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Portugal
Portugal, a country on the Iberian Peninsula, is situated at the south-west point of Europe and also includes the Madeira and Azores archipelagos in the Atlantic. The country is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east.
Portugal is one of the oldest nations in Europe. With such a long sea coast, it is not surprising that Portugal has witnessed so many sailings and arrivals. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to sail to Africa, the distant Orient and the heart of South America, from where we brought a wealth of treasures. The maritime Voyages of Discovery turned Lisbon into one of the world’s great ports and the centre of an empire.
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General Information
Official name
The Portuguese Republic
Geographic Location
Southwestern Europe
Capital and largest city
Lisbon (2.8 million inhabitants, 3.34 million people live in the broader agglomeration of Lisbon Metropolitan Region)
Largest cities
Lisbon, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Amadora, Braga
Area
92 345 km²
Population
10.7 Million
Time Zone
GMT +0 (UTC+1 From the last Sunday in March at 01:00 to the last Sunday in October at 02:00)
Currency
Euro
Official language
Portuguese (Mirandese is also recognized as a official regional language in some municipalities of northeastern Portugal)
Neighbouring countries
Spain
Highest point
Serra da Estrela (1991 m)
Lowest point
Atlantic Ocean (0 m)
Longest rivers
Douro (in the country 275 km)
Landing place
Lisbon, Porto, Faro
Electricity
230/400 volts at a frequency of 50 hertz and sockets comply with European standards. You will need a 230 volt transformer and an adaptor to use American-style flat-prong plugs.
Ethnic groups
95,9 % Portuguese, 4,1 % (Brazilians, Capeverdeans, Ukrainians, Angolans, other minorities) Religion: Roman Catholic 93%, Protestant 3%