Portugal has a rich seafaring past, superb beach resorts, wistful towns and a landscape wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat fields. Littered with UNESCO World Heritage sites and graced by one of Europe's most relaxed and attractive capitals, it also remains refreshingly affordable.
Savouring life slowly is a Portuguese passion, and much of the best is humble - traditional folk festivals; simple, honest food drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past love and glories; and markets overflowing with fish, fruit and flowers.
Four decades of dictatorship sidelined the country from modern progress and Europe's power centres, but like its neighbour, Spain, it has spent much of the last 20 years trying to move in from the periphery, forging new ties with the rest of Europe, restructuring its economy, and struggling to maintain what is best in its national culture despite the sudden onslaught of international influences.
Full country name: Portugal
Area: 92,391 sq km
Population: 10.4 million
Capital City: Lisbon (pop 535,740)
People: 99% Portuguese, 1% African
Language: Portuguese
Religion: 97% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 1% other
Government: parliamentary democracy
Head of State: President Jorge Sampaio
Head of Government: Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes
GDP: US$195.2 billion
GDP per capita: US$19,400
Annual Growth: 3.3%
Inflation: 4%
Major Industries: Textiles, footwear, wood products, metalworking, oil refining, chemicals, fish canning, wine, tourism, agriculture
Major Trading Partners: EU (esp. Spain, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands & the UK), US
Member of EU: Yes
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