Portugal

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{{Infobox Country or territory| native_name = República Portuguesa| conventional_long_name = Portuguese Republic| common_name = Portugal| image_flag = Flag of Portugal.svg| image_coat = COA of Portugal.svg| image_map = Location Portugal EU Europe.png| national_anthem = "A Portuguesa"]5| latd=38 |latm=46 |latNS=N |longd=9 |longm=11 |longEW=W| largest_city = capital| official_languages = Portuguese language1| regional languages = Mirandese language| denonym = Portuguese| government_type = Parliamentary democracy| leader_name1 = [Aníbal Cavaco Silva| leader_name2 = [José Sócrates| sovereignty_note = [June 24 1128| established_date2 = [June 24 1128 [1139 [1143 [1910| established_date6 = [25 April 1974 [1986-->| percent_water = 0.5| population_estimate = 10,848,692| population_estimate_year = July 2007| population_estimate_rank = 75th| population_census = 10,148,259| population_census_year = 2001| population_density_km2 = 114| population_density_sq_mi = 295 (Euro sign)²| currency_code = EUR| country_code = PRT| time_zone = Western European Time³| utc_offset =| time_zone_DST = Western European Summer Time| utc_offset_DST = 0| cctld = .pt4], spoken in some villages of the municipality of Miranda do Douro, was officially recognized in 1999 (Lei n.° 7/99 de 29 de Janeiro), since then awarding an official right-of-use Mirandese to the linguistic minority it is concerned. The Euromosaic study, Mirandese in Portugal, europa.eu - European Commission website, accessed January 2007. The Portuguese Sign Language is also recognized.].|footnote3 = Azores: UTC-1; UTC in European Summer Time.|footnote4 = The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.] was the capital of the country from 1139 to about 1260.-->

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese language: República Portuguesa; International Phonetic Alphabet: ), is a country in southwestern Europe,United Nations Geographical region and composition on the Iberian Peninsula. Being the westernmost country of mainland Europe, Portugal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east. The Atlantic Ocean archipelagos of the Azores Islands and Madeira are also part of Portugal.

The land within the borders of today's Portuguese Republic has been constantly settled since Prehistoric Iberia. Some of the earliest civilizations include Celtic societies, followed by incorporation into the Roman Empire in the 2nd century BC, and subsequently into Germanic peoples Kingdoms, such as the Suebi and the Visigoths, from the 5th to the 8th century. The Moors occupied most of the Iberian Peninsula from the early 8th century when they first arrived and conquered the Christian Kingdoms of Germanic background. After the starting of the Reconquista, in the early 1100s Portugal appeared as a kingdom independent of its Christian neighbours, Kingdom of Castile and Kingdom of León. In little over a century Portugal had nearly established its modern-day borders by conquering territory from the Muslim Moors.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, with its Portuguese empire, Portugal was one of the world's major economic, political, and cultural powers. Portugal is a developed country, member of the European Union (since 1986) and the United Nations (since 1955); as well as a founding member of the Eurozone, OECD, NATO, and CPLP (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa — Community of Portuguese Language Countries).

History .The early history of Portugal, whose name probably derives from the Roman name Portus Cale, is shared with the rest of the Iberian peninsula. The region was settled by Pre-Celts and Celts, giving origin to peoples like the Lusitanians, visited by Phoenicians and Carthaginians, incorporated in the Roman empire (as Lusitania in 138 BC), settled again by Suevi, Buri (Germanic tribe), and Visigoths, and conquered by Moors. In 868, during the Reconquista (by which Christians reconquered the Iberian peninsula from the Muslim and Moorish domination), the First County of Portugal was formed. A victory over the Muslims at Ourique in 1139 is traditionally taken as the occasion when Portugal is transformed from a county into an Portuguese monarchy.

Portugal traces its national origin to June 24 1128 with the Battle of São Mamede. At the Battle of São Mamede, Afonso I of Portugal, Count of Portugal, defeated his mother, Teresa, Countess of Portugal, and her lover, Fernão Peres de Trava, in battle - thereby establishing himself as sole leader. Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself List of Portuguese monarchs on July 25, 1139, after the Battle of Ourique and was recognized as such in 1143 by Alfonso VII of León, king of León and Castile, and in 1179 by Pope Alexander III.

