Portugal, officially Portuguese Republic, Portuguese República Portuguesa, lies along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. [10]
Quick Facts:
Population: 10,302,674 (July 2020 estimate.) [1]
Capital: Lisbon. 2011 population 547,733 (city), 2,821,876 (metropolitan area). [2]
Official Language: Portuguese [3]
Leadership: President: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister: Antonio Luis Santos da Costa [4]
Currency: Portugal’s currency was formerly the escudo, which had replaced the real in 1911 after the overthrow of the monarchy the previous year. In 2002 the euro replaced the escudo as Portugal’s sole currency. [5]
Economy: Similar to those of other western European countries, Portugal’s economy is dominated by services; manufacturing constitutes a significant share of output, while agricultural output is relatively minor, accounting for less than 3 percent of output. [6]
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $314.1 billion (2017 estimate, 2017 USD). GDP Composition, by sector of origin: Services 75.7%, Industry 22.1%, Agriculture 2.2% (2017 estimate, 2017 USD.) [7]
Industry: Principal industries include: textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper and pulp, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, automobiles and auto parts, base metals, minerals, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; dairy products, wine, other foodstuffs; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism, plastics, financial services, and optics. [7]
Exports: Portugal’s chief exports include automobiles and transport components, machine tools, textiles, clothing, footwear, paper pulp, wine, cork, plastic molds, and tomato paste. [8]
National Anthem [nn]:
Sailing Directions to Portugal’s Nearest Neighbours by Sea:
France (Shinia):
800 nm, Lisbon to Brest
Beat 400 nm N to Cape Finisterre, then reach NE across the Bay of Biscay.
Greece (Rae):
2,100 nm, Lisbon to Athens
Run S then SE to via Gibraltar, then on through the Mediterranean.
Ireland (Jen): 1,150 nm, Lisbon to Dublin
Once to Cape Finisterre, beat another 750 nm NNE to Dublin. http://www.desiredeffect.org/ireland/index.html
Places to Go, People to See . . .
Once continental Europe’s greatest power, Portugal shares commonalities—geographic and cultural—with the countries of both northern Europe and the Mediterranean. Its cold, rocky northern coast and mountainous interior are sparsely settled, scenic, and wild, while the country’s south, the Algarve, is warm and fertile. The rugged Estrela Mountains (Serra da Estrela, or “Star Mountain Range”), which lie between the Tagus and Mondego rivers, contain the highest point of mainland Portugal. [10]
Portugal turned to the sea and, after Henry the Navigator’s establishment of a school of navigation at Sagres, in time founded a vast overseas empire that would become Europe’s largest and richest. Much of that empire was quickly lost, but even then Portugal retained sizable holdings along the African coast, in southern and eastern Asia, and in South America. Portugal remained a colonial power until the mid-1970s, when a peaceful revolution transformed the country from a dictatorship into a democratic republic. Long among the poorest countries of Europe, Portugal modernized in the last decades of the 20th century, expanding its economy from one based primarily on textile manufacture and livestock raising to include a range of manufactures and services.” [10]
“Climate, through its effect on vegetation, divides Portugal. Three sets of influences are involved: Atlantic, continental (Mesetan), and Mediterranean. The Atlantic climate predominates overall, putting most of the country into the humid zone of the Iberian Peninsula; this is especially true in the northwest, where the climate is mild and rainy. Summer temperatures near sea level may average up to 76 °F (24 °C) but are rather lower at exposed higher elevations. Winter temperatures average 37 to 40 °F (3 to 4 °C) but tend to be milder south of the Douro. Annual rainfall averages more than 40 inches (1,000 mm).” [17]
Lisbon
Lisbon (Portuguese Lisboa), is the port capital city of Portugal, and the center of the Lisbon metropolitan area. Located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus River, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist center. [18]
The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo. Its founding has been attributed to the Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey; to Elisha, purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and, more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbour, one of the most beautiful in the world. [18]
History
The rich history of Portugal spans centuries and seas. VC3 Productions has assembled an entertaining overview beginning with the Celts through the end of the Portuguese Empire in 1999.
