Portugal

Portugal

Portugal /ˈpɔrtʃʉɡəl/ , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are part of Portugal. The country is named after its second largest city, Porto, whose Latin name was Portus Cale. The land within the borders of today's Portuguese Republic has been continuously settled since prehistoric times: occupied by...
more

quick facts
Founded:July 24, 1128
Capital:Lisbon
Population:4,188,410
Official language:Portuguese Language
Currency:Euro
GDP:$255,500,000,000
Form of government:Parliamentary system, Constitutional republic, Unitary state

Capital city of Portugal

Lisbon
Lisbon
Population:2,800,000

Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of 84.8 km . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of 958 km , making it the 9th most populous urban area in the European Union. About 2,831,000 people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area . Lisbon is the westernmost large city...
more

Major cities in Portugal

CityPopulation
Lisboa, Region 3,583,000
Lisbon 2,800,000
Porto 227,790
Agualva-Cacém 120,845
Funchal 100,847
« Prev  Next »

Population history of Portugal

YearEstimated Population
2011 10,561,614
2010 10,642,841
2009 10,632,482
2008 10,622,413
2007 10,608,335
2006 10,584,344
2005 10,549,424
2004 10,501,970
2003 10,441,075
2002 10,368,403
2001 10,292,999
2000 10,225,836
1999 10,174,000
1998 10,129,000
1997 10,089,000
1996 10,055,000
1995 10,027,000
1994 9,998,000
1993 9,974,000
1992 9,963,000
1991 9,935,000
1990 9,896,000
1989 9,937,000
1988 9,968,000
1987 9,994,000
1986 10,010,700
1985 10,011,400
1984 9,989,000
1983 9,954,500
1982 9,911,500
1981 9,851,000
1980 9,766,000
1979 9,661,000
1978 9,558,000
1977 9,455,000
1976 9,355,000
1975 9,093,000
1974 8,754,000
1973 8,633,000
1972 8,631,000
1971 8,644,000
1970 9,044,200
1969 9,097,200
1968 9,115,100
1967 9,103,000
1966 9,108,800
1965 9,128,900
1964 9,122,500
1963 9,081,600
1962 9,019,800
1961 8,937,600
1960 8,943,100
1950 8,441,312
1940 7,722,152
1930 6,825,883
1920 6,032,991
1911 5,960,056
1900 5,423,132
1890 5,049,729
1878 4,550,699
1864 4,188,410
« Prev  Next »

Government officials of Portugal

OfficialOfficeStart of Term
Aníbal Cavaco Silva 2006
Fernando Teixeira dos Santos 2005
António Mendonça Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications 2009
Maria Celeste Cardona Justice Minister 2002
José Sócrates Prime Minister of Portugal 2009
Fernando Teixeira dos Santos 2009
Luís Amado 2009
Augusto Santos Silva 2009
Alberto Martins Justice Minister 2009
Ana Maria Teodoro Jorge Health Minister 2009
Isabel Alçada Education minister 2009
Mariano Gago Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education 2009
Bagão Félix 2004
José Pedro Aguiar-Branco Justice Minister 2004
Maria João Bustorff 2004
Paulo Portas 2004
António Monteiro 2004
Daniel Sanches Interior minister 2004
Mário Firmino Miguel 1978
Mário Raposo Justice Minister 1978
Carlos Costa Freitas 1978
Carlos Corrêa Gago 1978
Eurico de Melo Interior minister 1980
Manuel Dias Loureiro Interior minister 1991
Aníbal Cavaco Silva 1991
João de Deus Pinheiro 1991
Vítor Gaspar 2011
« Prev  Next »

National anthem of Portugal

A Portuguesa
A Portuguesa
Established:November 13, 1910
Composer:Alfredo Keil, Alfredo Klein
Lyricist:Henrique Lopes de Mendonça

The Portuguese national Anthem is a protected portuguese symbol under the 11th article of the portuguese Constitution. Music from Alfredo Keil and lyrics from Henrique Lopes de Mendonça, the "A Portuguesa" was created in the heated times of the British Ultimatum and became the march...
more

