Portugal
Portugal is a republic in extreme southwest of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, and the Atlantic Ocean (the islands of Azores, Madeira and Savage). Portugal claims Olivença, administrated by Spain, as part of its national territory. It shares land borders with Spain in the north and east. A citizen of Portugal is usually identified as Portuguese but also as Luso (or Lusitano, Eng. Lusitanian)1.
| ||||
| National motto: None | ||||
 | ||||
| Official language | Portuguese3 (Mirandese is officially recognised in Miranda do Douro4) | |||
| Capital | Lisbon | |||
| President | Jorge Sampaio | |||
| Prime Minister | José Durão Barroso | |||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 109th 92,391 km² 0.5 % | |||
| Population - Total (2001) - Density | Ranked 79th 10,356,117 112/km² | |||
| Independence
| From Kingdom of Leon
| |||
| Currency | Euro(€)¹, Portug. euro coins | |||
| Time zones | UTC -1 to 0 | |||
| National anthem | A Portuguesa | |||
| Internet TLD | .PT | |||
| Calling Code | 351 | |||
| (1) Prior to 1999: Portuguese escudo | ||||
History
Main article: History of Portugal
Before the creation of the Portuguese state, Portugal was ruled by the Phoenicians (since 1104 BC), Carthaginians (since 258 BC), Lusitanians (native insurrection from 194 BC), Romans (since 218 BC), Suevi (since 409), Visigoths (since 416), Arabs (since 711), Asturians and Leonese (since 739).
The name "Portugal"
Origin of the Name
Portugal's name is due to a settlement in the estuary of Douro River, named Cale. Some believe that the name Cale is from the Greek Kalles (The Greek word for beautiful), because of the beautiful scenario of the Douro River where some ancient Greek had settled, while others refer that the name has a Phoenician origin, a people that settled in the Portuguese coast.
Nevertheless during the Roman dominion on all the territory, the settlement grew and became a Roman port, so it became known as Portus Cale (Port of Cale). During the Middle ages, the king Luivegildus of the Visigoths and its successors coined currencies with the legend Portucale, which turned to Portugale in the 7th and 8th centuries. In the 9th century the name was extensively used by the all region between the Douro and Minho rivers. In the 11th century, the province gained importance in Galicia, and it became a county of the Kingdom of Leon, like Galicia.
Official name
Unlike most European nations, Portugal is the same nation that became independent in the 12th century. Sometimes, Portugal changed the official name, but it was always known as Portugal.
- Kingdom of Portugal (Reino de Portugal);
- Kingdom of Portugal and Algarve(s) (Reino de Portugal e Algarve(s));
- United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves (Reino Unido de Portugal, Brasil e Algarves);
- Today: Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa).
Early Lusitania
Portugal has been inhabited for at least for 500,000 years. In the early first millennium before the birth of Christ, several invasions from people from central Europe occurred, they were known as Celts. The Celts mixed with the local peoples, two of those new mixed tribes were the Lusitanians (living between the Douro and Tagus rivers) and the Calaicians (living north of the Douro river).
Lusitania Romana
Since 219 BC, the first Roman troops invaded the Iberian Peninsula and in 200 years almost the entire Peninsula was dominated and Romanised, after winning the "Punic Wars" against the Carthaginians that in 238 BC, who already occupied the Iberian coasts. Lusitania was especially hard to conquer, because of the leader of the Lusitanians, Viriathus, that since 194 BC re-conquered the entire Portugal and parts of Spain to the Romans. In 155 BC, the "Lusitanian War" between the Romans and Lusitanians begun. Because of treason from a companion, the resistance was over, and a colonial regime was installed; many Portuguese cities and towns were founded in this period. Since 27 BC, Lusitania gained status of Roman Province. Later, a new Province north of Lusitania was formed, known as Galecia, with capital in Bracara (Today's Braga).
Barbarian Invasions
In the 5th century, Germanic tribes, known as Barbarians, invaded the peninsula. One of which, the Suevi, stopped fighting and founded a kingdom whose domains was, approximately, in today's Portugal, they fixed their capital in Bracara. Later, the Visigoths conquered their kingdom, unifying the Peninsula.
