Portugal is 900 years old, and even though it has a relatively small area, it played a crucial role in world history. During XVI century Portugal started a major chapter in world history with the New World Discoveries ("Descobrimentos").

Portugal became a free democracy, and in 1986 it joined the current European Union, quickly approaching European standards of development. Its incorporation into the European Union in 1986, has meant significantly increased prosperity. However it may be one of the best value destinations on the Continent. This is because the country offers outstanding landscape diversity, due to its North-South disposition along the western shore of the Iberian peninsula. You can travel in a single day from green mountains in the North, covered with vines and all varieties of trees to rocky mountains, with spectacular slopes and falls in the Centre, to a near-desert landscape in the Alentejo region and finally to the glamorous beach holidays destination Algarve.

The climate, combined with investments in the golfing infrastructure in recent years, has also turned the country into a golfing haven. Portugal was recently named "Best Golf Destination 2008" by readers of Golfers Today, a British publication. Fourteen of Portugal's courses are rated in the top 100 best in Europe.

If you want a condensed view of European landscapes, culture and way of life, Portugal might very well fit the bill.

Quick Facts

Capital  Lisbon 
Government  parliamentary democracy 
Currency  euro (EUR) 
Area  92,391 sq km 
Population  10,084,245 (July 2002 est.) 
Language  Portuguese 
Religion  Roman Catholic 84%, Protestant 
Electricity  230V/50Hz (European plug) 
Calling Code  +351 
Internet TLD  .pt 
Time Zone  UTC

Climate

Portugal is one of the warmest European countries. In mainland Portugal, yearly temperature averages are about 15°C (55°F) in the north and 18°C (64°F) in the south. Madeira and Azores have a narrower temperature range as expected given their insularity, with the former having low precipitation in most of the archipelago and the latter being wet and rainy. Spring and Summer months are usually sunny and temperature maximum are very high during July and August, with maximums averaging between 35°C and 40°C (86°F - 95°F) in the interior of the country, 30°C and 35°C in the north, and occasionally reaching 45°C (113°F) in the south. Autumn and Winter are typically rainy and windy, yet sunny days are not rare either. Temperatures rarely fall below 5°C (41°F) nearer to the sea, averaging 10°C (50°F), but can reach several degrees below 0°C (32°F) further inland. Snow is common in winter in the mountainous areas of the north, especially in Serra da Estrela but melts quickly once the season is over. Portugal's climate can be classified as Mediterranean (particularly the southern parts of the Algarve and Alentejo, though technically on Atlantic shore).

Cities