 | Portugal - Facts & Figures |
The core information on the people and their history, geography, politics, military, economy and statistics everyone needs to know about Portugal, supplied by the CIA.
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| Introduction:
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Background:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries,
Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a
1755 earthquake, 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 EC (now the EU) in 1986.
This information comes from the CIA
World Factbook.
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