Arabic Invasion and the Reconquista
An Islamic invasion takes place in 711 destroying the Visigoth Kingdom and the nobles take refuge in the north Asturian highlands. From there they re-conquest their lands to the Moors.
By the division of the Spains and following a Visigoth tradition after the death of Ferdinand the Great of Leon and Castile, whose domains were divided by his children, thus Portugal first became independent (as Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal) in 1065 under the rule of Garcia. Because Garcia was a tyrant and the others wanted the lands of their brothers, Portuguese and Galician nobles rebelled and the country rejoined Leon and Castile.
Affirmation of Portugal
In the end of the 11th century, a knight from Burgundy whose name was Henry became count of Portugal. And with him, started the wish for independence 2 of Portugal and he declared it when a civil war was going on between Leon and Castile.
Portugal traces its national origin to the Battle of São Mamede in 24th June 1128, when the first Portuguese King, Afonso I, son of Henry of Burgundy, proclaimed himself as Prince of Portugal and in 1139 as King of Portugal, outthrowning his mother, Teresa, Countess of Galicia and former Countess of Portugal. By the conference of Zamora in 1143, with the assistance of a representant of the Holy See, Portugal was recognized as independent 2. and the prince as Dux Portucalensis. In 1179, Afonso I was declared, by the pope, as King. After the Battle, The first Capital of Portugal was Guimarães was from the first King ruled, later when Portugal was already officially independent2 he ruled from Coimbra. In 1249 - 1250, the Algarve is finnaly reconquest by Portugal to the Moors, and in 1255, the capital is shifted to Lisbon. Rio de Janeiro (Today a city of Brazil), also became the Portuguese capital between 1808 and 1821, with the loss of it's power, Brazil declares independence and Lisbon regained it's statute.
The border with Spain has remained almost unchanged since the 13th century. Portugal has always turned towards the sea. Since early times fishing and overseas commerce have been the main economic activities. Henry the Navigator's interest in exploration together with some technological developments in navigation made Portugal's expansion possible and led to great advances in geographic knowledge.
Discoveries Odyssey: Glory of the Empire
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal eclipsed most other nations in terms of economic, political, and cultural influence and it had an extensive empire throughout the World.
Decline of the Empire
Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the Iberian Union with Spain (1580 - 1640), the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the loss of its Kingdom of Brazil in 1822.
The First and Second Republics
A 1910 revolution deposed the Portuguese monarchy starting a period of chaotic republicanism (First Republic); in 1926 a nationalist military coup d'etat began a period of more than five decades of repressive fascist governments (Second Republic), but more stable financially and economically. In the 1960s, Portuguese India is annexed by India, what Portugal classified as invasion and demanded the return of it in the United Nations but without effort.
The Third Republic
In 1974, an effectively bloodless left-wing military coup (the Carnation Revolution) installed a government that instituted broad democratic reforms. The following year Portugal granted independence to its Faar-sea Provinces (Port. Províncias Ultramarinas) in Africa (Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe) and lost its province of East Timor in Asia to an Indonesian invasion. Portugal itself entered the European Union in 1986, whilst another Asian dependency, Macau, reverted to Chinese sovereignty in December 1999.
Portugal made international pressure to grant East Timor's independence from Indonesia (Portugal cuttted diplomatic relations with this country and prohibited the import of Indonesian products) and applied that East Timor was still a Portuguese dependency, recognized by the United Nations. Indonesia and other countries pressed Portugal to recognize Indonesian rule over East Timor, Portugal objected. After a referendum in 1999, East Timor votes for independence and became, officially, independent in 2002, Portugal recognized its independence and reactivated relations with Indonesia. This recognition officially ended the Portuguese rule in other areas of the world. Some Portuguese Indians seek the same goal for Portuguese India.
See also: List of Portuguese monarchs - Kings of Portugal family tree - Timeline of Portuguese history - Monuments of Portugal - Lusitania - Lusitani mythology - Ophiussa
Politics
Main article: Politics of Portugal
In the years following the 1974 coup Portugal has progressively done away with undemocratic institutions and established itself as a constitutional democracy. The four main organs of Portuguese politics are the presidency, the prime minister and Council of Ministers (the cabinet), the Assembly of the Republic (the parliament), and the Judicial branch.