Afonso Henriques and his successors, aided by military Christian monasticism, 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, giving Portugal its present day borders, with minor exceptions., known as the "Cradle of Portugal", GuimarãesIn 1373, Portugal made an Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, which is the longest-standing alliance in the world.

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 of Portugal), 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 the following decades, Portugal spearheaded the exploration of the world and undertook the Portugal in the Age of Discovery. Prince Henry the Navigator, son of King João I, became the main sponsor and patron of this endeavor.

In 1415, Portugal gained the first of its overseas colonies when a fleet conquered Ceuta, a prosperous Islamic trade center in North Africa. There followed the first discoveries in the Atlantic: Madeira and the Azores, which led to the first colonialism movements. (1415-1999). Red - true possessions; Pink - explorations, areas of influence and trade and claims of sovereignty; Blue - main sea explorations, routes and areas of influence. The Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia is not shown., a monument to Prince Henry the Navigator and the Portugal in the Age of Discovery, LisbonThroughout 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, en route to India, discovered Brazil and claimed it for Portugal.The standard view of historians is that Cabral was blown off course as he was navigating the currents of the South Atlantic, sighted the coast of South America, thereby accidentally discovering Brazil. For an account of an alternative view of the discovery of Brazil, however, see Alternative theory of the European discovery of Brazil Ten years later, Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa, in India, Ormuz in the Persian Strait, and Malacca in what is now a state in Malaysia. Thus, the Portuguese empire held dominion over commerce in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic. It may also have been Portuguese sailors that were the first Europeans to discover Australia. Map proves Portuguese discovered Australia: new book, in Reuters (Wed Mar 21, 2007)

Portugal's independence was interrupted between 1580 and 1640. Because the heirless King Sebastião of Portugal 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 Iberian Union of kingdoms; in 1640, John IV of Portugal spearheaded an uprising backed by disgruntled nobles and was proclaimed king. This was the beginning of the House of Braganza, which was to reign until 1910.

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. (1961-1974)At the height of European colonialism in the 19th century, Portugal had lost its territory in South America and all but a few bases in Asia. During this phase, Portuguese colonialism focused on expanding its outposts in Africa into nation-sized territories to compete with other European powers there. Portuguese territories eventually included the modern nations of Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique.

In 1910, a revolution deposed the Portuguese monarchs, but chaos continued and considerable economic problems were aggravated by the Portugal in the Great War, which led to a 28 May 1926 coup d'état. This in turn led to the establishment of a right-wing dictatorship by António de Oliveira Salazar.

In December 1961, the Portuguese army was involved in armed action in its colony of Portuguese India against an Operation Vijay (1961). The operations resulted in the defeat of the isolated and relatively small Portuguese defense force which was not able to resist a much larger enemy. The outcome was the loss of the Portuguese territories in the Indian subcontinent.

Also in the early 1960s, independence movements in the Portuguese overseas provinces of Angola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea, in Africa, resulted in the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974). In 1974, a bloodless left-wing military coup in Lisbon, known as the Carnation Revolution, led the way for a modern democracy as well as the independence of the last colonies in Africa shortly after.

Portugal joined the European Union in 1986, and ever since it has engaged in a process of convergence with its European Union member state.

Government and politics , Lisbon

Portugal is a democratic republic ruled by the Portuguese Constitution of 1976 with Lisbon, the nation's largest city, as its capital.The four main governing components are the List of Presidents of Portugal, the assembly of the republic, the Government of Portugal, and the courts. The constitution grants the division or separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Portugal like most European countries has no state religion, making it a secular state.

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

The government is headed by the List of Prime Ministers of Portugal (currently José Sócrates), who chooses the Council of Ministers, comprising all the ministers and the respective state secretaries. The national and regional governments, and the Assembly of the Republic, are dominated by two political parties, the Socialist Party (Portugal) and the Social Democratic Party (Portugal). Minority parties Unitarian Democratic Coalition (Portuguese Communist Party plus Ecologist Party "The Greens"), Left Bloc (Left Bloc) and Democratic and Social Center / People's Party (People's Party) are also represented in the Assembly of the Republic and local governments.

The courts are organized into categories, including judicial, administrative, and fiscal. The Portuguese Supreme Courts are the courts of last appeal. A thirteen-member Portuguese Constitutional Court oversees the constitutionality of legislation.

