歐洲:
英国 United Kingdom 爱尔兰 Ireland 比利时 Belgium 荷兰 Netherlands 法国 France 西班牙 Spain 葡萄牙 Portugal 意大利 Italy 希腊 Greece 奥地利 Austria 匈牙利 Hungary 德国 Germany 瑞士 Switzerland 罗马尼亚 Romania 俄罗斯 Russia 波兰 Poland 克罗地亚 Croatia (Hrvatska) 捷克 Czech 芬兰 Finland 瑞典 Sweden 挪威 Norway 冰岛 Iceland 土耳其 Turkey 丹麦 Denmark 阿尔巴尼亚 Albania 爱沙尼亚 Republic of Estonia 安道尔 Andorra 白俄罗斯 Belarus 保加利亚 The Republic of Bulgaria 波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那 Bosnia and Herzegovina 梵蒂冈 Vatican City State (Holy See) 黑山 The Republic of Montenegro 拉脱维亚 Latvia 立陶宛 Republic of Lithuania 列支敦士登 Liechtenstein 卢森堡 Luxembourg 马耳他 Republic of Malta 马其顿 The Republic of Macedonia 摩尔多瓦 The Republic of Moldova 摩纳哥 Monaco 塞尔维亚 the Republic of Serbia 斯洛伐克 The Slovak Republic 斯洛文尼亚 the Republic of Slovenia 圣马力诺 San Marino 乌克兰 Ukraine |
| 葡萄牙 Portugal 首都:斯本 国家代码: pt |
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【國名】 葡萄牙共和國 （英:Portugal, the Portuguese Republic,葡:República Portuguesa）。拉丁語意為“溫暖的港口”處歐洲西南部，領土還包括大西洋上的海外領土亞速爾群島和馬德拉群島。
【重要節日】國慶日：6月10日 共和國日：10月5日 紀念1974年4月25日推翻獨裁統治，建立民主政權 全國爭日：６月１３日 【國旗】呈長方形，長與寬之比為３：２。旗由左緑右紅兩部分組成，緑色部分是一個竪長方形，紅色部分接近正方形，其積為緑色部分的一倍半。紅、緑連綫的中間繪有葡萄牙國徽。紅色示對１９１０年成立第二共和國的慶賀，緑色示對被稱為“航海”的亨利親王的敬意。 【國徽】主部分是一個金色的渾天儀，這是古老的航海儀器，代葡萄牙人的航海成就。渾天儀中央為一面白盾，盾上五個藍色小盾組成十字形，每個小藍盾上有五個白色圓堡。五個小藍盾是紀念阿爾沙一世在奧利基戰役中擊敗摩爾人的五個君主所取得的勝利；白色圓堡是葡萄牙古老的標志，也象徵耶穌基督打敗異教徒的力量。白色盾形重疊於大紅盾中，紅盾周邊有七個城堡，紀念葡萄牙從摩爾人手中收的省份。渾天儀周圍飾橄欖枝。 【國花】薫衣草 ，石竹 【貨幣名稱】埃斯庫多 【國元首】 總統阿尼巴爾·安東尼奧·卡瓦科·席爾瓦(Aníbal António Cavaco Silva), 2006年1月當選、2006年3月就職。任期5年。 【自然地理】 積為９.１９萬平方公（２００５年１２月）。位於歐洲伊比利亞半島西南部。東、北與毗鄰西班牙，西南瀕臨大西洋。海岸綫長８００多公。地形北高南低，多為山地和丘陵。北部是梅塞塔高原；中部山區平均海拔８００～１０００米，埃什特雷拉峰海拔１９９１米；南部和西部分為丘陵和沿海平原。主要河流有特茹河、杜羅河（流經境內３２２公）和蒙特古河。北部屬海洋性溫帶闊葉林氣候，南部屬亞熱帶地中海式氣候。平均氣溫１月７～１１℃，７月２０～２６℃。年平均降水量５００～１０００毫米。 【人口】 １０３０多萬 （２００５年）。其中９９％以上為葡萄牙人，其餘為西班牙人等。人口密度為114.7人/平方公。勞動力人口為550.7萬（2005年一季度）。官方語言為葡萄牙語。９７％以上居民信奉天主教。 【首都】 斯本（Lisbon），人口56.47萬（2001年），最熱月（8月）氣溫為17-28℃（平均日最低溫及最高溫），最冷月（1月）氣溫為8-14℃。最旱月（7月）降水3毫米（月均降水量），最濕月（1月）111毫米。 【行政區】 地區行政上葡萄牙本土有18個區域： 亞威羅區（Aveiro） 貝雅區（Beja） 拉加區（Braga） 拉薩區（Bragança） 朗庫堡區（Castelo Branco） 科英拉區（Coimbra） 埃武拉區（Évora） 法魯區（Faro） 瓜達區（Guarda） 萊亞區（Leiria） 斯本區（Lisboa） 波塔萊格雷區（Portalegre） 波爾圖區（Porto） 聖塔倫區（Santarém） 塞圖巴爾區（Setubal） 維亞納堡區（Viana do Castelo） 雷阿爾城區（Vila Real） 維塞烏區（Viseu） 此外還有兩個自治區：亞速群島（Açores）和馬德拉群島（Madeira）。每一個區又可以再細分為葡萄牙市政區。 【簡史】 1140年，葡萄牙脫離西班牙統治，亨利“稱帝”，成為該國的第一位國王。 1143年，一個獨立的君主國葡萄牙，在光領土的戰爭中應運而生，且得到羅馬教皇的承認，這是歐洲大陸上出現的第一個統一的民族國。 葡萄牙如今的版圖成型於1249年的王阿方索三世統治時期。 公元前時期公元前一千年時就有若幹部族居住在伊比利半島(Iberian Peninsula)，而第一個有證支持曾居住此地的是公元前8、9世紀時，住在葡萄牙北部及西班牙的加利西亞(Galicia)的塞爾特人(Celts)；同時期還有沿着奧加威(Algarve)建立漁村的腓尼基人(Phoenicians)，他們曾往北開拓直到現今的斯本(Lisbon)；希臘人(Greeks)及迦太基人(Cathaginians)則住在南方及西方海岸地帶。 羅馬人(Romans)在公元前201年擊敗迦太基人，公元前140年打敗塞爾特人，就掌控葡萄牙中部及南部。在羅馬統治的六個世紀中，引進屬於拉丁語的葡萄牙語及風俗，也替基督教的引入打下基礎。 西哥德人及阿拉伯人統治時期(公元469—1139年)羅馬帝國公元3、4世紀時勢微，連帶影響這個地區的統治權。 公元469年，屬日耳曼民族的西哥德人(Visigoths)越過庇牛斯山(Pyrenees)來到此地，7世紀時引進基督教。 公元711年，教徒入侵推翻西哥德王朝，在科多巴(Córdoba)建立艾爾安答路斯(al-Andalus)王國；雖然教統治者不排斥猶太教及基督教，但許多基督徒改信教，公元9、10世紀是教最興盛的時期。 經過近四個世紀的教統治，葡萄牙境內仍有許多教式建築地標，以及許多源自教及阿拉伯的習俗，也影響當地的方言。 十字軍東及葡萄牙建國時期(公元1139—1415年) 公元1139年，來自葡萄凱爾(Portucale)(以波爾多為中心的領地)邊境的貴族艾方索?亨利斯(艾方索一世) (Afonso Henriques)(Afonso I)宣佈獨立，自稱是第一任葡萄牙國王，藉由十字軍的協助與教徒對抗， 在公元1147年收鄰里里程斯本，公元1249年在阿列提住(Alentejo)及奧加威擊潰殘存教部隊，至此完全取此地的統轄權。 迪尼斯一世(Dinis I)(公元1279—1325年)推使用葡萄牙語(以取代西班牙語)，在公元1290年創立第一所大學，公元1297年簽訂奧卡尼塞許條約(Treaty of Alca?ices)確立國界，成為十四世紀歐洲第一個獨立國。 大探險時期(公元1415—1580年)艾維茲王朝(House of Aviz)第一位國王裘奧一世(Jo?o I)(公元1385—1433)在位時，成就葡萄牙前所未見的興盛景象，也為日的版圖擴張與經濟成長打下堅實的基礎。為增強國力，與英國簽訂溫瑟條約(Treaty of Windsor)建立永久的同盟關係。 15世紀是海權時代的黃金時期，在裘奧的兒子導航者亨利王子(Prince Henry the Navigator)的領軍下，葡萄牙成為海洋技術及探險的世界領導者。葡萄牙冒險的足跡從摩洛哥(Moroccan)、馬德拉群島(Madeira Islands)直至無人居住的亞速群島(Azores Islands)，為奴隸及財富進軍非洲大陸。 公元1443年，在恩千克克勤克儉王子的指揮下，從羅卡角出的葡萄牙航海穿越西非海岸的博哈多爾角。在此之前，這裏是已知世界的頭。 到1460年，被葡萄牙繪在地圖上的非洲西海岸已經達到4000公。 公元1488年巴托羅繆?迪亞茲(Bartolomeu Diaz)繞過非洲南端的好望角(Cape of Good Hope)之，世界就此改變，他不僅開啓前往東方的大門，也打開葡萄牙香料貿易的入口。接下來雖然葡萄牙與哥倫(Christopher Columbus)失之交臂，仍在公元1498年，由瓦思庫·達·加瑪(Vasco da Gama)率領第一隻遠征艦隊前往印度(India)，在東非及印度尼西亞打下不少殖民地。兩年，佩卓·奧維瑞許·卡奧(Pedro Alvares Cabral)拿下巴西，建立大的葡萄牙帝國。 哈普斯堡及拉剛薩王朝時期(公元1580—1807年)公元1580年艾維茲王朝失勢，西班牙國王菲利普二世(Felipe II)強說他有一半葡萄牙皇室血統，使得伊比利半島的統治權又到一個國手中，在哈普斯堡王朝(House of Habsnurg)統治60年中，葡萄牙被拖進好次戰爭中，最慘的是公元1588年西葡無敵艦隊慘敗給英國，經過這些歲月葡萄牙帝國也逐漸消失。 公元1640年，葡萄牙拉剛薩王朝(House of Bragan?a)反抗西班牙的菲利普四世宣佈獨立，為抵抗西班牙維持國獨立，他再次長途跋涉與英國修好。經過半世紀，裘奧五世(公元1706—1750年)利用巴西到的黃金及鑽石振興經濟，使得葡萄牙再次興盛。 公元1755年的大地震摧毀鄰里里程斯本及葡萄牙南部，超過15,000人死亡，彭波候爵(Marquês de Pombal)配國經濟改革，進行斯本的重建工作。 拿破侖及拿破侖時期(公元1807—1910年)拿破侖(Napoleon)在公元1807年攻進葡萄牙，王室卻為保命逃到巴西。裘奧六世在公元1821年重返斯本，所面對卻是紛擾不斷葡萄牙王室所産生的詭譎政治氣氛，兒子佩卓在巴西自立為王宣佈獨立， 公元1826年裘奧六世死，就生兄弟戰爭(War of the Two Brothers)(公元1826—1834年)。 因為公元1822年曾在皇室缺席情況下草擬憲法，大幅削去君主的權力，所以公元1826年時，立憲派(有佩卓，巴西第一位國王)與君主派(有米格爾(Miguel)，佩卓的兄弟)就在葡萄牙各地爆戰爭。8年的血腥衝突，米格爾遭到放逐，由年僅15歲佩卓的妹妹瑪麗亞二世(Maria II)(公元1834—1854年)繼任王位，不過接下來的75年中，自由民主派與君主派仍然持續對峙。 第一共和到薩拉札時期(公元1910—1974年)公元1910年10月5日曼紐爾二世(Manuel II)亡命英國，正式宣告上世紀的政治喧擾告一段落，第一共和(First Republic)時期由此展開，新政府賦與男性選舉及參政權，削弱教會影響力，同時工人也擁有罷工權，也依工作現評定人事考績而不是依世背景；但挑戰教會權力引全世界反彈，釋出勞工權益也造成政府與勞工間的對峙。 加入第一次世界大戰更使得經濟動搖，國內動蕩，公元1926年的軍事行動正式結束脆弱的共和政府，安東尼奧?卡莫那(António Carmona)將軍成為臨時軍事政府的領導人，為瞭解决經濟危機，他指派著名經濟學教授安東尼奧?德?奧利維拉?薩拉札(António de Oliveira Salazar)擔任財政大臣，公元1932年成為首相，但不久也成為獨裁者，依舊抱着權力不放，恐怖的秘密警察抓出反對薩拉札的人，且血腥鎮壓非洲的叛亂，這也拖垮葡萄牙的全國經濟。 革命改造時期(公元1974—1999年)70年代早期，國際反對帝國主義聲浪高漲，國內軍人亦對鎮壓非洲殖民地行動感到厭煩，於是在公元1974年4月25日左派軍隊動政變，即為康乃馨革命(Revolution of Carnations)，在葡萄牙每個城鎮都有一條叫做4月25日的街道以資紀念。 公元1975年社會主義政府宣佈放棄非洲殖民地的管轄權，公元1976年舉行第一次選舉，選出頗具人氣的馬利歐?索瑞茲(Mario Soares)擔任首相，面對國內經濟危機，他提出「百日維新」來振興經濟。 公元1986年葡萄牙加入歐洲共同(也就是現在的歐盟)，這項新挑戰仍無法阻止索瑞茲贏得這年的總統大選，他也是葡萄牙第一位平民總統。 現今的葡萄牙葡萄牙目前仍致力在經濟趕上其它的西歐國，加入歐盟似乎尚未對葡萄牙的經濟産生不良影響， 公元1999年的經濟成長率達3.5%，這年在公共建設亦有頗多進展。雖然在斯本舉行的1998萬國博覽會不甚成功，參加人數不如預期，但籌備過程中改善鄰里里程斯本的交通運輸，也提高葡萄牙的國際聲勢。 重生的葡萄牙在殖民地時代扮演一個全新的角色，過去年都在協助過去的殖民地安哥拉及東帝汶(East Timor)尋求和平。 公元1999年12月20日葡萄牙同意放棄最一個殖民地—澳門(Macau)，將它交還中國結束442年的統治 【政治】 2004年底，因社民和人民組成的執政聯盟政績不佳且內部矛盾不斷，桑帕約總統遂於12月10日宣佈解散議會提前舉行大選。2005年2月20日，在野3年的左翼政社會在議會選舉中以絶對多數胜任，隨上執政。新政府在內政、經濟、外交、軍事等領域全推行改革。但由於改革力度較大，觸及社會各階層利益，導致民衆不滿情緒上升，包括軍人、警察和法官等階層也舉行罷工及抗議遊行，社會矛盾有所加劇。在2005年10月舉行的全國市政選舉中，社民利用選民對政府的不滿贏得選舉，保持地方政府中的優勢地位。2006年1月22日，在葡總統選舉中，受社民和人民支持的卡瓦科·席爾瓦當選為總統，同年3月9日就職。任期5年。 【憲法】 現行憲法於1976年定，經受不了六次修改。最近一次修訂於2004年完成。憲法規定，總統、議會、政府和法院是國權力機構；總統為武裝部隊最高司令，根政府提名任免總參謀長和三軍將領。總統在聽取各派、國務委員會的意見高才口才奴才蠢才天才人才之才英才多才賢才群才唯才幹才詩才降才五才乏才文才懷才奇才才能才路才力才高才伐才格才望才理才思才郎才哲才智才雄才英才情才分才略才貌才人才子才疏能解散議會，“在必要時”可以解散政府和罷免總理。 【議會】 一院，議員230人，任期四年。本屆議會於2005年2月20日選出。3月16日，議會舉行第一次全會，選舉社會人雅伊梅·伽馬（Jaime Gama）為議長。四位副議長分為：曼努埃爾·阿萊格雷（社會）、吉列姆·席爾瓦（社民）、安東尼奧·菲利佩（葡共）、特爾莫·科雷亞（人民）。各派議席分配如下：社會121席，社會75席，葡共12席，人民12席，左翼集8席，緑2席。 【政府】 本屆政府於2005年3月12日就職，由社會組成。主要成員有：總理若澤·索拉特斯（Jose Socrates），國務部長兼內政部長安東尼奧·科斯塔（Antonio Costa），國務部長兼外交部長路易斯·阿馬多（Luís Amado），國務部長兼財政部長路易斯·庫尼亞（Luis Campos e Cunha），總理府部長佩德羅·佩雷拉（Pedro Silva Pereira），國防部長努諾·特謝拉（Nuno Severiano Teixeira），司法部長阿爾貝托·科斯塔（Alberto Costa），環境、土地規和地區展部長弗朗西斯科·科雷亞（Francisco Nunes Correia），經濟和創新部長曼努埃爾·皮尼奧（Manuel Pinho），農業、鄉村展和漁業部長雅伊梅·席爾瓦（Jaime Silva），公共工程、交通和通訊部長馬奧·利諾（Mario Lino），勞動和社會團结部長若澤·達席爾瓦（Jose Antonio da Silva），衛生部長安東尼奧·坎波斯（Antonio Correia de Campos），教育部長瑪麗亞·羅德格斯（女）（Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues），科技和高等教育部長馬安諾·加戈（Mariano Gago），文化部長伊薩貝爾·德利馬（Isabel Pires de Lima），議會事務部長奧古斯托·席爾瓦（Augusto Santos Silva），部長委員會總理府國務秘書若爾熱·拉康（Jorge Lacao）。 【司法機構】 最高法院是最高司法機構，院長由法官選舉産生。最高法院院長在國領導人中排名第四，位於總統、議長和總理之，如前三位領導人不在國內或無力履行其職責時，最高法院院長可代任國元首職務。現任最高法院院長為努內斯·達魯斯（Nunes da Cruz），2005年當選。共和國總檢察院是最高檢察機構，總檢察長若澤·德莫拉（Jose de Moura），2000年10月10日就職。 