Member-only story
Portugal
Fun Facts About Portugal’s History, Geography & Culture
Portugal is located in the Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean. Spain borders the country to the south and east and by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west.
Its capital and largest city are Lisbon.
Portugal is a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state.
The Portuguese language is the official language.
Here are ten fun facts about Portugal.
1. Portugal is the westernmost country in Europe.
2. The name “Portugal” comes from the Latin word “Portus,” meaning “port” or “harbor.”
3. Portugal is the oldest nation-state in Europe, founded in 1143.
4. Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is also the westernmost capital of Europe.
5. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and the European Union.
6. Portuguese is the official language of Portugal and Brazil, and it is also one of the official languages of the European Union and the United Nations.
7. Portuguese has more than 200 million speakers worldwide, making it one of the world’s major languages.
8 . The Portuguese economy is diversified and includes agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, manufacturing, and tourism.
9 . Portugal has a temperate climate with average temperatures ranging from 18–25 degrees Celsius (64–77 Fahrenheit).
10 . Some famous Portuguese people include Vasco da Gama (explorer), Luís Vaz de Camões (poet), Amália Rodrigues (singer), José Saramago (writer), Cristiano Ronaldo (footballer).