Foreign relations

Portugal is a founding member of NATO (1949), OECD and EFTA; it left the former in 1986 to join the European Union. In 1996 it co-founded the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. It has a friendship alliance and multiple citizenship treaty with Brazil. Portugal is part of the world's oldest active alliance through its Anglo-Portuguese Alliance.

The only international dispute concerns the municipality of Olivenza (Olivenza in Spanish). Under Portuguese sovereignty since 1297, the municipality of Olivença was ceded to Spain under the Treaty of Badajoz in 1801, after the War of the Oranges. Portugal claimed it back in 1815 under the Congress of Vienna. Nevertheless, bilateral diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries are cordial, as well as within the European Union.

Military of Portugal The armed forces have three branches: Portuguese Army, Portuguese Navy, and Portuguese Air Force. The military of Portugal serves primarily as a self-defense force whose mission is to protect the territorial integrity of the country and providing humanitarian assistance and security at home and abroad. Since the early 2000s, compulsory military service is no longer practised. The changes also turned the forces' focus towards professional military engagements. The age for voluntary recruitment is set at 18. In the 20th century, Portugal engaged in two major military interventions: the Portugal in the Great War and the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974). Portugal has participated in peacekeeping missions in East Timor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq (Nasiriyah), and Lebanon.

Administrative divisions and the two autonomous regions of Portugal (not in their actual locations)Portugal has an administrative structure of 308 municipalities of Portugal (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. For continental Portugal the municipalities are gathered in 18 Districts, while the Islands have a Regional Government directly above them. Thus, the largest unit of classification is the one established since 1976 into either mainland Portugal (Portugal Continental) or the autonomous regions of Portugal (Azores and Madeira).

Geography and climate

, Algarve - a view of the Southwest Alentejo and Cape St. Vicente Coast Natural Park.

The climate can be classified as Oceanic climate in the north and Mediterranean climate in the south. Portugal is one of the warmest European countries, the annual 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 Atlantic archipelagos have a narrower temperature range. Generally, spring and summer are sunny, whereas autumn and winter are rainy and windy.Extreme temperatures occur in Northeastern parts of the country in winter (where they may fall to -16 °C) and Southeastern parts in summer (where they can soar up to 46 °C). Sea coastal areas are milder, temperatures varying between -2 °C in the coldest winter mornings and 37 °C in the hottest summer afternoons. Absolute extremes registered so far have been -23 °C in Serra da Estrela and 48 °C in the Alentejo region. during the winter seasonContinental Portugal is split by its main river, the Tagus. The northern landscape is mountainous in the interior areas, with plateaus indented by river valleys. The south, between the Tagus 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 much like southern Spain. Snow falls occasionally (on some cold winter days) in the northern interior of the country, from October to May. However, it is a very rare event in the south. The coast registers snow usually once in five or six years. - Oak on wheat field, a typical image of the Alentejo region, Portugal

The islands of the Azores are located in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge whilst the Madeira islands were formed by the activity of an plate tectonics Hotspot (geology), much like the Hawaii. 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 (7,713 ft).Continental Portugal's highest point is Serra da Estrela, measuring 1993 m (6,558 ft).

Portugal EEZ, a seazone over which the Portuguese have special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, has 1,727,408 km². This is the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the European Union and the 11th in the world.

Conservation areas of Portugal include one national park (Parque Nacional), 12 natural parks (Parque Natural), 9 natural reserves (Reserva Natural), 5 natural monuments (Monumento Natural), and 7 protected landscapes (Paisagem Protegida), ranging from the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês to the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela to the Paul de Arzila.

Economy took place, Lisbon

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, and therefore is integrated into the Eurozone.

Major industries include oil refineries, automotive, cement production, pulp and paper industry, textile, footwear, furniture, and cork (material) (of which Portugal is the world's leading producer).Grande Enciclopédia Universal, p. 10543, "Portugal", para. 4 Agriculture and Fishing (see Portugal EEZ) no longer represents the bulk of the economy, but Portuguese wines, namely Port Wine (named after the country's second largest city, Porto) and Madeira Wine (named after Madeira), are exported worldwide. Tourism is also important, especially in mainland Portugal's southernmost region of the Algarve and in the Atlantic Madeira.

