World > Europe > Portugal

Introduction:

Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Official name: Portuguese Republic Capital: Lisbon Government type: parliamentary democracy Population: 10,102,022 (July 2003 est.) Languages: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used) Official Currency: euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands water: 440 sq km Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Map of Portugal