (ex. 06/09/2006), dates are written
       out as DD de MM de YYYY (ex. 18 de Agosto de 2005)
     * Decimal separator is a comma: 123,45
     * Thousands are officially separated by a space — 10 000 — although
       the point is still used — 10.000.
     * The currency is the euro, abbreviation €, divided into 100 cêntimos
       (main article: Linguistic issues concerning the euro#Portuguese).
     * The euro sign is commonly placed either before or after the amount,
       with the separator either a comma or a point: 10,95 € - € 10,95 - €
       10.95 - 10.95 €
     * Postal code: 4+3 digits, separated by a hyphen (main article:
       Postal code#Portugal).

Neighbouring countries

   North Atlantic Ocean Flag of Spain  Spain
   North Flag of Spain  Spain
   West    Flag of Portugal  Portugal     East
   South
   North Atlantic Ocean North Atlantic Ocean
   Image:Template CanadianCityGeoLocation South.png
   Flag of Morocco  Morocco
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