The Global Competitiveness Report for 2005, published by the World Economic Forum, places Portugal on the 22nd position, ahead of countries like Spain, Republic of Ireland, France, Belgium and Hong Kong. This represents an increase of two places from the 2004 ranking. Portugal was ranked 20th on the Technology index and 15th on the Public Institutions index. http://www.investinportugal.pt/MCMSAPI/HomePage/NewsRoom/PORTUGAL+IMPROVES+ITS+POSITION+IN+THE+WEF+COMPETITIVENESS+RANKING.htm Investinportugal.pt Retrieved on 05-16-07

Research about standard of living by the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Quality-of-life Survey places Portugal as the country with the 19th-best quality of life in the world, ahead of other economically and technologically advanced countries like France, Germany, the United Kingdom and South Korea.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Energias de Portugal, Galp Energia, Millennium bcp, Portugal Telecom and Sonae are among the largest corporations of Portugal by both number of employees and net income.

The major stock exchange is the Euronext Lisbon which is part of the NYSE Euronext, the first global stock exchange. The PSI-20 is Portugal's most selective and widely known stock index.

Energy, transportation and communications , the longest bridge in Europe.In 2006 the world's largest solar energy plant began operating in the nation's sunny south while the world's first commercial wave power farm opened in October 2006 in the Norte region. 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.

Portugal wants renewable energy sources like solar, wind and wave power to account for nearly half of the electricity consumed in the country by 2010. "This new goal will place Portugal in the frontline of renewable energy and make it, along with Austria and Sweden, one of the three nations that most invest in this sector", Prime Minister José Sócrates said., Alentejo - the largest Portuguese hydroelectric power generation facility and the largest artificial lake in EuropeTransportation was seen as a priority in the 1990s, pushed by the growing use of automobiles and industrialization. The country has a 68,732 km (42,708 mi) network of roads, of which almost 3,000 km (1,864 mi) are part of a 44 motorways system.

The two principal metropolitan areas have subway systems: Lisbon Metro and Metro Sul do Tejo in Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metro in Porto, 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. from national airline TAP Portugal.Portugal's geographical position makes it a stopover point for many foreign airlines at airports all over the country. The government is currently studying two locations (Ota Airport and Alcochete) to replace the present Lisbon airport. Currently, the most important airports are in Portela Airport, Faro Airport (Portugal), Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, Madeira Airport (Madeira), and João Paulo II Airport (Azores).

Portugal has one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the world (the number of operative mobile phones already exceeds the population). This network also provides wireless mobile Internet connections as well, and covers the entire territory. 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). Paid Internet connections are available at many cafés, as well as many post offices. One can also surf on the Internet at hotels, conference centres and shopping centres, where special areas are reserved for this purpose. Free internet access is also available to Portuguese residents at "Espaços de Internet" across the country.

Demographics river crossing Grande Porto, Portugal's second most populated subregion

The country is fairly homogeneous linguistically and religiously. Native Portuguese people are ethnically a combination of pre-Roman Iberians and Celts along with some other contributions by Ancient Rome, Germanic peoples (Visigoths, Suebi), Jews and Moors (mostly Berber peoples and some Arabs).

In the 2001 census, the population was 10,356,117, of which 51.7% was female, 48.2% was male and 0.1% was undefined or mixed. Portugal, long a country of emigration, has now become a country of net immigration, and not just from the former Republic of Indian and African Portuguese empire; by the end of 2003, legal immigrants represented about 5% of the population, and the largest communities were from Brazil, Ukraine, Romania, Cape Verde, Angola, Russia, Guinea-Bissau and Moldova with other immigrants from parts of Latin America, Han Chinese and Eastern Europe. The great majority of Portuguese are Catholic Church in Portugal, though a large percentage consider themselves non-practicing, especially in urban areas. The biggest metropolitan areas are Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Coimbra, Setúbal and Aveiro.

Education, science and technology , CoimbraThe 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. The University of Coimbra was first established in Lisbon before moving to Coimbra. Universities are usually organized into faculty (university). Institutes and schools are also common designations for autonomous subdivisions of list of colleges and universities in Portugal, and are always used in the polytechnical system. The Bologna process has been adopted since 2006 by Portuguese universities and polytechnical institutes.