The president, elected to a 5-year term by direct, universal suffrage is also commander in chief of the armed forces. Presidential powers include appointing the prime minister and Council of Ministers, in which the president must be guided by the assembly election results. The Council of State, a presidential advisory body, is composed of six senior civilian officers, any former presidents elected since 1976, five members chosen by the Assembly, and five selected by the president.
The government is headed by the prime minister, who names the Council of Ministers. A new government is required to define the broad outline of its policy in a program and present it to the assembly for a mandatory period of debate. Failure of the assembly to reject the program by a majority of deputies confirms the government in office.
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is a unicameral body composed of up to 230 deputies. Elected by universal suffrage according to a system of proportional representation, deputies serve terms of office of 4 years, unless the president dissolves the assembly and calls for new elections.
The national Supreme Court is the court of last appeal. Military, administrative, and fiscal courts are designated as separate court categories. A nine-member Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation.
Districts and regions
Main article: Political divisions of Portugal
Mainland Portugal is currently divided into 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito): Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon (Port. Lisboa), Portalegre, Oporto (Port. Porto), Santarém, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real and Viseu.
Beyond these there are two autonomous regions (regiões autónomas): the Azores (Açores) and Madeira. Each district and region is further subdivided into the Municipalities of Portugal.
Note: Portuguese Districts are slated to be abolished and replaced by new Metropolitan Areas and Urban Communities.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Portugal
Continental Portugal is split in two by its main river, the Tagus (Tejo). To the north the landscape is mountainous, though Portugal's highest point is Mount Pico in the Azores at 2,351 m. The south down to the Algarve features mostly rolling plains and the climate here is somewhat warmer and drier than the cooler and rainier north. Other major rivers include the Douro, the Minho and the Guadiana, similar to the Tagus in that all originate in Spain.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Portugal
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Union in 1986. Over the past decade, successive governments have privatised many state-controlled firms and liberalised key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating its new currency, the euro, on January 1, 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of the past decade, but GDP per capita stands at just 75% of that of the leading EU economies. The government has failed to rein in a widening deficit and to advance structural reforms needed to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness. In particular, a poor educational system has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Portugal
Portugal is a fairly homogeneous country linguistically, ethnically and religiously. Portuguese is spoken throughout the country, with only the villages of Miranda de Douro's Leonese dialect recognised as a locally co-official language as Mirandese, Asturian in Spain is another Leonese dialect but not officially recognized by Spain. Minorities, such as those of African immigrants from the former colonies, number circa 100,000, excluding those that acquired Portuguese nationality. Most inmigrants are from Cape Verde, Ukraine, Brazil and Angola; today there is 1 inmigrant per 10 Portuguese citizens. Since the decolonization period, Portugal almost only recieved inmigrants from the former African colonies (not considering Portuguese Africans) or from the European Union (due to climate, culture or easy living). Today is choosen by many Eastern European citizens (mainly Ukrainians, Russians and Moldavans) and Brazilians in search for a better life. Portugal was a country of emigrancy, now it is an obvious example of inmigrancy. A majority of the Portuguese population is part of the Roman Catholic Church.
International disputes
By the Vienna Treaty of 1815, Spain agreed to return Olivença (in Spanish, Olivenza) to Portugal, but this hasn't been done yet. Olivenza is administrated by Spain since 1801, Portugal has periodically reasserted claims that the handover be made.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Portugal
Religion
Portuguese are in its majority Roman Catholics (circa 97%), but the constitution garantees freedom of choice. In Portugal, Fátima is a very important catholic center, dedicated to the Mother of Jesus, Mary (in Portuguese, Maria). Portuguese people are very devoted to the Mother of Christ, being treated almost has a goddess, what made some believe that is a link to the dieties of the now distant past, that were mostly female.
