Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain.
Land Area: 92,391 square km (35,672 sq. miles)
Coastline: 1,793 km (1,114 miles)
Highest Point: Ponta do Pico on the Azores Islands 2,351 m (7,711 ft.)
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m (0 ft)
Notable Landmarks: Take a peek...

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized 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 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 fell back in 2001-03. Gross Domestic Product per capita stands at 70 percent of that of the leading EU economies. A poor educational system, in particular, 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. The coalition government faces tough choices in attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness and to keep the budget deficit within the three percent EU ceiling.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $204.4 billion (2005 est.)
GDP Per Capita: $19,300 (2005 est.)
Number of Workers: 5.52 million (2005 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 7.6% (2005 est.)
Industries: Textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; and tourism.
Currency: euro (EUR)  formerly the Escudo
Note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries.

Type of Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of State: President Anibal Cavaco Silva (since 9 March 2006)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jose Socrates (since 12 March 2005)
Capital City: Lisbon
Legal Age to Vote: 18
Flag Design: Two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two fifths) and red (three fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the diving line.
Official Language: Portuguese (official); Mirandese (official, but locally used).
Religions: Roman Catholic, 94%; Protestant, 6%. (1995 census)

Portugal emerged as a nation state in the 12th century. Under the leadership of Joao I, Portuguese sailors began to explore the African coast and the Atlantic. Much of the discovery was done during the mid-1450s. Cabral discovered Brazil and claimed it as a colony about 1500. Later, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of much of Lisbon, its capital city, in an earthquake in 1755. Following that, additional blows were the occupation during the Napoleonic Wars and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy. For most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EU in 1986.