【網址】 總統府：www.presidenciarepublica.pt 議會：www.parlamento.pt 總理府：www.portugal.gov.pt/Portal/PT/ 外交部：www.min-nestrangeiros.pt 教育部：www.min-edu.pt 文化部：www.min-cultura.pt 最高法院：www.cidadevirtual.pt/stj 中國駐葡萄牙大使館http://pt.china-embassy.org/chn/ 【政】 葡實行多節制制度，主要政有： （1）社會（Partido Socialista）：執政。1973年4月在“葡萄牙社會主義運動”基礎上重建。員9萬多人（2002年）。1995年起執政至2002年4月。總書記若澤·索拉特斯，2004年9月就任。 （2）社會民主（Partido Social Democrata）：最大在野。1974年5月成立，原名人民民主，1976年改為現名。員12.18萬人（2004年）。曾於1985年至1995年10月連續執政10年，2002年4月再次上執政,直到2005年3月。主席馬爾格斯·門德斯（Luis Marques Mendes），2005年4月就任。 （3）葡萄牙共産（Partido Comunista Portugues）：在野。1921年成立。員13萬人（2002年）。總書記熱羅尼姆·德索薩（Jeronimo de Sousa），2004年11月就任。 （4）人民（Partido Popular）：在野。1974年7月成立。前身是社會民主中心，1995年2月改名人民。員3萬人（2002年）。主席為若澤·貝羅·依卡斯特羅（Jose Ribeiro e Castro）。 （5）左翼集（Bloco da Esquerda）：在野。 其他政還有：緑（Os Verdes）、葡萄牙民主運動（Movimento Democratico de Portugal）、人民君主（Partido Popular Monarquico）、人民民主聯盟（Uniao Democratico Popular）以及革命社會（Partido Social Revolucionario）等。 【重要人物】 阿尼巴爾·安東尼奧·卡瓦科·席爾瓦，總統。1939年7月15日生於葡南部阿爾加維省洛萊市。1964年鄰里里程斯本技術大學經濟學學士，捕獲獲得英國約大學經濟學博士。先在斯本新大學財經學院、葡天主教大學任教。葡資深經濟學家。1974年加入葡社民。1977年任葡萄牙銀行研究室主任。1980年任財政部長，同年當選為議會議員。1985年起4次當選為社民主席。1985年11月至1995年11月擔任葡總理。1996年初競選總統失敗，重返大學任教，擔任葡萄牙銀行顧問。2006年1月22日當選為葡總統，3月9日就職。任期5年。席1987年4月訪華時兩國簽署《中葡關於澳門問題的聯聲明》。1994年再次訪華。已婚，有一子一女。 若澤·索拉特斯：總理。1957年9月6日生於葡北部阿利若市。土木工程學士學位和醫療工程碩士學位。1981年加入社會。1986年至1995年任蘭科堡大區委員會社會主席，1991年任社會全國秘書處及政治委員會成員，曾為該環境事務言人。1987年以來，連續4度當選為社會全國議員，曾任社會議員副主席、議會國防委員會及議會常委會成員。1995年至1997年，先在古特雷斯政府中擔任環境部長助理國秘和主管反毒品、育、青年和新聞事務的總理助理部長。1999年10月至2002年4月任環境和土地規部長。2004年9月當選社會總書記。2005年3月12日就任第屆憲法政府總理。離婚，有兩個兒子。 【經濟】 葡是西歐經濟較落的國之一，工業基礎較薄弱。紡織、鞋、旅遊、釀酒等是國民經濟的支柱産業。軟木産量占世界總産量的一半以上，出口位居世界第一。1986年葡加入歐共皇后，經濟展較快。20世紀90年代初，因受歐洲經濟衰退的影響，葡經濟增長率逐年下降，1995年開始江蘇紫蘇蘇维埃。1997－2001年，年平均經濟增長率達2.9％，高於歐盟平均水平。1998年更高達4.6％。1999年1月1日，葡作為首批歐盟國加入歐元區。2004年，葡第一産業、第二産業和第三産業分占國內生産總值的3.93％、24.75％和71.32％，從業人口分占總勞動力人口的12%、31.2%和56.8%。經濟從2002年起有所下滑，2003年經濟負增長1.3％。2004年國內生産總值為1411.15億歐元，經濟增長1.2%。2005年主要經濟數字如下： 國內生産總值：1472.49億歐元。 人均國內生産總值：13800歐元。 經濟增長率：0.3％。 貨幣名稱：歐元（Euro）。 12月平均率：1歐元＝1.2441美元 通貨膨脹率：2.3％。 失業率：7.6％。 （資料來源：葡國統計局） 【資源】 礦産資源較豐富，主要有：鎢、銅、黃鐵、鈾、赤鐵、磁鐵礦和大理石，鎢儲量為西歐第一位。森林積320萬公頃，覆蓋率35％。近年因氣候變化，連年生森林火災，每年損失20萬公頃森林。 【工業】2004年工業産值為349.35億歐元，占國內生産總值的24.75％。2004年從業人口為159.83萬，約占總就業人口的31.2％。主要工業部門有紡織、服裝、鞋、食品、化工、造紙、電子器械、陶瓷、釀酒、軟木等。軟木年産量15萬噸，占世界總産量的一半以上，軟木樹植積占世界植積的30%，出口占世界第一位。 【農林牧漁業】2004年農林漁業總産值約55.46億歐元，占國內生産總值的3.93％。2004年從業人口為61.47萬，占總就業人口的12％。 海洋捕撈以沙丁魚、金槍魚、鱈魚為主。2003年、2004年捕魚量為分15.16萬噸和13.96萬噸，産值分為2.741億歐元和2.401億歐元。 【服務業】葡服務業從90年代開始迅速展，其産值連年增長。到20世紀末，在國民經濟中的比重以及該行業在全國就業人口中的比例已接近歐洲發達國水平。2004年服務業産值為1006.432億歐元，占國內生産總值的71.32％。當年從業人數290.96萬，占總就業人口的56.8％。葡服務業主要包括銀行、保險、旅館、餐飲、交通、倉儲、通訊、房地産、社會救助及其它集、社會和個人服務。 【旅遊業】旅遊業是葡外收入的重要來源和彌補外貿赤字的重要手段。2000年至2003年間旅遊業收入分為57.2億、61.25億、60.58億、58.12億歐元。2004年旅遊收入為62.61億歐元（葡國統計局臨時數），在世界各國排名中列第21位，産值占當年國內生産總值的8％，吸收全國10％的就業人口；當年外國遊客1160萬，在世界主要旅遊目的地排名中列第19位。2003年葡擁有各類旅館1934所。主要遊客來自英國、德國、西班牙、荷蘭、法國、愛爾蘭、意大利、瑞典、美國和比利時等國。主要旅遊地有斯本、法羅、波爾圖、馬德拉島等。 【交通運輸】以陸路運輸為主。 鐵路：2004年國營鐵路總長2836公；2004年客運量36.93億人公，貨運量25.89億噸公。 公路：2004年國級公路總長12689公。2004年建成高速公路2126公；有汽車609萬輛。 水運：以海運為主，2004年商船總噸位5559.9萬噸。2003年全國港口吞吐量7895萬噸。主要港口有斯本、阿威羅、錫圖巴爾、錫奈什、沙爾（位於馬德拉群島）和蓬塔德爾加達（位於亞速爾群島）。 空運：全國有4航空公司和16條國際航綫。2004年客運量2186.3萬人次，貨運量15.3萬噸。2005年全國機場進出2000萬人次，營業額為2.95億歐元，盈利2380萬歐元，同比增長4.4%。在斯本、波爾圖和法羅設有國際機場。 僑收入是葡重要經濟來源之一。2004年和2005年僑收入分為24.422億歐元和22.772億歐元。 2004年，葡政府外債務總額為2968億美元，約占國內生産總值的169.1％。外儲備116.84億美元，其中黃金儲備約65.1億美元。 （資料來源：2005年英經濟季評） 進口主要産品有機械、儀、汽車、石油、化工産品、農産品和常用金屬等；出口主要産品為機械、儀、汽車、服裝、紡織品、常用金屬、鞋類、紙漿、木材和軟木等，大理石出口居世界前列。2004年，葡主要出口對象是歐盟國（依次為西班牙、法國、德國和英國等，占葡總出口額80.4％）、北美（6.5％）、葡語國（3.6％）、歐洲自由貿易區國（1.3％）和中、東歐國（0.5％）。葡對其它地區和國的出口額占總額的7.7％，其中，遠東、南亞、東亞占2.6%；對中國出口占其總出口的0.3%。同年，葡主要進口來源地為歐盟國（依次為西班牙、德國、法國和意大利等，占總進口額77.9％）、中、東歐國（2.3％）、北美（2.5％）、葡語國（2.0％）和歐洲自由貿易區國（1.9％）。葡從其它地區和國的進口額占總進口額的13.4％，其中，遠東、南亞、東南亞占4.6%，中國占1%。 （資料來源：葡國統計局） 【對外投資】1997年至2004年間，葡在國外直接投資額每年分為22.46億、94.63億、102.05億、140.02億、130.02億、110.69億、96.61和79.25億歐元，纍计額約775.73億歐元。2004年，葡對外纍计投資主要流丹麥（26.11億歐元）、荷蘭（20.22億歐元）、西班牙（15.9歐元）、巴西（2.86億歐元）、英國（2.22億歐元）、愛爾蘭（1.96億歐元）、美國（1.83億歐元）、盧森堡（0.89億歐元）、法國（0.88億歐元）和南非（0.82億歐元）等。自2001年以來，葡對歐盟成員國的投資額大幅增加，目前已占投資總額的80％以上。按投資領域分，2004年葡對外投資額依次為房地産和對企業服務（87.0％）、貿易、修理業務、旅館及餐飲（4.2%）、金融活動（4.1％）、加工業（2.5%）、交通、倉儲和通訊（0.3％）、電力、天然氣及自來水（0.1％）和其它領域（1.2％）。 【對外援助】1991－2004年，葡對外雙邊援款30多億歐元，其中90％的援款提供給非洲葡語國和東帝汶。對外援款絶大多數是無息貸款，一小部分是專項貸款。葡多邊援助一般通過聯國、歐盟、世界銀行和地區展銀行等國際機構進行。1998年多邊框架下完成的援款為8214萬美元。自1999年東帝汶宣佈脫離印尼統治到2002年正式建國，葡直接或通過聯國援助該地區1.69億美元。2002年葡政府决定再東提供900萬美元的經濟援助。兩國簽署2004年至2006年作計書，按照該計葡將援助5000萬歐元。 【外國資本】 葡政府從1997年開始加大私有化力度以增加財政收入，於1998年增加行葡幣和外幣公債，對增加吸引外資起到一定效果。近年來，由於受世界經濟不景氣、歐盟經濟低迷的影響及中東歐國廉價勞動力的衝擊，外國對葡直接投資開始下降。1997年至2004年間，外國對葡直接投資額每年分為79.52億、110.72億、136.31億、265.95億、280.12億、217.75億、273.05億和251.62億歐元，纍计額為1615.04億歐元。2004年，外資主要來源於西班牙（46.98億歐元）、英國（38.32億歐元）、德國（35.21億歐元）、荷蘭（29.37億歐元）、法國（27.87億歐元）、芬蘭（12.37億歐元）、比利時（9.32億歐元）、愛爾蘭（4.45億歐元）和盧森堡（4.39億歐元）等歐盟成員國和美國（9.29億歐元）等，主要流加工業（占總投資額30.1％）、商品零售及批、餐飲、旅館（28.2％）、房地産、租賃及對企業服務（24.1％）、金融活動（10.7%）、交通、倉儲及通訊（1.4%）、建築業（1.4％）、電力、天然氣和自來水（0.9％）和其它領域（3.2%）等。迄今為止，外國在葡最大的投資項目為1995年4月福特－大衆公司（Ford-Volkswagen）在斯本南郊的帕爾梅拉工業園區投資興建的歐洲汽車公司（AutoEuropa）。 （資料來源：葡萄牙銀行） 【外國援助】1989－1999年，葡從歐共援助框架計中共援款330億美元。2000－2006年，葡從歐盟獲得255億美元，其中2001年從歐盟得到各類基金總額為26億美元。2004年，葡從歐盟獲得44億歐元的結構基金，占葡國內生産總值的3.5%。當年葡歐盟納款12.72億歐元，占葡國內生産總值的2.37%。此外，當年歐盟還葡提供4.77億歐元農業基金和2280萬歐元內部政策基金。2007-2013年葡將從歐盟獲得225億歐元，其中結構基金164.2億歐元，團结基金27.22億歐元，農村展基金31.7億歐元，漁業基金2.2億歐元。這些援款對葡經濟持續、穩定的展起着十分重要的作用。 【人民生活】2005年起，葡最低月工資為374.7歐元。2004年，葡有54％的人擁有電腦，43％的人上網。2001年每個家庭擁有耐用消費品：電話755部、手機899部、電冰箱971、微波爐333、洗衣機822、電視機979、錄像機97、收錄機854、電腦220、小汽車599輛。擁有第二處住房的占家庭總數的25％。各類醫院1126所，每人擁有4.2名醫生、3.8個床位。人均預期壽命76.9歲，男性為74.9歲，女性為81.2歲。 【軍事】 總統為三軍最高統帥，國防部長通過總參謀部和各軍參謀部領導武裝力量。總參謀長門德斯·卡貝薩達斯（Mendes Cabecadas）上將。葡武裝力量由正規軍和國安全部隊組成。實行義務兵、志兵、同兵三結的兵役。服役期：義務兵4個月，志兵8－10個月，同兵不定期，但至少一年以上。2005年國防預算開支21.074億歐元，占政府預算的4.1％，占國內生産總值的1.5％。 2005年，葡正規軍有總兵力4.49萬人。其中陸軍2.67萬人，海軍1.095萬人，空軍0.725萬人。此外，葡還有預備役部隊21.093萬人，軍事部隊4.77萬人，其中共和國國民衛隊2.61萬人，公安警察2.16萬人。 【文化教育】 實行12年義務教育，包括基礎教育（小學4年，中學預備班2年，初中3年）和中等教育（3年，相當於我國高中）。高等教育為大學4－5年。2005年義務教育預算為47.91億歐元，高教預算為17.34億歐元。25 - 64歲之間的人口中僅有20.6％受過中等教育。文盲率為9％，在擴大前的歐盟中為最高。主要高等院校有斯本大學、科英拉大學、波爾圖大學、斯本理工大學、米尼奧大學、阿威羅大學、埃武拉大學和國行政管理學院。葡萄牙有各類博物館289座，圖書館1960所，各類電影院、劇院347所，畫廊或展覽館306所。 【新聞出版】 全國性報刊23，地方性報紙216，各種期刊1334。主要報刊有：《新聞日報》，半官方；《快報》，私營周報；《公衆報》，私營日報；《晨郵報》，私營日報；《新聞報》，國參與資本。 盧薩社是1987年由葡萄牙通訊社和葡萄牙新聞社并州而成的國通訊社。 主要有葡萄牙播電、興電（宗教背景）、商業電等。電視三：葡萄牙國電視、SIC電視（私營）和獨立電視。 【對外關係】 主張在平等互利基礎上同世界各國普遍展友好合作關係。把同歐美的傳統關係作為其對外政策的基石，積極參與和促進歐洲一化、履行北約義務，着力加強同非洲和拉美以及北非地區國的傳統關係。日益重視展同亞洲國平等互利的作關係。主張持久公正地解决中東問題，希望該地區國通過對話和平解决爭端。葡與世界上180個國和地區建立有外交關係，共設146個駐外使領館。其中使館70個，職業領館66個，駐國際組織代師團團结10個。 【同中國的關係】中葡交往歷史悠久。１５０２年，葡萄牙就明朝政府派遣使節。中葡1979年2月8日建交。１９９９年澳門問題順利解决，為兩國關係全發達展翻開新的一頁。2005年兩國關係展平穩。葡方主要來訪有：總統桑帕約（1月11日- 17日），斯本市議會議長納瓦羅（6月26日-29日），總理府國秘拉康（8月28日-9月2日），最高行政法院院長塞拉來華出席第22屆世界法律大會（9月1日- 14日），貿易國秘費爾南多（9月9日- 12日），科技及高教部長加戈（9月19日- 21日）。中方主要出訪有：審計署副審計長效明（4月11日-12日），良玉副總理經停斯本（4月24日- 25日），中國紅十字會會長彭佩（9月24日- 27日），教育部副部長章新（9月24日- 27日），全國政協副主席周鐵農（10月27日-31日）。12月9日-10日，國務院總理溫寶訪葡，中葡宣佈建立全戰略伴關係。 中國海關總署統計，2005年全年雙邊貿易額為12.36億美元，同比增長42.2%,其中我出口9.12億美元，同比增長55.0%，進口3.24億美元，同比增長15.3％。 中國駐葡萄牙大使：馬恩漢。 葡萄牙駐中國大使：桑塔納·卡洛斯。 【同歐盟的關係】 歐盟是葡對外關係中的基礎。葡於1986年1月1日加入歐共。1988年11月加入西歐聯盟。1999年成為歐元創始國。葡每年從歐盟得到近30億美元的經濟援助，極大地促進國民經濟的展。葡積極支持參與歐洲一化進程，贊成歐盟東擴；反對將國分成不同等級，反對歐盟决策權過分集中在少數國手中。2004年9月，葡與法、意、西和荷蘭5國簽署組建歐盟憲兵部隊聲明，執行民事維和任務，擴大葡在歐盟的影響。同年11月，葡前總理巴羅佐就任歐盟擴大的首任歐盟委員會主席。同月，歐盟委員會取消1998年以來禁止葡牛肉出口的禁令。歐盟憲法約批進程在法國、荷蘭等國受挫，葡推遲原定於2005年10月在本國舉行的歐洲憲法公投。葡認為歐盟展速度和擴大進程應放緩，但不希望停止。2005年11月，葡國防部長宣佈葡加入由西班牙、法國和德國組成的地面戰小組，將於2007年1月起參與北約組織的快速反應部隊維和行動。葡對外貿易主要集中在歐盟內部。2005年，葡歐盟其它成員國的出口額約占葡對外貿易總額的79.1％，從歐盟國進口額占葡進口總額的75.7％。 