Literature
Portugal is sometimes known as "a country of poets". In fact, Portuguese poetry has a bigger influence in the country's literature than prose. In the dawn of nationality, poetry in Portuguese-Galician was widely popular in all the Iberian Peninsula. There are excelent works, in lyrical as in epic poetry. Without a doubt, the most worldwide known Portuguese poets are Luis de Camões and Fernando Pessoa, but we should also state the modern Portuguese poetry (since the 19th century) has its roots in a handfull of relevant poets, from neo-classicism to these days.
Prose developed later than verse and first appeared in the 14th century in the shape of short chronicles, lives of saints, and genealogical treatises. The line of the chroniclers which is one of the boasts of Portuguese literature began with Fernão Lopes, who compiled the chronicles of the reigns of three kings of that time. He combined a passion for accurate statement with a especial talent for descriptive writing and portraiture. But, it is the modern Portuguese literature that is more internationally known, especially the works of Eça de Queirós and the 1998 Nobel Prize for literature, José Saramago.
Gastronomy
Eating in Portugal, is one of the visitor's most remembered characteristics of the country, as it is a delicious mixture of what Portugal found in its discoveries throughout the world. Each region of Portugal, has its traditional dishes, including various kinds of meat, cheap sea-food, diverse and fresh fish (including the 365 ways of cod dishes, the national dish). Portugal is the country for wine lovers, known since the Roman Empire as one of the greatest in the empire; the Romans immediately associated Portugal with its God of Winery and Feast, Bacchus. Today, many famous Portuguese wines are known as some of the world's best: Vinho do Douro, Vinho do Alentejo, Vinho do Dão, Vinho Verde, and the sweet: Port Wine, Madeira wine, Moscatel of Setúbal and Moscatel of Favaios.
Popular festivities
During the summer, in the month of June, festivities dedicated to three saints known as Santos Populares (Eng. Popular saints) take place in all over Portugal. Why the populance associated the saints to this pagan festivities is not known. But it is possibly related to Roman or local dieties before Christianity has spreed in the region. The three saints are Saint Anthony, Saint John and Saint Peter. A common denominator in these festivities are the wine and água-pé, traditional bread along with sardines, marriages, traditional street dances, fire, fireworks and joy.
Saint Anthony is celebrated in the night of 12 to 13th, especially in Lisbon (where that saint has born and lived most of his live), with Marchas Populares (sort of street carnival) and festivities. In the meantime, several marriages known as Casamentos de Santo António (Eng. Marriages of Saint Anthony) at the same time are made. But the most popular saint is Saint John, it is celebrated in many cities and towns troughout the country in the night of 23 to 24th, especially in Porto and Braga, where the sardines, Caldo Verde (traditional soap) and plastic hammers to hammer in other person's head for luck are indispensable. The final Saint is Saint Peter, celebrated in the night of 28 to 29th, especially in Póvoa de Varzim and Barcelos, festivities are similar to the others, but more dedicated to the sea. In Póvoa de Varzim, there is the Rusgas in the night, another sort of street carnival. Each festivity is a municipal holiday in the cities and towns where it occurs.
Music and dances
Fado (destiny in Portuguese) is a form of melancholic music. The music is linked to the Portuguese word saudade (there is no translation into English; it's a word for the mix feeling of sadness, pain, miss and love), and its origins are probably with a mixture of African slave rhythms with traditional music of Portuguese sailors. There are two varieties of Fado: Lisbon and Coimbra. The Lisbon style is the traditional (for the people), while the Coimbra's is the refined style (linked with universitary students); both are seen as ethnic music for sophisticated audience and as candidates for UNESCO World Heritage. Amália Rodrigues introduced the most well-known variety of fado. After her disappearance, a new wave of performers added stylistic changes and brought international popularity to the traditional Portuguese music. Mísia and Mariza, brought with them a new look to the traditional song, while Dulce Pontes mixed it with popular Portuguese music and Madredeus, made a complete revolution, with new instruments -- all that they kept from the original Fado is its looks and the concept of "saudade". Not all varieties of Fado are sorrowful; some can be joyful songs. Fado is the origin of, for instance, Cape Verdian Morna and Brazilian Modinha.
