BY ZACH BLAZEKBY ZACH BLAZEK

FAST FACTSFAST FACTS

• Population: 10,566,212 peoplePopulation: 10,566,212 people• Pop. Growth Rate: 0.39% per yearPop. Growth Rate: 0.39% per year• Average Life Expectancy: 77.53 yearsAverage Life Expectancy: 77.53 years• Main Religion: Roman Catholic (94%)Main Religion: Roman Catholic (94%)• Literacy Rate: 93%Literacy Rate: 93%• Languages: Portuguese, Mirandese*Languages: Portuguese, Mirandese*

**== Local languageLocal language

CULTURECULTURE

In Portugal, your family is your life. In Portugal, your family is your life. Your extended family is closer to you Your extended family is closer to you than your closest friends. Loyalty to than your closest friends. Loyalty to your family comes before social or your family comes before social or business relationships. In Portugal, business relationships. In Portugal, appearance is everything, particularly appearance is everything, particularly in the big city. When meeting another in the big city. When meeting another individual, greetings are simple and individual, greetings are simple and polite. People in Portugal are polite. People in Portugal are traditional, conservative, and friendly.traditional, conservative, and friendly.

GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY

Portugal occupies the western part Portugal occupies the western part of the Iberian peninsula, and is a bit of the Iberian peninsula, and is a bit smaller than Indiana. In the big picture, smaller than Indiana. In the big picture, Portugal is located in southwestern Portugal is located in southwestern Europe, and borders the North Atlantic Europe, and borders the North Atlantic Ocean. Portugal has three main rivers: Ocean. Portugal has three main rivers: The Minho River, which cuts through a The Minho River, which cuts through a mountainous area that extends south, mountainous area that extends south, near the vicinity of the Douro River. Just near the vicinity of the Douro River. Just south of the Douro, the mountains slope south of the Douro, the mountains slope up to the plains near the Tejo River.up to the plains near the Tejo River.

INTERESTING PLACESINTERESTING PLACES• Lisbon Museum of Ancient ArtLisbon Museum of Ancient Art: Impressive : Impressive

museum that was once a big green chapelmuseum that was once a big green chapel

• Largo das Necessidades FountainLargo das Necessidades Fountain: A : A lavish Lisbon landmark with beautiful statues lavish Lisbon landmark with beautiful statues and a famous 18and a famous 18thth century obelisk century obelisk

• Cemetery of PleasureCemetery of Pleasure: A cemetery : A cemetery formatted like a small village, it’s built on a formatted like a small village, it’s built on a hill with a fantastic view of Lisbonhill with a fantastic view of Lisbon

• Estrela GardenEstrela Garden: Portugal’s most loved : Portugal’s most loved garden, built between 1842 & 1852garden, built between 1842 & 1852

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Portugal’s government is a parliamentary Portugal’s government is a parliamentary democracy. It claimed its independence on democracy. It claimed its independence on October 5October 5thth, 1910. The Portuguese , 1910. The Portuguese Constitution was adopted on April 2Constitution was adopted on April 2ndnd, 1976, , 1976, but was revised many times. All legal actions but was revised many times. All legal actions are based on civil law systems. Voting age is are based on civil law systems. Voting age is eighteen years old. The President, Head of eighteen years old. The President, Head of State and Head of the Executive Branch of State and Head of the Executive Branch of Portugal is Anibal Cavaco Silva. The Prime Portugal is Anibal Cavaco Silva. The Prime Minister and Head of Government is Jose Minister and Head of Government is Jose Socrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa.Socrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa.

HISTORYHISTORY

What is now Portugal is not what it used to be. What is now Portugal is not what it used to be. Portugal was occupied by a people called the Portugal was occupied by a people called the Lusitanos until the 11Lusitanos until the 11thth century. It is believed that the century. It is believed that the Lusitanos people are the ancestors of Portugal’s Lusitanos people are the ancestors of Portugal’s people today. After the Lusitanos people left, both people today. After the Lusitanos people left, both Romans and Moors had the territory within their grasp. Romans and Moors had the territory within their grasp. Ferdinand, the leader of the Leon and Castilla people Ferdinand, the leader of the Leon and Castilla people (present-day Spain) took over much of the territory (present-day Spain) took over much of the territory about 200 years later. With the Moors and the Romans about 200 years later. With the Moors and the Romans all driven out, Portugal was born. From that point on, all driven out, Portugal was born. From that point on, Portugal played a big role in a scramble for European Portugal played a big role in a scramble for European colonial territory, but in 1580, Portugal came under colonial territory, but in 1580, Portugal came under the command of Spain. Spain’s reign lasted 60 years, the command of Spain. Spain’s reign lasted 60 years, and when it ended, the Portuguese people ceased all and when it ended, the Portuguese people ceased all actions involving the colonial scramble thereafter.actions involving the colonial scramble thereafter.

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