【同美國的關係】 葡是美國的傳統盟國，也是北約成員國，來把同美國的關係放在優先地位。二戰，美實施馬歇爾援助計在葡亞速爾群島建立軍事基地。1983年底，雙方續簽為期7年的美租用亞速爾群島拉日什基地協定，美允給葡13.25億美元的軍援和經援。1994年葡美簽訂《避免雙重稅和防止逃稅條約》和《海關互助協定》。1995年6月簽署《葡美作與防務協定》。2000年5月，美國總統林頓訪葡，兩國簽署有關航空、相互引渡罪犯等三個協議。“9.11”事件，葡堅决支持美反恐軍事行動，為其執行反恐和救援任務的飛機在亞速爾群島拉日什軍事基地起降提供便利。2002年9月，葡總理巴羅佐訪美。2003年1月30日，葡總理巴羅佐參與聯署《八國聲明》，支持美對伊拉動武。巴還示支持美在未聯國授權情況下對伊拉神采丰采情采采烈取軍事行動。3月16日，葡作為東道國在亞速爾群島召開美英西葡領導人峰會，着重討論伊拉問題和歐美關係問題。3月20日美伊開戰，葡允許美使用拉日什軍事基地，但未對伊宣戰、未派兵赴伊作戰，也未關閉伊駐葡使館。戰，支持美、英在戰主導伊重建；伊派出128名國民衛隊官兵，參與維持當地治安行動；伊援助資金1750萬歐元；推動葡政界人士進入伊拉臨時管理會任職；呼籲美國、歐盟和聯國化解在伊問題上的分歧。2003年5月，葡國防部長波爾塔斯應邀訪美；6月，美國防部長拉姆斯菲爾德對葡進行短暫訪問。6月，巴羅佐葡總理再次訪美。2004年，葡在保持展與美政治、經濟關係的同時，進一步加強軍事作。雙方就葡購買美2艘軍艦達成協議。為消除支持美武力攻打伊拉所産生的負影響，葡着重強調聯國在伊穩定和重建中應起主要作用。葡駐伊國民衛隊已於2005年2月到期國。2005年，葡美雙方進行外長級互訪，雙方重新簽署引渡條約，外表電表示願意推動建立葡、美和非洲葡語國三方作機。葡主張歐洲應創造條件，進行更富建設性的跨大西洋作。同年9月，美國遭受颶風災害，葡美援助大量日用品，提供占葡2%石油儲備量的50萬桶原油。 【同非洲葡語國和巴西的關係】 展同非洲葡語國（莫桑比、安哥拉、佛得角、內亞比紹、聖多美和普林西比）關係是葡外交重點之一。由於歷史原因，葡同五國的關係較為密切。近年，為揮葡在歐、非兩大陸的橋梁作用，葡積極展同五國在各個領域的作。2005年2月葡新政府上以來，與非洲葡語國高層保持密切交往。聖普、莫桑比總統，佛得角和內亞比紹總理和安哥拉外長等先應邀訪問葡萄牙；葡總統、外長也先訪問莫桑比、佛得角、安哥拉出席比新總統就職典禮。2004年，葡對非洲葡語國共提供6.402億歐元的雙邊援款，其中對安哥拉、佛得角、內亞比紹、莫桑比、聖多美與普林西比提供的雙邊援款分為5.759億歐元、2477萬歐元、976.7萬歐元、1951.2萬歐元和1029.9萬歐元，主要用於各國社會、經濟展、基礎設施建設及跨領域作項目。2005年1月，葡與安哥拉簽署2005年雙邊作計協議，葡將提供2230萬歐元用於兩國在教育、衛生、文化和人員培訓等領域的作。2月，援助比國際會議籌備大會在葡召開，葡茶几比提供100萬歐元用於恢經濟展。12月，葡宣佈擬在安哥拉投資1億歐元興建一所醫院，葡還示將提供20萬歐元用於支持聖普2006年大選。葡重視加強與巴西的傳統關係。2005年5月，葡外長多阿馬拉爾對巴西進行正式訪問，重申展與巴關係是葡外交重點。10月，巴西總統盧拉訪問葡萄牙，與葡總理共同主持召開第8屆葡巴首腦會議和企業研討會，雙方簽署關於經濟、文化、反對販毒和移民作協定。近10年來，葡對巴西投資90億歐元，有600企業參與。葡每年進口巴西産品額約7.7億美元，出口約2億美元。2004年，葡對巴西提供雙邊援款71.04萬歐元。葡還積極利用葡語國共同（Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa，簡稱CPLP，即葡共），與巴西一道，推動葡語國之間的政治、外交、經貿、文化作。該共同於1996年7月由葡萄牙和巴西倡議成立，總部設在斯本，成員國包括葡萄牙、巴西、安哥拉、莫桑比、佛得角、內亞比紹、聖多美和普林西比、東帝汶（2002年加入）。葡積極推動葡共發達展，充分利用該組織企業論壇和葡語教學計，希望通過擴大葡共在世界上的影響，提升其國際地位。2004年，葡葡共提供1056.2萬歐元的援助。 【同西班牙的關係】 葡1974年“四·二五”革命，葡西關係一度緊張，1975年末起趨於正常。1977年11月，兩國簽訂友好和互不侵犯條約。兩國政府首腦定期舉行會晤，就雙邊關係和共同關心的其他問題交換意見。2003年2月，葡西兩國總理在馬德舉行雙邊會晤；葡外長達魯斯也於同月訪西，雙方簽署《海事安全事務作與建立快速報警共同機的聯聲明》。2004年2月，葡總理巴羅佐訪問西班牙，承諾於2005年在西設葡文化中心，稱西是葡近鄰，不對葡構成威脅。同年5月，西班牙新任首相薩帕特羅訪葡，示儘管兩國政府對聯軍在伊拉駐軍問題上有分歧，但兩國全方位友好關係不受影響。2005年10月，葡議長訪問西班牙，呼籲西與葡加強邊境作。葡在西還舉辦葡議會百年展（1903年至2003年）。11月，葡西首腦會議在葡舉行，兩國總理出席，雙方簽署邊境作、旅遊、就業、建立伊比利亞電力市場、高速鐵路、海洋測量等雙邊作協定。西是葡最大的貿易伴。2004年，葡從西進口額占其總進口額的29.3%，西出口額占其總出口額的24.9%，西為葡對外貿易中份量最重的國。 【同獨聯和其他東歐國的關係】 聯解皇后，葡主張西方加強對俄的援助，幫助俄從計經濟市場經濟過渡。葡支持俄與歐盟改善關係，認為俄在平衡國際關係中作用十分重要。葡與俄建立全方位作，在良好的政治基礎上，加強雙方貿易、文化關係。1994年7月，葡總理席爾瓦對俄進行工作訪問，兩國政府簽署友好合作條約以及投資保護、文化、工業技術、公路運輸、醫藥科學等六項作協議。2001年，葡總統桑帕約訪俄，雙方簽署《領事協議》和《外長級政治磋商議定書》。1998年至2003年，葡在俄投資每年46.2萬歐元，俄在葡投資為5.2萬歐元。葡對俄出口僅占俄進口的0.08％。2004年11月，俄羅斯總統普京訪葡，俄最高領導人首次訪葡。2005年5月，葡總理索拉特斯出席在俄國舉行的紀念衛國戰爭勝利60周年活動；10月，葡外長、文化部長和經濟部長訪問俄羅斯，葡俄簽署2009年前雙方大學生交流計協定，還簽署信息和旅遊協定。近年來，葡與東歐國的往來有所增加，葡示支持東歐國加入歐盟和北約的要求，但認為應以與俄保持穩定的安全關係為基礎。 【同東帝汶的關係】 東帝汶是葡萄牙前殖民地，1951年名義上改為葡海外省。1974年葡國內生“四·二五”事件，葡新政權主張非殖民化，允許東帝汶舉行公民投票，實行自决。1975年，成立不久的革陣、民盟和民協三個東帝汶主要政因權力之爭生內亂，局勢失控。同年12月，印尼趁機出兵東帝汶，於次年7月宣佈東為其第27個省。1992－1999年，在聯國秘書長主持下，葡與印尼外長就東帝汶問題進行12輪談判，最終雙方就東帝汶的民族自决問題達成共識。1999年8月，在聯國的監督下，東帝汶進行全民投票，78.5％的東帝汶人支持獨立。同年12月，葡外長伽馬訪問東帝汶。2000年，葡總統、總理和議長相繼對東進行訪問。2002年5月20日，葡總統、總理出席東帝汶建國慶典。1999年以來，葡除東帝汶提供大量經濟和人道主義援助外，還派遣1000人的維和部隊和警察以及100名教師。葡是國際社會對東帝汶援助最多的國。2002年，葡政府與東帝汶政府進行金額達8048.5萬歐元的作項目，其中包括提供900萬歐元的援助。兩國已簽署2004至2006年作計書，根該計葡將援助5000萬歐元。2004年，葡援助額為2056.8萬歐元。同年6月，葡參與聯國在東帝汶的最的一批維和軍人253人返葡。2005年6月，東帝汶總理阿爾卡蒂訪問葡萄牙，葡同意東派30名警察幫助其培訓地方安全部隊。 The land within the borders of today's Portuguese Republic has been continuously settled since prehistoric times. Some of the earliest civilizations include Lusitanians and Celtic societies. Incorporation into the Roman Republic dominions took place in the 2nd century BC. The region was ruled and colonized by Germanic peoples, such as the Suebi and the Visigoths, from the 5th to the 8th century. From this era, some vestiges of the Alans were also found. The Muslim Moors arrived in the early 8th century and conquered the Christian Germanic kingdoms, eventually occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula. In the early 1100s, during the Christian Reconquista, Portugal appeared as a kingdom independent of its neighbour, the Kingdom of León and Galicia. In a little over a century, in 1249, Portugal would establish almost its entire modern-day borders by conquering territory from the Moors. During the 15th and 16th centuries, with a global empire that included possessions in Africa, Asia and South America, Portugal was one of the world's major economic, political, and cultural powers. In the 17th century, the Portuguese Restoration War between Portugal and Spain ended the sixty year period of the Iberian Union (1580-1640). In the 19th century, armed conflict with French and Spanish invading forces and the loss of its largest territorial possession abroad, Brazil, disrupted political stability and potential economic growth. After the Portuguese Colonial War and the Carnation Revolution coup d'état in 1974, the ruling regime was deposed in Lisbon and the country handed over its last overseas provinces in Africa. Portugal's last overseas territory, Macau, was handed over to China in 1999. Portugal is a developed country, has a high Human Development Index and is among the world's 20 highest rated countries in terms of quality of life, although having one of the lowest GDP per capita of Western European countries. It is a member of the European Union (since 1986) and the United Nations (since 1955); as well as a founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (Community of Portuguese Language Countries, CPLP), European Union's Eurozone, and is also a Schengen state. History Main language areas in Iberia circa 200BC.The early history of Portugal, whose name derives from the Roman name Portus Cale, is shared with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The region was settled by Pre-Celts and Celts, giving origin to peoples like the Gallaeci, Lusitanians, Celtici and Cynetes, visited by Phoenicians and Carthaginians, incorporated in the Roman Republic dominions (as Lusitania in 138 BC), settled again by Suevi, Buri, and Visigoths, and conquered by Moors. Other minor influences include some 5th century vestiges of Alan settlement, which were found in Alenquer, Coimbra and even Lisbon. In 868, during the Reconquista (by which Christians reconquered the Iberian peninsula from the Muslim and Moorish domination), the First County of Portugal was formed. A victory over the Muslims at Ourique in 1139 is traditionally taken as the occasion when Portugal is transformed from a county (County of Portugal as a fief of the Kingdom of León and Castile) into an independent kingdom. On June 24, 1128, the Battle of São Mamede occurred near Guimarães. At the Battle of São Mamede, Afonso Henriques, Count of Portugal, defeated his mother, Countess Teresa, and her lover, Fernão Peres de Trava, in battle - thereby establishing himself as sole leader. Afonso Henriques officially declared Portugal's independence when he proclaimed himself king of Portugal on July 25, 1139, after the Battle of Ourique, he was recognized as such in 1143 by Afonso VII, king of León and Castile, and in 1179 by Pope Alexander III. Progress of the Christian ReconquistaAfonso Henriques and his successors, aided by military monastic orders, pushed southward to drive out the Moors, as the size of Portugal covered about half of its present area. In 1249, this Reconquista ended with the capture of the Algarve on the southern