Other genres include a local version of hip hop, derived from the American style by immigrants from former Portuguese colonies in Africa. Hip hop tuga (Portuguese hip hop) is very popular among the younger population in Portugal. Cool Hipnoise and Mind da Gap are some of the most popular and are becoming internationally known. Other musicians include the globally recognized pianist Maria João Pires.
As for dancing, Portugal has the traditional folklore (Ranchos Folclóricos), with many varieties from each region. Portugal with Angola has a rhythm known as "Kuduro" (popular in both countries), a sort of 'hard samba' with fast movements and extreme sensuality. This mixture of Portuguese and African influence has also created the Brazilian Samba (popular in Portugal) and the Angolan Kizomba and Semba (Angolan sambas, fairly Popular in Portugal), which have softer movements.
see also: List of Portuguese people - Music of Portugal - Desenrascanço
Holidays
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Ano Novo | |
| January 6 | Epiphany | Dia de Reis | (not a holiday) |
| - | Carnival | Carnaval | (District holiday), date varies |
| - | Holly Friday | Sexta-Feira Santa | Friday before Easter |
| - | Easter | Páscoa | Sunday, date varies |
| - | Easter Monday | Pascoela | (not a holiday), Monday after Easter |
| April 25 | Freedom Day | Dia da Liberdade | event of 1974 |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Dia do trabalhador | |
| June 10 | Portugal Day | Dia de Portugal | Date of Camoens death |
| - | Ascension Day | Corpo de Deus | Thursday, 40 days after Easter |
| August 15 | Assumption | Assunção | |
| October 5 | Republic Implementation | Implementação da Républica | event of 1910 |
| November 1 | All Saints Day | Todos os santos | |
| December 1 | Restauration of Independence | Restauração da Independência | event of 1640 |
| December 8 | Imaculate Conception | Imaculada Conceição | Protecting Saint of Portugal |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Natal |
note: each municipality has its own holiday which is religious (normally Saint Anthony Day, Saint John Day or Saint Peter Day). When the municipality does not have one, then Carnival (the district Holiday) is an obligatory holiday. But due to cultural factors, Carnival is treated has a normal holiday, attempts to elimate it cost the popularity of the former prime minister Cavaco Silva.
Miscellaneous topics
- Communications in Portugal
- Transportation in Portugal
- Military of Portugal
- Foreign relations of Portugal
- List of Cities in Portugal
Notes
- [1] The use of the words Lusitania or Nação Lusa to mean the Portugal and Lusitano to mean a Portuguese citizen is due to ancient tribes that lived in most of today’s territory of Portugal, whose land was conquered by the Romans, that by that created, in the area, the Roman Province of Lusitania.
- [2] The actual concept declaration of independence did not exist at the time. Nether the recognization, Portugal was recognized as a kingdom with its own king by Leon in 1143 and by the Pope in 1179. What is compared to today's recognition of independence.
- [3] Portuguese is the official language of Portugal since 1296, replacing Classical Latin, official since independence. Portuguese does not descend from Classical Latin but rather from Vulgar Latin. In Portugal, the local Vulgar Latin was known as Vulgar Language before it was renamed Portuguese.
- [4] Mirandese language as an official recognition it is not an official language. It is spoken in the villages of the Municipality of Miranda do Douro, but it is being discovered that some other remote villages in neighbouring municipalities has dialects similar to this ancient language. Mirandese is not spoken in any town or city.
External links
- Portal do Governo - Main governmental portal
- Presidência da República - Official presidential site
- Assembleia da República - Official parliamentary site
- Welcome to Portugal - All about Portugal
- Portugal inSite - Portugal's official travel and tourism website
- Contemporary Portuguese Political History Research Centre - History and politics
- IPPAR - Monuments of Portugal
- Euro 2004 - Official Euro2004 site
- PortugalTravelGuide - Tourism and holidays
- Portugalia - Photos from Portugal
- Folclore de Portugal - Portuguese folklore
- world-wide press freedom index Rank 7 out of 139 countries (3 way tie)
Member states of the European Union | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Membership |
|  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organization | ||||||
| CPLP Summits | ||||||
| Culture | ||||||
