2. Miscellaneous Info.
• Located on the Iberian Peninsula, west of
Spain
• Consists of a Mediterranean climate
• Capital is Lisbon
• Population: 10,707,924
• 97% of population are Roman Catholic
• Land Area: 92,391 sq. km
• Currency: Euro
3. Culture
• Portugal’s unique music is due to its cultural past.
Fado, a type of lyrical music, is described by
mournful tunes and lyrics
• Festivals such as the Santos Populares, which occurs
in June, celebrates three saints, St.’s Anthony , John,
and Peter.
• Futbol, or soccer in the U.S., is one of the most
popular sports and Portugal and has been successful
in past years.
4. Geography
• Portugal has a coastline of 943 km.
• The north is mainly mountainous with the
interior and south being a plain.
• The average temperature is 53-64 ⁰F.
• Highest point is Ponto do Pico at 2,351 m.
5. Customs and Traditions
• Regional dances of Portugal play a huge role in
the traditions of the Portuguese.
• One custom of Portugal is wearing black for a
period of time after the death of a family
member.
• Portuguese is the main language spoken,
while having 5 different dialects, all are still
considered part of this unique Romance
language.
6. Brief History
• Conquered by the Visigoths in the 5th century.
• In the 15 and 16th century Portugal was a
world leading exploration government staking
claims in South America and Africa
• In the 7 year war Spain and France tried to
force Portugal to join a compact.
• In 1975, the third republic implicated a new
democratic reformed and much of Portugal’s
foreign land was granted independence.