coast, giving Portugal its present day borders, with minor exceptions. In 1373, Portugal made an alliance with England, which is the longest-standing alliance in the world. In 1383, the king of Castile, husband of the daughter of the Portuguese king who had died without a male heir, claimed his throne. An ensuing popular revolt led to the 1383-1385 Crisis. A faction of petty noblemen and commoners, led by John of Aviz (later John I), seconded by General Nuno Álvares Pereira defeated the Castilians in the Battle of Aljubarrota. This celebrated battle is still a symbol of glory and the struggle for independence from neighboring Spain. In the following decades, Portugal spearheaded the exploration of the world and undertook the Age of Discovery. Prince Henry the Navigator, son of King João I, became the main sponsor and patron of this endeavor. In 1415, Portugal gained the first of its overseas colonies when a fleet conquered Ceuta, a prosperous Islamic trade center in North Africa. There followed the first discoveries in the Atlantic: Madeira and the Azores, which led to the first colonization movements. An anachronous map of the Portuguese Empire (1415-1999). Red - true possessions; Pink - explorations, areas of influence and trade and claims of sovereignty; Blue - main sea explorations, routes and areas of influence. The disputed discovery of Australia is not shown. Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monument to Prince Henry the Navigator and the Portuguese Age of Discovery, LisbonThroughout the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed the coast of Africa, establishing trading posts for several common types of tradable commodities at the time, ranging from gold to slaves, as they looked for a route to India and its spices, which were coveted in Europe. In 1498, Vasco da Gama finally reached India and brought economic prosperity to Portugal and its then population of one million residents. In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral, en route to India, discovered Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. Ten years later, Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa, in India, Ormuz in the Persian Strait, and Malacca in what is now a state in Malaysia. Thus, the Portuguese empire held dominion over commerce in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic. The Portuguese sailors set out to reach Eastern Asia by sailing eastward from Europe landing in such places like Taiwan, Japan, the island of Timor, and it may also have been Portuguese sailors that were the first Europeans to discover Australia. Portugal's independence was interrupted between 1580 and 1640. Because the heirless King Sebastian died in battle in Morocco, Philip II of Spain claimed his throne and so became Philip I of Portugal. Although Portugal did not lose its formal independence, it was governed by the same monarch who governed Spain, briefly forming a union of kingdoms, as a personal union; in 1640, John IV spearheaded an uprising backed by disgruntled nobles and was proclaimed king. The Portuguese Restoration War between Portugal and Spain on the aftermath of the 1640 revolt, ended the sixty-year period of the Iberian Union under the House of Habsburg. This was the beginning of the House of Braganza, which was to reign in Portugal until 1910. On 1 November 1755, Lisbon, the largest city and capital of the Portuguese Empire, was strongly shaken by an earthquake which killed between 60,000 and 90,000 people and destroyed eighty-five percent of the city. By this time, however, the Portuguese empire was already under attack from other countries, specifically Britain and the Netherlands. Portugal began a slow but inexorable decline until the 20th century. This decline was hastened by the independence in 1822 of the country's largest colonial possession, Brazil. Map of the Portuguese Overseas provinces in Africa by the time of the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974)At the height of European colonialism in the 19th century, Portugal had lost its territory in South America and all but a few bases in Asia. During this phase, Portuguese colonialism focused on expanding its outposts in Africa into nation-sized territories to compete with other European powers there. Portuguese territories eventually included the modern nations of Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique. In 1910, a revolution deposed the Portuguese monarchy, but chaos continued and considerable economic problems were aggravated by the military intervention in the First World War, which led to a military coup d'état in 1926. This in turn led to the establishment of the right-wing dictatorship of the Estado Novo under António de Oliveira Salazar. In December 1961, the Portuguese army was involved in armed action in its colony of Portuguese India against an Indian invasion. The operations resulted in the defeat of the isolated and relatively small Portuguese defense force which was not able to resist a much larger enemy. The outcome was the loss of the Portuguese territories in the Indian subcontinent. Community of Portuguese Language Countries.Also in the early 1960s, independence movements in the Portuguese overseas provinces of Angola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea, in Africa, resulted in the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974). In 1974, a bloodless left-wing military coup in Lisbon, known as the Carnation Revolution, led the way for a modern democracy as well as the independence of the last colonies in Africa shortly after. However, Portugal's last overseas territory, Macau (Asia), was not handed over to the People's Republic of China until as late as 1999. Portugal was a founding member of NATO, OECD and EFTA. In 1986, Portugal joined the European Union (then the European Economic Community). It is also a co-founder of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Administrative divisions Portugal has an administrative structure of 308 municipalities (Portuguese singular/plural: concelho/concelhos), which are subdivided into more than 4,000 parishes (freguesia/freguesias). Municipalities are grouped for administrative purposes into superior units. For continental Portugal the municipalities are gathered in 18 Districts, while the Islands have a Regional Government directly above them. Thus, the largest unit of classification is the one established since 1976 into either mainland Portugal (Portugal Continental) or the autonomous regions of Portugal (Azores and Madeira). The European Union's system of Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics is also used. According to this system, Portugal is divided into 7 regions (Alentejo, Algarve, Açores, Centro, Lisboa, Madeira, and Norte), which are subdivided into 30 subregions. Geography and climate The climate can be classified as Mediterranean type csa in the south and csb in the north, according to the Köppen climate classification. Portugal is one of the warmest European countries, the annual temperature averages in mainland Portugal are 13 °C (55 °F) in the north and 18 °C (64 °F) in the south. The Madeira and Azores Atlantic archipelagos have a narrower temperature range. Generally, spring and summer are sunny, whereas autumn and winter are rainy and windy. Extreme