Portugal_1

Portugal was founded in 1143, the year the Treaty of Zamora was signed. This treaty, signed between Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, and Afonso VII of León and Castile, recognized Portugal’s legal status as an independent kingdom. In 1179, this status was confirmed by Pope Alexander III. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Portuguese kings extended their borders until they conquered the Algarve, consolidating a territory that is practically unchanged to this day. Portugal is a republican state (since October 5, 1910), democratic (since April 25, 1974), in Southern Europe, occupying an area of 92,212 km2. The mainland is located in the extreme southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, bordered to the north and east by Spain and to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean. Portuguese territory also includes two autonomous regions: the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores, located in the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is a country with 10.3 million inhabitants (Census 2021) and a population density of 112.15 inhabitants/km2, with a greater concentration of people along the coast. The Portuguese climate is Mediterranean, characterized by mild winters and summers. The capital of Portugal is Lisbon, the official language is Portuguese and the currency is the Euro (€). Portugal is a developed country with a Human Development Index (a statistical index used to measure a country’s development by the United Nations Development Program) that is considered very high, and the Portuguese economy is the 48th largest economy in the world (in 2021, according to World Bank data). In 2023, our country was ranked 22nd in the world for quality of life and is one of the most globalized and peaceful nations in the world. In terms of external relations, Portugal is a member of the European Union (including the Eurozone and the Schengen Area), the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).