Olympic medals won by Portugal

OlympicsEventAthleteMedal
2008 Summer Olympics Women's Individual Triathlon Vanessa Fernandes Silver medal
2008 Summer Olympics Men's Triple jump Nelson Évora Gold medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 1500m Rui Silva Bronze medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Beach Volleyball João Brenha
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 100m Francis Obikwelu Silver medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Sérgio Paulinho Silver medal
2004 Summer Olympics Men's Road cycling, individual road race Nuño Ribeiro
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Beach Volleyball João Brenha
2000 Summer Olympics Women's Beach Volleyball Cristina Pereira
2000 Summer Olympics Women's Athletics, 10000m Fernanda Ribeiro Bronze medal
2000 Summer Olympics Men's Judo, 73 - 81kg (half-middleweight) Nuno Delgado Bronze medal
1996 Summer Olympics Men's Beach Volleyball João Brenha
1996 Summer Olympics Women's Athletics, 10000m Fernanda Ribeiro Gold medal
1988 Summer Olympics Women's Athletics, Marathon Rosa Mota Gold medal
1984 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 5000m Antonio Leitão Bronze medal
1984 Summer Olympics Men's Marathon Carlos Lopes Gold medal
1984 Summer Olympics Women's Athletics, Marathon Rosa Mota Bronze medal
1976 Summer Olympics Men's Athletics, 10000m Carlos Lopes Silver medal
1976 Summer Olympics Olympic trap Armando da Silva Marques Silver medal
« Prev  Next »

Major exporters to Portugal

Countries that export goods to Portugal
CountryValue of Exported GoodsYear
Mozambique
Angola €586,000,000 2008
Morocco €273,200,000 2008
Algeria €181,500,000 2008
Singapore €157,000,000 2008
Morocco €144,900,000 2004
Mexico €102,000,000 2008
Saudi Arabia €99,800,000 2008
Tunisia €71,600,000 2008
United Arab Emirates €71,500,000 2008
« Prev  Next »

Religions practiced in Portugal

Pie chart showing the religions of Portugal
ReligionPercentage of Population
Roman Catholicism 84%
« Prev  Next »

Wars and battles involving Portugal

Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
(March 24, 1999 - June 10, 1999)

The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted...
more

Mozambican War of Independence
Mozambican War of Independence
(1964 - 1974)

The Mozambican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front or FRELIMO , and Portugal....
more

Guinea-Bissau War of Independence
Guinea-Bissau War of Independence
(1963 - 1974)

Guinea-Bissau War of Independence was an armed conflict and national liberation struggle in Portuguese Guinea between 1963 and 1974. Guinea-Bissau ...
more

Angolan War of Independence
Angolan War of Independence
(1961 - 1974)

The Angolan War of Independence began as an uprising against forced cotton cultivation, and became a multi-faction struggle for control of...
more

Portuguese Colonial War
Portuguese Colonial War
(1961 - 1974)

The Portuguese Colonial War , also known in Portugal as the Overseas War or in the former colonies as the War of liberation , was fought between...
more

International Memberships

European Union
European Union

The European Union /ˌjʊərəˈpiːənˈjuːnjən/ is an economic and political union or confederation of...
more

Western European Union
Western European Union

The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the...
more

African Development Bank
African Development Bank

The African Development Bank Group is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in...
more

Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia. The...
more

Zangger Committee
Zangger Committee

The Zangger Committee, also known as the Nuclear Exporters Committee, sprang from Article III.2 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear...
more

Colleges and universities in Portugal

University of Porto
University of Porto

The University of Porto is a Portuguese public university located in Porto, and founded 22 March 1911. It is the largest Portuguese university by...
more

University of Lisbon
University of Lisbon

The University of Lisbon dɨ liʒˈboɐ]; Latin Universitas Olisiponensis is a public university in Lisbon, Portugal. It is...
more

Technical University of Lisbon
Technical University of Lisbon

The Technical University of Lisbon ˈtɛknikɐ dɨ liʒˈboɐ] is a Portuguese public university. It was created in 1930...
more

New University of Lisbon
New University of Lisbon

The New University of Lisbon ˈnɔvɐ dɨ liʒˈboɐ], also known as a Nova was established in 1973 and is the youngest...
more

Movies filmed in Portugal

Convento
Convento
Release date:November 29, 2010
Directed by:Jarred Alterman
Genre:Documentary

"Dutch kinetic artist Christiaan Zwanikken resurrects the deceased local wildlife by reanimating the skeletal remains with servomotors and robotic engineering. He breeds these new species in a 400 yr. old monastery in a village in Portugal that has been restored from ruins, to become his family's home, an artists’ workshop and nature preserve. Filmed entirely in Portugal, Convento’s camera is almost perpetually in motion, tracking through the...
more