Scientific and technological research activities in Portugal are mainly conducted within a network of R&D units belonging to list of universities in Portugal and state-managed autonomous research institutions like the Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação. The funding of this research system is mainly conducted under the authority of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The largest R&D units of the public universities by number of publications which achieved significant international recognition, include biosciences research institutions like the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, the IPATIMUP and the Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, among others. Among the largest non-state-run research institutions in Portugal are the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência and the Champalimaud Foundation which yearly awards one of the highest monetary prizes of any science prize in the world. A number of both national and multinational high-tech and industrial companies, are also responsible for research and development projects.

Portugal have entered into Higher education in Portugal#International partnership agreements in order to further develop and increase the effectiveness of Portuguese higher education.

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, France law was the main influence. Since then the major influence has been German legal system. 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 Portuguese colonies and continues to be the major influence for those countries.

Religion Portuguese society is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Approximately 84% of the population are nominally Roman Catholic, but only about 19% attend mass and take the sacraments regularly. Yet a larger number wish to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites.

Culture Portugal has developed a specific culture while being influenced by various civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean and the European continent, or were introduced when it played an active role during the Portugal in the Age of Discovery., built in the 1510s and a symbol of the Age of Discovery, Lisbon 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. Poesia e Prosa Medievais, p. 9, para. 4 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 Virgil's Aeneid as his main influence. Modern Portuguese poetry is rooted in neoclassic and contemporary styles, as exemplified by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Modern Portuguese literature is represented by authors such as Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de Queirós, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, and António Lobo Antunes. Particularly popular and distinguished is José Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for literature.

, LisbonMusic of Portugal 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, José Afonso, Mariza, Carlos do Carmo, 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, the Portuguese listen to pop and other types of modern music, particularly from North America and the British Isles, as well as a wide range of Portuguese and Brazilian artists and bands. Portugese-Top50 stats Bands with international recognition include Blasted Mechanism and The Gift (band), both of which were nominated for an MTV Music Award. Portugal has several summer music festivals, such as Festival Sudoeste in Zambujeira do Mar, Festival de Paredes de Coura in Paredes de Coura, Festival Vilar de Mouros near Caminha, and Rock in Rio Lisboa and Super Bock Super Rock in Lisbon. Out of the summer season, Portugal has a large number of festivals, designed more to an urban audience, like Flowfest or Hip Hop Porto. Furthermore, one of the largest international Goa trance festivals takes place in northern Portugal every two years, and the student festivals of Queima das Fitas are major events in a number of cities across Portugal. (Music House), PortoIt has also a rich history as far as painting is concerned. The first well-known painters date back to the XV century – like Nuno Gonçalves - were part of the Gothic painting period.José Malhoa, known for his work Fado, and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (who painted the portraits of Teófilo Braga and Antero de Quental) were both references in naturalist painting., LisbonThe 20th century saw the arrival of Modernism, and along with it came the most prominent Portuguese painters: Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, who was heavily influenced by French painters, particularly by the Delaunays. Among his best known works is Canção Popular a Russa e o Fígaro. Another great modernist painter/writer was Almada Negreiros, friend to the poet Fernando Pessoa, who painted his (Pessoa’s) portrait. He was deeply influenced by both Cubist and Futurism (art) trends. Prominent international figures in visual arts nowadays include painters Vieira da Silva, Júlio Pomar, and Paula Rego.Traditional architecture is distinctive. Modern Portugal has given the world renowned architects Eduardo Souto de Moura, Álvaro Siza Vieira and Gonçalo Byrne. Internally, Tomás Taveira is also noteworthy.

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

Cuisine (cream custards)Portuguese cuisine is diverse. The Portuguese love dry cod (bacalhau in Portuguese), for which there are hundreds of Bacalhau#Bacalhau dishes. Two other popular fish recipes are grilled sardines and caldeirada. Typical Portuguese meat recipes, that may take beef, pork, lamb, or chicken, include feijoada, cozido à portuguesa, frango de churrasco, and carne de porco à alentejana. Typical fast food dishes include the francesinha from Porto, and bifanas (grilled pork), prego (grilled beef) or leitão (piglet) sandwiches which are well known around the country. The Portuguese art of pastry has its origins in ancient recipes of which pastéis de Belém (or pastéis de nata) originally from Lisbon, and ovos-moles from Aveiro are good examples.

