Portugal - Country facts
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Background
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 is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
Climate
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Population
10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)
Ethnic Groups
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal
Religions
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Map of Portugal
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