Have you ever been to Portugal?

 


  • Portugal is one of Europe's oldest nations, established in 1143 when it gained independence from the Kingdom of León.
  • It has the oldest defined borders in Europe, largely unchanged since 1297.
  • Portuguese is the official language and is spoken by around 250 million people worldwide, making it the 6th most spoken language globally.
  • Portugal was once a major maritime power during the Age of Discovery (15th-16th centuries), establishing the first global empire with territories in South America, Africa, and Asia.
  • The capital, Lisbon, is one of the oldest cities in the world, predating other European capitals like London, Paris, and Rome by centuries.
  • Portugal is famous for Port wine, which comes from the Douro Valley, the world's oldest demarcated wine region (established in 1756).
  • The country is the world's largest cork producer, responsible for about 50% of global cork production.
  • Fado is Portugal's traditional melancholic music genre, recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
  • The Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon is one of Europe's longest bridges at nearly 11 miles (17.2 km).
  • Portugal was the first colonial power to abolish slavery, doing so in Portugal proper in 1761.
  • Portuguese cuisine is renowned for its seafood dishes, with bacalhau (salted cod) being a national dish that can be prepared in hundreds of different ways.
  • The Azores and Madeira are autonomous regions of Portugal located in the Atlantic Ocean.

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