Portuguese wines have deserved international recognition since the times of the Roman Empire, which associated Portugal with their God Dionysus. Today the country is known by wine lovers and its wines have won several international prizes. Some of the best Portuguese wines are: 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 Moscatel from Setúbal and Favaios. Port Wine is well known around the world and the most widely exported Portuguese wine.

Sports and games fans supporting the Portuguese national football team Football (soccer) is the most known, loved and practiced sport. The legendary Eusébio is still a major symbol of Portuguese football history and Luís Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rui Costa are among the numerous examples of other world class footballers born in Portugal and noted worldwide.

The Portugal national football teams, have titles in the FIFA World Youth Championship and in the UEFA youth championships. The main national team - Selecção Nacional - finished second in 2004 European Football Championship, and reached the third place in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, their best results in major competitions to date.

S.L. Benfica, F.C. Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal are the largest sports clubs by popularity and in terms of trophies won, often known as "os três grandes" (Big Three (Portugal)). They have a number of titles won in the European UEFA club competitions, were present in many finals and have been regular contenders in the last stages almost every season. Other than football, many Portuguese sports clubs, including the "big three", compete in several other sports events with a varying level of success and popularity., World Cup winner in triathlonPortugal has a successful rink hockey team, with 15 Rink Hockey World Championship and 20 Rink Hockey European Championship, making it the country with the most wins in both competitions. The most successful Portuguese rink hockey clubs in the history of European championships are FC Porto (rink hockey), SL Benfica (rink hockey), Sporting CP, and Óquei de Barcelos.

The Portugal national rugby union team made a dramatic qualification into the 2007 Rugby World Cup and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup since the dawn of the professional era. The Portuguese national team of rugby sevens has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions.

Rui Silva, in men's athletics, has won several gold, silver and bronze medals in the European, World and Olympic Games competitions. Francis Obikwelu in the 100 m and the 200 m, had silver in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Naide Gomes in pentathlon and long jump, is another Portuguese elite athlete. In the triathlon, Vanessa Fernandes, has won a large number of medals and major competitions across the world and in 2007 became the world champion both in Triathlon and Duathlon. In judo, Telma Monteiro is European champion in the women's under-52 kg category. Nelson Évora is world champion in triple jump.

Cycling, with Volta a Portugal being the most important race, is also a popular sports event and include professional cycling teams such as SL Benfica (cycling team), Boavista (cycling team), Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira, and União Ciclista da Maia. Noted Portuguese cyclists include, among others, names as Joaquim Agostinho, Marco Chagas, José Azevedo and Sérgio Paulinho.

The country has also achieved notable performances in sports like fencing, surfing, windsurf, kitesurf, kayaking, sailing and shooting, among other.The paralympic athletes have also conquered many medals in sports like swimming, boccia and wrestling.Portugal has its own original martial art, jogo do pau, in which the fighters use staffs to confront one or

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Portugal Holidays - Book Algarve, Portugal Holidays Online
Portugal holidays offer fantastic sandy beaches in charming coastal resorts. Book holidays in Portugal to enjoy warm weather, tasty food and friendly hospitality. ... Portugal has ...

BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Portugal
Visit BBC Sport for all the action as it happens - up-to-the-minute news, results, breaking news, video, audio and feature stories. BBC Sport covers the major events and all the ...

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Country profiles | Country profile ...
Key facts, figures and dates ... Portugal, a country with a rich history of seafaring and discovery, looks out from the Iberian peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean.

Portugal.org
Welcome to Portugal.org. Here you will find information about Portugal tourism, trade, investment, as well as general information about the country.

Portugal
Portugal travel guide including sights, nightlife, restaurants and shops in Portugal. Everything you need to book a Portugal holiday, flight or hotel. ... Portugal Introduction ...

Private villas and holiday rentals Portugal. Rental property, villas ...
Villas in Portugal including Albufeira for rent - All our villas in Portugal bookable direct with owner and paid by credit card. Safe and secure. ...

Property in Portugal - Portugese Property For Sale
The jewel of Portugal is where cheap yet luxurious investment property on the finest beaches meets the cradle of Portuguese history.