Books about Portugal

  • To remember Spain
    To remember Spain
  • The Spanish Anarchists
    The Spanish Anarchists
  • The Basque History of the World
    The Basque History of the World
  • Sostiene Pereira
    Sostiene Pereira
  • Lessons Of The Spanish Revolution
    Lessons Of The Spanish Revolution
TitleAuthorCopyright DateGenre
To remember Spain Murray Bookchin
The Spanish Anarchists Murray Bookchin
The Basque History of the World Mark Kurlansky Fiction
Sostiene Pereira Antonio Tabucchi Fiction
Lessons Of The Spanish Revolution Vernon Richards
Watercolor Women\/opaque Men Ana Castillo Poetry
Treasures of the Spanish Main John Christopher Fine
Women in Iberian expansion overseas, 1415-1815 C. R. Boxer
The Church Militant and Iberian Expansion, 1440-1770 C. R. Boxer
Remembering Spain Cary Nelson
Farewell Spain Kate O'Brien Travel, Biography
Travellers Catalonia, 2nd Sarah Andrews Travel
Christopher Columbus Encyclopedia Silvio Bedini Reference
The Recollections of Rifleman Harris Christopher Hibbert Autobiography, Biography
A Soldier of the 71st Christopher Hibbert Biography
Fifty Days on Board a Slave-Vessel Pascoe Grenfell Hill
Corunna Christopher Hibbert
Alentejo Blue Monica Ali Fiction
The Reinvention of Spain Sebastian Balfour
Breve Historia De Bizancio/ A Short History of Byzamtium John Julius Norwich
Phoenix: The Spanish Tragedy Raymond Carr
Transatlantic Ties in the Spanish Empire Ida Altman
Mariana Katherine Vaz
Spanish Inquisition Cecil Roth
Hunting midnight Richard Zimler
The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon Richard Zimler Novel, Fiction
A Mediterranean emporium David Abulafia Business, Economics
Road to Santiago Kathryn Harrison Travel
The Spanish Civil War Frances Lannon
Spanish Lessons Derek Lambert Travel, Biography
Imagining Spain Henry Kamen
Golden Age Spain Henry Kamen
Empire: How Spain Became a World Power, 1492-1763 Henry Kamen Non-fiction
The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision Henry Kamen Non-fiction
The Spanish Civil War, The Soviet Union, and Communism Stanley G. Payne
Fascism in Spain, 1923-1977 Stanley G. Payne Philosophy
From Heaven to Earth Teofilo Ruiz Anthropology
Over the Edge of the World Laurence Bergreen Biography
Half a Life V.S. Naipaul 1977 Novel, Fiction
Homage to Catalonia George Orwell 1938 Non-fiction, Autobiography, Biography, Politics
Tales of the Alhambra Washington Irving Fiction, Travel
« Prev  Next »

Famous residents of Portugal

Saverio Mercadante
Saverio Mercadante
Musical Artist

Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international...
more

Beatriz Batarda
Beatriz Batarda
Film Actor, TV Actor

Beatriz da Silveira Moreno Batarda is a Portuguese actress named as one of European films 'Shooting Stars' by European Film Promotion in 1998. She...
more

Panda Bear
Panda Bear
Musical Artist, Film Actor

Noah Benjamin Lennox also known as Panda Bear, is an experimental musician and a founding member of Animal Collective. Lennox grew up in the Roland...
more

J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Author, TV Actor, Film Actor

Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE, FRSL , better known as J. K. Rowling, is a British novelist, best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series....
more

Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Film Actor, TV Actor

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for...
more

Countries adjoining Portugal

Spain
Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a sovereign state and a member of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian...
more

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q:
    What are the common languages in Portugal?
  • A:
    Portuguese and Miranda do Douro are the common languages spoken in this country.
  • Q:
    Which city is the capital of Portugal?
  • A:
    Lisbon is the capital of this country.
  • Q:
    What famous people were born in Portugal?
  • A:
    Famous people born here include:
    - Cristovão da Gama
    - Joaquim Ferraz
    - Beatrix da Silva
    - Hélio Pestana
    - Mafalda Pinto
    - Joana Solnado
    - Márcia Leal
  • Q:
    What type of government is in Portugal?
  • A:
    The governing regime is a Parliamentary system.
  • Q:
    What is the calling code for calling people in Portugal?
  • A:
    The calling code prefix is +351.
  • Q:
    What type of money is accepted in Portugal?
  • A:
    The currencies accepted in this country include the Euro.
  • Q:
    What time zone is Portugal in?
  • A:
    This region is in the Greenwich Mean Time.
  • Q:
    What currency was formerly used by residents living in Portugal?
  • A:
    Portugal's former currency includes the Portuguese escudo.
  • Q:
    What is Portugal's national anthem called?
  • A:
    The song's name is, "A Portuguesa."
Portugal Photo Gallery

Lists

Map of Portugal

PT
Portugal
Top of Page © 2012 Juggle, LLC
All Rights Reserved
Encyclopedia & Reference Resource
Some of the content on this page was provided by other sites, including
Freebase Icon (Portugal) or others licensed under Creative Commons