temperatures occur in Northeastern parts of the country in winter (where they may fall to -15 °C) and Southeastern parts in summer (where they can soar up to 45 °C). Sea coastal areas are milder, temperatures varying between -2 °C on the coldest winter mornings and 40 °C on the hottest summer afternoons. Absolute extremes registered so far have been -23 °C in Serra da Estrela and 48 °C in the Alentejo region. A Portuguese ski resort during the winter season in Serra da Estrela mountain range, Centro.Mainland Portugal is split by its main river, the Tagus. The northern landscape is mountainous in the interior areas, with plateaus indented by river valleys. The south, between the Tagus and the Algarve (the Alentejo), features mostly rolling plains and a climate somewhat warmer and drier than in the cooler and rainier north. The Algarve, separated from the Alentejo by mountains, enjoys a Mediterranean climate much like southern Spain. Snow falls occasionally (on some cold winter days) in the northern interior of the country, from October to May. However, it is a very rare event in the south. The coast registers snow usually once in five or six years. Alentejo - Cork Oak on wheat field, a typical image of the Alentejo region, PortugalThe islands of the Azores are located in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge whilst the Madeira islands were formed by the activity of an in-plate hotspot, much like the Hawaiian archipelago. Some islands have had volcanic activity as recently as 1957. Portugal's highest point is Mount Pico on Pico Island. It is an ancient volcano measuring 2,351 m (7,713 ft). Mainland Portugal's highest point is Serra da Estrela, measuring 1993 m (6,558 ft). Portugal's Exclusive Economic Zone, a seazone over which the Portuguese have special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, has 1,727,408 km². This is the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the European Union and the 11th in the world. Conservation areas of Portugal include one national park (Parque Nacional), 12 natural parks (Parque Natural), 9 natural reserves (Reserva Natural), 5 natural monuments (Monumento Natural), and 7 protected landscapes (Paisagem Protegida), ranging from the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês to the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela to the Paul de Arzila. Government and politics Portugal is a democratic republic ruled by the constitution of 1976 with Lisbon, the nation's largest city, as its capital. The four main governing components are the president of the republic, the assembly of the republic, the government, and the courts. The constitution grants the division or separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Portugal like most European countries has no state religion, making it a secular state. The president, who is elected to a five-year term, has a supervising, non-executive role. The current President is Aníbal Cavaco Silva. The Assembly of the Republic is a unicameral parliament composed of 230 deputies elected for four-year terms. The government is headed by the prime minister (currently José Sócrates), who chooses the Council of Ministers, comprising all the ministers and the respective state secretaries. The national and regional governments, and the Portuguese parliament, are dominated by two political parties, the Socialist Party and the Social Democratic Party. Minority parties Unitarian Democratic Coalition (Portuguese Communist Party plus Ecologist Party "The Greens"), Bloco de Esquerda (Left Bloc) and CDS-PP (People's Party) are also represented in the parliament and local governments. The courts are organized into categories, including judicial, administrative, and fiscal. The supreme courts are the courts of last appeal. A thirteen-member constitutional court oversees the constitutionality of legislation. Foreign relations Portugal is a founding member of NATO (1949), OECD and EFTA; it left the latter in 1986 to join the European Union. In 1996 it co-founded the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). It has a friendship alliance and dual citizenship treaty with Brazil. Portugal is part of the world's oldest active alliance through its treaty with the United Kingdom. The only international dispute concerns the municipality of Olivença. Under Portuguese sovereignty since 1297, the municipality of Olivença was ceded to Spain under the Treaty of Badajoz in 1801, after the War of the Oranges. Portugal claimed it back in 1815 under the Treaty of Vienna. Nevertheless, bilateral diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries are cordial, as well as within the European Union. Military The armed forces have three branches: Army, Navy, and Air Force. The military of Portugal serves primarily as a self-defense force whose mission is to protect the territorial integrity of the country and providing humanitarian assistance and security at home and abroad. Since the early 2000s, compulsory military service is no longer practised. The changes also turned the forces' focus towards professional military engagements. The age for voluntary recruitment is set at 18. In the 20th century, Portugal engaged in two major military interventions: the First Great War and the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974). Portugal has participated in peacekeeping missions in East Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq (Nasiriyah), and Lebanon. The Portuguese Military's Rapid Reaction Brigade, a combined force of the nations elite Paratroopers, Special Operations Troops Center, and Commandos, is a special elite fighting force. Economy Portugal's economy is based on industries such as textiles, clothing, footwear, cork and wood products, beverages (wine, beer, juice, soft drinks), porcelain and earthenware, and glass and glassware. In addition, the country has increased its role in Europe's automotive sector and has a world-class mold-making industry. Services, particularly tourism, are playing an increasingly important role. Portugal's European Union (EU) funding will be cut by 10%, to 22.5 billion euros, during the 2007-2013 period. EU expansion into eastern Europe has erased Portugal's historic competitive advantage and relative low labor costs. The governments are working to change Portugal's economic development model from one based on public consumption and public investment to one focused on exports, private investment, and development of the high-tech sector. Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and started a process of modernization within the framework of a stable environment. It has achieved a healthy level of growth. Successive governments have implemented reforms and privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy. Portugal was one of the founding countries of the euro in 1999, and therefore is integrated into the Eurozone. Portuguese national side of a 1 euro coin. The centrepiece is the 1144 royal seal of King Afonso Henriques.Major industries include oil refineries, automotive, cement production, pulp and paper industry, textile, footwear, furniture, and cork (of which Portugal is the world's leading producer). Manufacturing accounts for 33% of exports. Portugal is the world's fifth-largest producer of tungsten, and the world's eighth-largest producer of wine. Agriculture and Fishing (see Portugal EEZ) no longer represents the bulk of the economy, but Portuguese wines, namely Port Wine (named after the country's second largest city, Porto) and Madeira Wine (named after Madeira Island), are exported worldwide. Tourism is also important, especially in mainland Portugal's southernmost region of the Algarve and in the Atlantic Madeira archipelago. Funchal, Madeira - tourism is an important economic activity in the Portuguese island of Madeira.The Global Competitiveness Report for 2005, published by the World Economic Forum, places Portugal on the 22nd position, ahead of countries such as Spain, Ireland, France, Belgium and Hong Kong . This represents an increase of two places from the 2004 ranking. Portugal was ranked 20th on the Technology index and 15th on the Public Institutions index. Research about standard of living by the Economist Intelligence Unit's quality of life survey places Portugal as the country with the 19th-best quality of life in the world, ahead of other economically and technologically advanced countries like France, Germany, the United Kingdom and South Korea. This is despite the fact that Portugal has the lowest per capita GDP in Western Europe and among the lowest in the European Union. Caixa Geral de Depósitos, EDP, Galp, Millennium bcp, Portugal Telecom and Sonae are among the largest corporations of Portugal by both number of employees and net income. The major stock exchange is the Euronext Lisbon which is part of the NYSE Euronext, the first global stock exchange. The PSI-20 is Portugal's most selective and widely known stock index. Energy, transportation, communications, water supply and sanitation In 2006 the world's largest solar power plant began operating in the nation's sunny south while the world's first commercial wave power farm opened in October 2006 in the Norte region. As of 2006, 55% of electricity production was from coal and fuel power plants. The other 40% was produced by hydroelectrics and 5% by wind energy. The government is channeling $38,000,000,000 into developing renewable energy sources over the next five years. Portugal wants renewable energy sources like solar, wind and wave power to account for nearly half of the electricity consumed in the country by 2010. "This new goal will place Portugal in the frontline of renewable energy and make it, along with Austria and Sweden, one of the three nations that most invest in this sector", Prime Minister José Sócrates said. Alqueva Dam, Alentejo - irrigation and hydroelectric power generation facility which created the largest artificial lake in Western Europe.Transportation was seen as a priority in the 1990s, pushed by the growing use of automobiles and industrialization. The country has a 68,732 km (42,708 mi) network of roads, of which almost 3,000 km (1,864 mi) are part of a 44 motorways system. The two principal metropolitan areas have subway systems: Lisbon Metro and Metro Sul do Tejo in Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metro in Porto, each with more than 35 km (22 mi) of lines. Construction of a high-speed TGV line connecting Porto with Lisbon and Lisbon with Madrid will begin in 2008; it will replace the Pendolinos. Lisbon's geographical position makes it a stopover point for many foreign airlines at airports all over the country. The government decided to build a new airport outside Lisbon, in Alcochete, to replace Lisbon's Portela airport. Currently, the most important airports are in Lisbon, Faro, Porto, Funchal (Madeira), and Ponta Delgada (Azores). Portugal has one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the world (the number of operative mobile phones already exceeds the population). This network also provides wireless mobile Internet connections as well, and covers the entire territory. As of October 2006, 36.8% of households had high-speed Internet services and 78% of companies had Internet access. Most Portuguese watch television through cable (June 2004: 73.6% of households). Paid Internet connections are available at many cafés, as well as many post offices. One can also surf on the Internet at hotels, conference centres and shopping centres, where special areas are reserved for this purpose. Free internet access is also available to Portuguese residents at "Espaços de Internet" across the country. Portugal has also modernized its water supply and sanitation system, in particular by increasing the rate of wastewater treated with support from EU subsidies to 80%. The country has also established a modern institutional and legal framework for the water and sanitation sector, including an autonomous regulatory agency, a national asset holding company called Águas de Portugal and a number of multi-municipal utilities. This replaced an institutionally fragemented sector structure, under which the country's 308 municipalities - many of them very small - had exclusive responsibility for water and sanitation. Demographics Douro river crossing Grande Porto, Portugal's second most populated subregionThe country is fairly homogeneous linguistically and religiously. Native Portuguese are ethnically a combination of pre-Celts, Celts, and the Lusitanians, along with some other minor contributions by Phoenicians, Romans, Germanic (Visigoths, Suebi, Buri), Alans, some Jews and Moors (mostly Berbers and some Arabs). In the 2001 census, the population was 10,356,117, of which 52% was female, 48% was male. Portugal, long a country of emigration, has now become a country of net immigration, and not just from the former Asian and African colonies; by the end of 2003, legal immigrants represented about 5% of the population, and the largest communities were from Brazil, Ukraine, Romania, Cape Verde, Angola, Russia, Guinea-Bissau and Moldova with other immigrants from parts of Latin America, China and Eastern Europe. The great majority of Portuguese are Roman Catholic, though a large percentage consider themselves non-practicing, especially in urban lands. The most populous cities are Lisbon, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Amadora, Braga, Coimbra, Almada, Funchal and Setúbal. There are seven Greater Metropolitan Areas (GAMs): Algarve, Aveiro, Coimbra, Lisbon, Minho, Porto and Viseu. Education, science and technology The tower of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra - the university is one of the oldest in continuous operation in the world. The educational system is divided into preschool (for those under age 6), basic education (9 years, in three stages, compulsory), secondary education (3 years), and higher education (university and polytechnic). Portuguese universities have existed since 1290. The oldest Portuguese university was first established in Lisbon before moving to Coimbra. Universities are usually organized into faculties. Institutes and schools are also common designations for autonomous subdivisions of Portuguese higher education institutions, and are always used in the polytechnical system. The Bologna process has been adopted since 2006 by Portuguese universities and polytechnical institutes. Scientific and technological research activities in Portugal are mainly conducted within a network of R&D units belonging to public universities and state-managed autonomous research institutions like