THE PORTUGAL PORTAL

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa in Portuguese), is located in the west and southwest parts of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, and is the westernmost country in continental Europe. Portugal is bordered by Spain to the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. In addition, Portugal includes two archipelagos in the Atlantic, the Azores (Açores) and Madeira Islands, as well as an extensive exclusive maritime economic zone.

Portugal has witnessed a constant flow of different civilizations during the past millenia. From prehistoric cultures, to its Pre-Roman civilizations (such as the Lusitanians, the Gallaeci, the Celtici, and the Cynetes, amongst others), passing through its contacts with the Phoenician-Carthaginian world, the Roman period (see Hispania, Lusitania and Gallaecia), the Germanic invasions and consequent settlement of the Suevi and Buri (see Suebic Kingdom of Galicia) and the Visigoth (see Visigothic Kingdom), and, finally, the Moorish Umayyad invasion of Hispania and the subsequent Reconquista, all have made an imprint on the country's culture and history.

The name of Portugal itself reveals most of the country's early history, stemming from the Roman name Portus Cale, a Latin name meaning "Port of Cale", latter transformed into Portucale, and finally into Portugal, who emerged as a county of the Kingdom of León (see First County of Portugal and Second County of Portugal) and became an independent kingdom in 1139. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal was a major economic, political, and cultural power, its global empire stretching from Brazil to the Indies.

Selected article

The complete list of Presidents of the Portuguese Republic consists of the 20 heads of state in the history of Portugal since the October 5, 1910 revolution that installed a republican regime. This list includes not only those who sworn into office as President of Portugal but also those who de facto served as head of state since 1910. This is the case of Teófilo Braga who served as President of the Provisional Government after the republican coup d'état. Also Sidónio Pais, Mendes Cabeçadas, Gomes da Costa, as well as Canto e Castro and Óscar Carmona in their early months, weren't sworn into office as President of the Republic, usually being the President of the Ministry (Prime Minister), but de facto accumulation this functions with that of the Head of State. (continued...)

Selected biography

António de Oliveira Salazar (April 28, 1889—July 27, 1970) was the President of the Council of Ministers of Portugal for 36 years, from 1932 to 1968, and founder of the Estado Novo (New Regime). He was the last of a family of 11, and he was also the only male child. He studied at the Seminary, from 1900 to 1914 and thought of becoming a priest, but he later changed his mind. He studied Law at Coimbra University during the first years of the Republican regime. As a young man, his involvement in politics stems from his catholic views, which were aroused by the new anticlerical Portuguese First Republic. He was Finance Minister during the Ditadura Nacional, and then was appointed President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister). Salazar developed the "Estado Novo" (literally, New State). The basis of his regime was a platform of stability; his reforms were advantageous to the upper classes while detrimental to the poorer sections of society. Education was not seen as a priority and therefore not heavily invested in. Salazar relied on the secret police (often known by the name it carried from 1945--1969, PIDE) to repress, torture and, in extreme cases, murder dissidents. During his political rule, Portugal remainded neutral in World War II, joined EFTA and NATO and started a Colonial War. (continued...)

Selected place

Coimbra is a city in Portugal. The municipality has a population of 148,474 inhabitants, and over 430,000 inhabitants live in its metropolitan area made of 16 concelhos comprising a 3370 km² area. It is the district seat of Coimbra district (distrito de Coimbra) and capital of Centro region (região Centro).

This historic city is located in the central part of Portugal, 120 km south of Porto, 195 km north of Lisbon. One of Portugal's biggest crossroads, Coimbra is served by the A1, the main highway of Portugal. It is set by the Mondego River, about 40 km east of Figueira da Foz, a neighbour coastal city with several beaches, summer and seaport facilities on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. (continued...)

Quotes

"There are several kinds of states: socialist states, corporative states, and the state we're in"

Há diversas modalidades de Estado: os estados socialistas, os estados corporativos e o estado a que isto chegou!
Salgueiro Maia to his troops on the evening of 24 to 25 April 1974

"Hats there are plenty, you fool!"

