Portugal – The land where the sun never sets

Aside from being the homeland of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal holds many other fascinating surprises that might catch you off guard. Let's explore through the following article together with Mytour!

Portugal – The land where the sun never sets

Portugal is a Western European country, situated on the Iberian Peninsula, bordered to the West and South by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the East and North by Spain. The capital city is Lisbon, the second oldest city in Europe, after Athens in Greece.

Portugal covers an area of 92,000 square kilometers, equivalent to the size of the Northern region of Vietnam, with a population of just over 10 million people. Due to its numerous islands in the ocean and extensive coastline, it is the 3rd largest exclusive economic zone in the European Union, and the 11th largest in the world.

Located close to Africa, Portugal is the European country with the warmest climate, with average temperatures ranging from 15 to 18 degrees Celsius. It is also known as the oldest nation in Europe. The Kingdom of Portugal was founded and recognized in 1143, maintaining a monarchy for nearly 800 years until 1910.

The national flag of Portugal is designed with colors bearing different messages. The green represents hope and the future, while the red signifies blood-soaked battles and the shield symbolizes the nation's victories in those battles.

Portugal is a pioneer in maritime exploration. Since the 15th century, the Portuguese have acquired the first overseas territories when they conquered lands beyond their borders. One of the foremost explorers of this country is Vasco De Gama. In 1498, he reached India, being the first European to sail to India.

At its peak, this empire spanned over 53 different countries. Portugal handed over its last colony, Macau, to China in 1999 after 442 years of occupation.

Portuguese is the official language of 9 countries worldwide, including Brazil, Angola, Mozambique... It is also used in Macau, India, and East Timor. This language is spoken by 230 million people, ranking 6th most spoken in the world.

Notably, the Vietnamese alphabet, which Vietnam is currently using, owes much to the efforts of Portuguese missionaries who came to Vietnam in the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Trinh – Nguyen civil war. Among them, the most prominent figure is the missionary Alexandre Rhodes.

Portugal is the world's largest producer of cork stoppers, accounting for about 70% of the world's cork stoppers. Germany, England, and the United States are the largest importers of cork stoppers. As wine is the national drink of this country, it is also one of the most famous export products. Furthermore, Portugal has the largest cork oak forest in the world, which is the raw material for making cork stoppers.

Portugal currently holds the record for the longest bridge in Europe. It is the Vasco de Gama Bridge, named after the explorer Vasco de Gama, with a length of 17km. It is also a leading country in renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydro power. By 2018, the country was able to generate 100% of its energy from hydroelectric, wind, and solar power sources.

 According to Mytour

***

Reference: Mytour Travel Guide