the INETI - Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação. The funding of this research system is mainly conducted under the authority of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The largest R&D units of the public universities by number of publications which achieved significant international recognition, include biosciences research institutions like the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, the IPATIMUP and the Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, among others. Internationally notable state-supported research centres in other fields include the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, a joint research effort between Portugal and Spain. Among the largest non-state-run research institutions in Portugal are the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência and the Champalimaud Foundation which yearly awards one of the highest monetary prizes of any science prize in the world. A number of both national and multinational high-tech and industrial companies, are also responsible for research and development projects. One of the oldest learned societies of Portugal is the Sciences Academy of Lisbon. Portugal made agreements with several European scientific organizations aiming at full membership. These include the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), ITER, and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Portugal has entered into cooperation agreements with MIT (USA) and other North American institutions in order to further develop and increase the effectiveness of Portuguese higher education and research. Law The Portuguese legal system is part of the civil law legal system, also called the continental family legal system. Until the end of the 19th century, French law was the main influence. Since then the major influence has been German law. The main laws include the Constitution (1976, as amended), the Civil Code (1966, as amended) and the Penal Code (1982, as amended). Other relevant laws are the Commercial Code (1888, as amended) and the Civil Procedure Code (1961, as amended). Portuguese law applied in the former colonies and territories and continues to be the major influence for those countries. Religion Portuguese society is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. 84% of the population are nominally Roman Catholic, but only about 19% attend mass and take the sacraments regularly. A larger number wish to be baptized, married in the church, and receive last rites. Many Portuguese holidays, festivals and traditions have a Christian origin or connotation. Although relations between the Portuguese state and the Roman Catholic Church were generally amiable and stable since the earliest years of the Portuguese nation, their relative power fluctuated. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the church enjoyed both riches and power stemming from its role in the reconquest and its close identification with early Portuguese nationalism and the foundation of the Portuguese educational system, including the first university. The growth of the Portuguese overseas empire made its missionaries important agents of colonization with important roles of evangelization and teaching in all inhabited continents. Culture Roman temple, ÉvoraPortugal has developed a specific culture while being influenced by various civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean and the European continent, or were introduced when it played an active role during the Age of Discovery. Belém Tower, built in the 1510s and a symbol of the Age of Discovery, LisbonPortuguese literature, one of the earliest Western literatures, developed through text and song. Until 1350, the Portuguese-Galician troubadours spread their literary influence to most of the Iberian Peninsula. Gil Vicente (ca. 1465 - ca. 1536), was one of the founders of both Portuguese and Spanish dramatic traditions. Adventurer and poet Luís de Camões (ca. 1524-1580) wrote the epic poem The Lusiads, with Virgil's Aeneid as his main influence. Modern Portuguese poetry is rooted in neoclassic and contemporary styles, as exemplified by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Modern Portuguese literature is represented by authors such as Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de Queirós, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, and António Lobo Antunes. Particularly popular and distinguished is José Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for literature. Belém Cultural Center, LisbonPortuguese music encompasses a wide variety of genres. The most renowned is fado, a melancholy urban music, usually associated with the Portuguese guitar and saudade, or longing. Coimbra fado, a unique type of fado, is also noteworthy. Internationally notable performers include Amália Rodrigues, Carlos Paredes, José Afonso, Mariza, Carlos do Carmo, Mísia, and Madredeus. One of the most notable Portuguese musical groups outside the country, and specially in Germany, is the goth-metal band Moonspell. In addition to fado and folk, the Portuguese listen to pop and other types of modern music, particularly from North America and the United Kingdom, as well as a wide range of Portuguese and Brazilian artists and bands. Bands with international recognition include Blasted Mechanism and The Gift, both of which were nominated for an MTV Music Award. Portugal has several summer music festivals, such as Festival Sudoeste in Zambujeira do Mar, Festival de Paredes de Coura in Paredes de Coura, Festival Vilar de Mouros near Caminha, and Rock in Rio Lisboa and Super Bock Super Rock in Lisbon. Out of the summer season, Portugal has a large number of festivals, designed more to an urban audience, like Flowfest or Hip Hop Porto. Furthermore, one of the largest international Goa trance festivals takes place in northern Portugal every two years, and the student festivals of Queima das Fitas are major events in a number of cities across Portugal. In the Classical music domain, Portugal is represented by names as the pianist Maria João Pires, the violinist Carlos Damas, the operatic baritone Jorge Chaminé, and in the past by the great cellist Guilhermina Suggia. Notable composers include Luís de Freitas Branco and his student Joly Braga Santos. Casa da Música (Music House), PortoIt has also a rich history as far as painting is concerned. The first well-known painters date back to the XV century – like Nuno Gonçalves - were part of the Gothic painting period. José Malhoa, known for his work Fado, and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (who painted the portraits of Teófilo Braga and Antero de Quental) were both references in naturalist painting. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, LisbonThe 20th century saw the arrival of Modernism, and along with it came the most prominent Portuguese painters: Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, who was heavily influenced by French painters, particularly by the Delaunays. Among his best known works is Canção Popular a Russa e o Fígaro. Another great modernist painter/writer was Almada Negreiros, friend to the poet Fernando Pessoa, who painted his (Pessoa’s) portrait. He was deeply influenced by both Cubist and Futurist trends. Prominent international figures in visual arts nowadays include painters Vieira da Silva, Júlio Pomar, and Paula Rego. Traditional architecture is distinctive. Modern Portugal has given the world renowned architects like Eduardo Souto de Moura, Álvaro Siza Vieira and Gonçalo Byrne. Internally, Tomás Taveira is also noteworthy. Since the 1990s, Portugal has increased the number of public cultural facilities, in addition to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation established in 1956 in Lisbon. These include the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon, Serralves Foundation and the Casa da Música, both in Porto, as well as new public cultural facilities like municipal libraries and concert halls which were built or renovated in many municipalities across the country. Cuisine Portuguese cuisine is diverse. The Portuguese love dry cod (bacalhau in Portuguese), for which there are hundreds of recipes. There are more than enough bacalhau dishes for each day of the year. Two other popular fish recipes are grilled sardines and caldeirada. Typical Portuguese meat recipes, that may take beef, pork, lamb, or chicken, include feijoada, cozido à portuguesa, frango de churrasco, and carne de porco à alentejana. Vintage port from 1870 and 1873Typical fast food dishes include the francesinha from Porto, and bifanas (grilled pork), prego (grilled beef) or leitão (piglet) sandwiches which are well known around the country. The Portuguese art of pastry has its origins in ancient recipes of which pastéis de Belém (or pastéis de nata) originally from Lisbon, and ovos-moles from Aveiro are good examples. Portuguese wines have deserved international recognition since the times of the Roman Empire, which associated Portugal with their God Bacchus. Today the country is known by wine lovers and its wines have won several international prizes. Some of the best Portuguese wines are: Vinho Verde, Vinho Alvarinho, Vinho do Douro, Vinho do Alentejo, Vinho do Dão, Vinho da Bairrada and the sweet: Port Wine, Madeira Wine and the Moscatel from Setúbal and Favaios. Port Wine is well known around the world and the most widely exported Portuguese wine. Sports and games Portuguese football fans supporting the national teamFootball is the most known, loved and practiced sport. The legendary Eusébio is still a major symbol of Portuguese football history and Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the numerous examples of other world-class footballers born in Portugal and noted worldwide. The Portuguese national teams, have titles in the FIFA World Youth Championship and in the UEFA youth championships. The main national team - Selecção Nacional - finished second in Euro 2004, reached the third place in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and reached the fourth place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, their best results in major competitions to date. F.C. Porto, S.L. Benfica and Sporting C.P. are the largest sports clubs by popularity and in terms of trophies won, often known as "os três grandes" ("the big three"). They have a number of titles won in the European UEFA club competitions, were present in many finals and have been regular contenders in the last stages almost every season. Other than football, many Portuguese sports clubs, including the "big three", compete in several other sports events with a varying level of success and popularity. Pavilhão Atlântico (Atlantic Pavilion), an indoor sports venue and concert hall in LisbonPortugal has a successful rink hockey team, with 15 world titles and 20 european titles, making it the country with the most wins in both competitions. The most successful Portuguese rink hockey clubs in the history of European championships are F.C. Porto, S.L. Benfica, Sporting CP, and Óquei de Barcelos. The national rugby union team made a dramatic qualification into the 2007 Rugby World Cup and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup since the dawn of the professional era. The Portuguese national team of rugby sevens has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions. Rui Silva, in men's athletics, has won several gold, silver and bronze medals in the European, World and Olympic Games competitions. Francis Obikwelu in the 100 m and the 200 m, had silver in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Naide Gomes in pentathlon and long jump, is another Portuguese elite athlete, which led to a gold medal in the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships' long jump competition. In the triathlon, Vanessa Fernandes, has won a large number of medals and major competitions across the world and in 2007 became the world champion both in Triathlon and Duathlon. In judo, Telma Monteiro is European champion in the women's under-52 kg category. Nelson Évora is world champion in triple jump. Cycling, with Volta a Portugal being the most important race, is also a popular sports event and include professional cycling teams such as S.L. Benfica, Boavista, Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira, and União Ciclista da Maia. Noted Portuguese cyclists include, among others, names as Joaquim Agostinho, Marco Chagas, José Azevedo and Sérgio Paulinho (an olympic medalist in Athens). The country has also achieved notable performances in sports like fencing, surfing, windsurf, kitesurf, kayaking, sailing and shooting, among others. The paralympic athletes have also conquered many medals in sports like swimming, boccia and wrestling. Portugal has its own original martial art, jogo do pau, in which the fighters use staffs to confront one or several opponents. International rankings Political and economic rankings Political freedom ratings - Free; political rights and civil liberties both rated 1 (the highest score available) Press freedom - 8th freest, at 2.00 GDP per capita - 34th highest, at I$22,677 Human Development Index - 29th highest, at 0.897 Income Equality - 59th most equal, at 38.5 (Gini Index) Unemployment rate - 98th lowest, at 8.00% Corruption - 28th least corrupt, at 6.5 on index Economic Freedom - 30th freest, at 2.29 on index Health rankings Fertility rate- 188th most fertile, at 1.48 per woman Birth rate - 167th most births, at 10.50 per 1000 people Death rate - 52nd highest death rate, at 10.60 per 1000 people Life Expectancy - 49th highest, at 77.87 years Suicide Rate - 42nd highest suicide rate, at 18.9 for males and 4.9 for females HIV/AIDS rate - 73rd most cases, at 0.40% Other rankings Global Peace Index - 7th highest (2008), out of 121 countries CO2 emissions - 68th highest emissions, at 5.63 tonnes per capita Electricity Consumption - 44th highest consumption of electricity, at 44,010,000,000 kWh Broadband uptake - 21st highest uptake in OECD, at 11.5% Beer consumption - 22nd highest, at 59.6 litres per capita Facts and figures Official date format: YYYY/MM/DD (ex. 2006/09/08) Common date format: DD/MM/YYYY (ex. 06/09/2006), dates are written out as DD de MM de YYYY (ex. 18 de Agosto de 2005) Decimal separator is a comma: 123,45 Thousands are officially separated by a space — 10 000 — although the point is widely used — 10.000 The euro sign is commonly placed either before or after the amount, with the separator either a comma or a point: 10,95 € - € 10,95 - € 10.95 - 10.95 € |
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