Chapéus há muitos, seu palerma!

Vasco Santana in A Canção de Lisboa

"Rather Queen for a day than duchess for a lifetime"

Antes rainha um dia que duquesa toda a vida

Luísa de Gusmão, queen-consort of John IV

"Oh salted sea, how much of your salt are Portuguese tears?"

Ó mar salgado quanto do teu sal são lágrimas de Portugal

Fernando Pessoa, poet

"Dantas might know grammar, might know syntax, might know medicine, might know how to cook suppers for cardinals, he might know everything except to write which is the only thing he does"

O Dantas saberá gramática, saberá sintaxe, saberá medicina, saberá fazer ceias pra cardeais, saberá tudo menos escrever que é a única coisa que ele faz!

Almada Negreiros, writer and painter

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Portugal news

• February 6: With goals by forward Simão and central defender Ricardo Carvalho, Portugal defeats Brazil at Emirates Stadium.
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Selected picture

"Monument of the Discoveries" in Lisbon, Portugal

Did you know...

• ...that Nuno José de Moura Barreto (pictured), Duke of Loulé was President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Portugal three times?
• ...that in 2000 a stork caused a major power outage in Portugal (at least it was the official explanation)?
• ...that the Order of Infante D. Henrique is a Portuguese honorific order that distinguishes relevant services for Portugal, in the country or in foreign ones, in the expansion of the Portuguese culture, its history, and its values?
• ...that the Callaici were a single or various tribes living in the North of Douro River in Northern Portugal and Galicia?
• ...that the Monserrate Palace is one of the finest examples of Sintra's Romanticism, along with other nearby palaces such as the Pena Palace?
• ...that Viagens Abreu is the oldest travel agency in the world and was established in Porto in 1840 by Mr. Bernardo Abreu and is still family owned five generations later?
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Portugal-related new articles

Newborn articles related to Portugal:

• Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha by Fsouza (talk) 22:05, 31 December 2007 (UTC)
• Santo António Church (Lisbon) by Fsouza 14:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
• Praça da Figueira by Fsouza 14:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
• Chiado by Fsouza 14:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
• Hospital Real de Todos os Santos by Fsouza 14:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
• Rossio Train Station by Fsouza 14:59, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
• Portuguese Naval Aviation by Get_It 23:10, 15 July 2007 (UTC)
• List of Portuguese monarchs by longevity by Joaopais 6:33, 1 April 2007 (UTC)
• Auto-estrada by Pedro 00:47, 6 February 2007 (UTC)
• São Roque Church (Lisbon) by --Fsouza 02:29, 15 December 2006 (UTC)
• Nuno José de Moura Barreto by User:Joaopais 03:27, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
• Olympic Committee of Portugal by Parutakupiu 23:59, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
• Portugal Channel by Pedro 01:04, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
• Porto Canal by Pedro 11:21, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
• Southern Portugal Blackout of 2000 by Húsönd 17:31, 26 September 2006 (UTC)
• Ala-Arriba! (film) by Pedro 13:31, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
• A28 (Portugal) by Pedro 20:50, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
• Casino da Póvoa by Pedro 00:52, 7 September 2006 (UTC)
• 2006 Lusophony Games by Joaopais 07:12, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
• CD Olivais e Moscavide by Joaopais 5:49, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
• Monserrate Palace by Húsönd 22:53, 3 September 2006 (UTC)
• General Confederation of Labour (Portugal) expansion by Carabinieri 05:12, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Portugal-related featured content

Featured Articles:

	1755 Lisbon earthquake
	Bullfighting
	Flag of Portugal
	History of Portugal (1777-1834)

Featured Lists:

	List of Portuguese monarchs
	List of Presidents of Portugal
	List of municipalities of Portugal

Featured Pictures:

	Panorama of Porto
	Compass Rose
	Azulejo

Portugal lists

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The current needed article is:
Liberal Revolution of Porto
One of the most important events in the 19th century history of Portugal. Help creating it!

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