Government
Portugal has been a republic since the overthrow of King Manuel II and the house of Bragança in 1910. From 1910 to 1926, the era of Portugal’s First Republic, a parliamentary democracy was established, though monarchists attempted to overthrow it, and factions quickly arose among republicans. In 1926 a bloodless military coup overthrew the republic, replacing it with an authoritarian government. In 1932 António de Oliveira Salazar established a corporative dictatorship—the so-called Estado Novo (New State)—that lasted until 1974, four years after Salazar’s death. During the dictatorship, democratic-like institutions existed but were merely a facade, stacked with supporters of Salazar; political freedoms were suppressed, sometimes ruthlessly. Since the Revolution of the Carnations on April 25, 1974, Portugal has had a democratic republic. Its postrevolutionary constitution, first adopted in 1976 and modified several times since, established a semipresidential system whereby executive power was divided between a president and a prime minister. The constitution was revised in 1982, when ideological elements were minimized, and again in 1989, when the way was paved for privatization and a transition to a free-market economy.” [22]
On 24 January 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected as President of Portugal in the first round of voting. He stood as an independent, appealing for moderation and cross-party consensus. During his election campaign, he promised to repair political divisions and the hardship of Portugal’s 2011–14 bailout. Unlike his predecessor, he had never previously held a top state position. In March 2020, Rebelo de Sousa asked parliament to authorize a state of emergency to contain the COVID-19 pandemic; this marked the first time the country declared a state of emergency nationwide in 46 years of democratic history. [23]
The president is directly elected for a five-year term, and may be elected to only two consecutive terms. He or she is responsible for guaranteeing Portugal’s independence and national unity. Presidential duties also include serving as the chief commander of the armed forces, appointing and dismissing the prime minister, appointing and dismissing other members of the government at the proposal of the prime minister, sending messages to parliament and convening or dissolving it as necessary, and setting the dates of elections after consultation with the Council of State. [22] “The constitution designates the Council of Ministers, the cabinet, as Portugal’s chief policy-making body. The cabinet consists of the prime minister who presides over its meetings, the ministers of government departments, and some secretaries of state (ministers without portfolios). The prime minister is simultaneously responsible to the president (regarding the overall functioning of governmental institutions) and to parliament (regarding the content of public policy). The prime minister directs, coordinates, and implements government policy. By tradition the prime minister is the head of the civil service.” [22]
Visiting Portugal
For those contemplating a visit to Portugal, Touropia has a few “must see” suggestions for places you should see, on the continent, and in the islands.
Among the many museums to see while n Portugal, Frommer’s rates these two among the top.
“Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon): If you go to one museum in Portugal, this should be it. Whatever your taste in art—from ancient Egyptian funeral masks to French Impressionist paintings, Persian carpets to Lalique jewelry—you’re sure to find something interesting. The remarkable collection was amassed by Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian (1869–1955), who found a home in neutral Portugal during World War II. The museum complex also includes concert halls and a separate modern art museum, all housed in discreet 1960s buildings integrated into shady gardens that are a peaceful getaway in the heart of the city.” [34] https://gulbenkian.pt/museu/
“Serralves (Porto): Porto’s modern art museum is housed in a fine Art Deco villa and a purpose-built contemporary gallery designed by local architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. It holds a huge collection of Portuguese and international art from the 20th and 21st centuries and hosts temporary exhibitions, serving as the most dynamic cultural center in the north. Its latest big acquisition was more than 80 works by Spanish surrealist Joan Miró.” [34] https://www.serralves.pt/locais-atividades-e-ciclos/museu/
Very little else compares to a sunny morning, newspaper in hand, a bica or galão and one or two pastel de natas at the ready. For daily national news, consider, Jornal de Notícias (https://www.jn.pt/), one of the oldest newspapers in Portugal, or Público (https://www.publico.pt/). The Portugal News (https://www.theportugalnews.com/ ) is the largest circulation English language newspaper in Portugal. For business, see Jornal de Negócios (https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/), the Portuguese equivalent of The Wall Street Journal.
In the evening, consider The Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa (Portuguese Symphony Orchestra – https://www.orquestrasinfonicaportuguesa.pt/en/). Or experience fado, the musical expression of saudade that is unique to Portugal. (https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-places-for-fado-music-in-lisbon).
Throughout the day, RTP – Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (https://www.rtp.pt/) provides diverse television and radio programming.