Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture: salt cod and grilled sardines are national dishes, the Algarve's beaches are a major destination and much of the nation’s architecture dates to the 1500s–1800s, when Portugal had a powerful maritime empire.
Capital and largest city: Lisbon; 38°46′N 9°9′W / 38.767°N 9.150°W
Currency: Euro
Fun Facts About Portugal:
Portuguese is the official language of 9 countries
Portugal is the oldest country in Europe
The oldest bookstore in the world is in Portugal's capital
Portugal is the largest cork producer in the world
Portugal has the longest bridge in Europe
Portugal and England have the oldest diplomatic alliance in the world
In 1755, Lisbon was struck by one of the most powerful earthquakes in European history
Portugal was the first colonial power to abolish slavery
Portugal holds the records for the longest, and shortest, reigning monarchs in the world.
The earliest recorded hot air balloon ascent was in Portugal
Lisbon is older than Rome, and among the oldest cities in Europe
The town of Olivenza and its seven surrounding villages is one of the last disputed territories in western Europe
The world’s largest omelette was made in Portugal :)
Napoleon tried- and failed- three times to invade and conquer Portugal.
Lisbon’s black and white streets represent St. Vincent (he wore black) and the Crusaders, who got rid of the Moors, wore white. The designs are made with basalt and limestone.
Bartholomew Portugues created the first Pirate code in the 17th century, which English pirates later adopted.
Portugal had a dead queen. Pedro I was crowned in 1357 and had his lover crowned, too- though she’d been dead two years. Legend has it he ate her killers’ hearts when he caught them. And that she was exhumed to be coronated.
Portugal was the first country to abolish the death penalty for regular crimes in 1867 and any crimes in 1976.
Macau, China, was a Portuguese colony until 1999.
Drugs were ‘decriminalized’ in Portugal in 2001; since then, the percentage of addicts has nearly halved.
The first pre-paid phone card came from Portugal in 1995.
Catharine of Braganca brought about teatime in England. She was also responsible for the English using forks at dinnertime.
The Portuguese government has an 80-page list of illegal names, or names prohibited to name your baby. For example, ‘Ovnis’ is on the list. In Portuguese it means ‘UFO.’
Interesting Portuguese expressions: they don’t ‘show off,’ but they ‘do it so the English can see’ (Para ingles ver). Want to say a woman is sexy? Compare her to corn (Bon como o milho).
Portugal is the only European country you can interact with dolphins.
More people, world wide, speak Portuguese than French, Russian or German. And did you know the city with the largest Portuguese population outside of Portugal is Paris-?
All ravens in Lisbon were/are named ‘Vicente,’ after the saint, and are one of the city’s symbols on its coat of arms.
Portuguese water dogs are actually Portuguese. In the 1500s, they were fishermen’s companions: their webbed feet helped retrieve fish and nets, and sometimes the fishermen themselves. One of the most famous ones these days, Bo, lives in the White House in the U.S.
For dinner we had Portuguese chicken, Portuguese rice, a Portuguese salad- cucumbers and tomatoes in a spicy dressing, Portuguese farmers bread and for dessert- serradura.