Facts About Portugal

(Where is Portugal located and what countries borders it)?

1- Facts About Portugal: Portugal is located in southwestern Europe, specifically in the Iberian Peninsula.

 

Portugal is the last country in Europe located towards the west and is bordered to the north and east by Spain.

To the south and west Portugal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.

 

2- Portugal’s borders remained the same despite the passage of two world wars in Europe’s history.

 

 

(What are the most important cities and provinces in Portugal)?

1- Portugal consists of 18 provinces in addition to the two regions of the Madeira Islands and the Azores Islands, which are autonomous.

 

The largest city in the country is the capital, Lisbon, which was chosen in 1994 to be the European Capital of Culture.

Lisbon was called the City of the Seven Hills because it was built on seven hills.

 

2- Lisbon ranked 108th in having the highest smart city index in the world for the year 2024, with human development Index reached 0.9, according to a report by imd.org.

 

3- Lisbon ranked 20th as the most visited city for the year 2023.    Source: euromonitor.com.

 

 

(What is the system of government in Portugal and who runs the country)?

1- The system of government in Portugal is a parliamentary republic headed by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

 

 

(What languages are spoken in Portugal)?

1- Portuguese is the official language in the country and is spoken by more than 275 million people around the world.

 

Portuguese is ranked 6th as the most spoken language and is used officially in many other countries around the world such as:

Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, Luxembourg, Cape Verde Islands, Macau, Paraguay, East Timor.

 

Also, many of the country’s residents also speak English.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Longest Word In Portuguese?

3- Tongue-tying “pneumoultramicroscopicossilicovulcanoconiótico” is the longest word in Portuguese.

 

It is a plural noun meaning sufferers of the disease pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, which may be familiar from the English-language category.    Source: euronews.com.

 

(What are the main religions and sects in Portugal)?

85% of the Portuguese population identify are Catholic but there are also Jewish and Muslim communities.    Source: originaltravel.co.uk.

 

(What organizations and memberships does Portugal belong to)?

1- In 1961 Portugal joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

 

The organization’s founding dates back to 1961, and its headquarters are located in Paris, the capital of France.

 

(What is the origin of the name Portugal and its meaning)?

The name Portugal comes from the Romanian portus cal.

It is said that the name is due to the abundance of orange trees there, as the Arabs called it the land of oranges.

 

 

(What are the most famous sports and the most important athletes from Portugal)?

1- Football is the most popular sport, and the Portuguese national team came in third place in the 1966 World Cup after defeating the Soviet Union.

 

Portugal won the Europe’s Nations Cup in 2016.

 

2- The Portuguese national football team came in 7th place as the strongest team in the world as the 1st quarter of 2025, according to the FIFA classification.

The Portuguese national football team had a total score of 1750.08.

 

3- The most famous local clubs are Porto and Benfica, the latter of which holds the record as the most supported football club around the world with more than 160,000 fans.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Who Is The Best Bootball Player In The History Of Portugal?

4- The football player Cristiano Ronaldo, who is considered one of the best players in the world.

 

The history of the game, as he won 5 Ballon d’Or awards and is the first player to win 4 European Golden Boots.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s star shone in Manchester United when he played for them in his youth until he reached the peak of his glory in the Spanish capital club Real Madrid.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)

 

5- Ronaldo was born on the Portuguese island of Madeira and is the third athlete to win a billion dollars and is still practicing his profession.

Ronaldo is famous for his rivalry with his traditional rival, Lionel Messi, who hails from Argentina, nicknamed the GOAT.

 

Also, hails from Portugal, athletes like Luis Figo and Deco, who played for a period of their lives in Barcelona.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Who Is The Best Football Coach In The History Of Portugal?

6- There is also coach Jose Mourinho, who created the miracle and entered history on a wider scale.

 

Jose Mourinho started his legendary carrier with the qualification of its local team, Porto, to the final of the Champions League in 2003-2004, and its victory over Monaco, France, with a score of 3-0.

 

 

(What is the most important information about the geography of Portugal)?

1- Portugal is ranked 111th among world’s countries, and 18th In Europe after Hungary as the largest country in terms of area, with an area of 92,090 square kilometer.

 

Portugal occupies 0.1 % of world landmass.    Source: worldometers.info.

 

2- The highest point in Portugal is Mount Pico on Pico Island, which is located in the Azores, at 2,350 meters above sea level and is a volcanic mountain.

Mount Pico has a beautiful and fun view.

 

3- Cascais is a coastal city located in the capital, Lisbon, it is characterized by many beaches and white sand.

 

When you visit the island, your skin color will change to brown, but it will return to its previous color after a few days.

 

4- Sintra is the furthest point in Europe from the west and was opened in 2021 in the city of Arauca.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Does Portugal Have A Good Environment?

5- Portugal came in position 48th for having the best environmental performance in the world, which reached 50.40 according to a report by Yale University for the year 2024.

 

This report compares the data of 180 countries around the world that have the highest environmental performance index, which is abbreviated with EPI.    Source: epi.yale.edu.

 

 

(What are the national symbols of Portugal)?

1- The national animal of Portugal is the Iberian wolf or Spanish wolf which lives in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

Iberian wolf  is widespread in many other countries such as Spain.

 

The national flower is lavender, olive, hydrangea, common clove and cork oak tree whose bark is removed to make cork.

 

2- The flag of Portugal consists of the red color, which occupies about a third of the flag and symbolizes the struggle and the blood of the citizens who sacrificed themselves to liberate Portugal.

 

Green indicates the hope of Portuguese, while the five shields represent the kings of Morocco who were defeated by the Portuguese king Afonso I.

 

3- Each of these shields contains five points and the cross is occupied in the previous is the location of the shields.

 

Also, the golden castles fortified with shields refer to the Moorish castles that were destroyed for the sake of the country’s independence.

 

The red stripe in the background indicates the connection of King Afonso III to the Castilian king.

The last modification to the flag was in 1911, which is the same year in which the flag was officially adopted.

 

4- The name of Portuguese national anthem is a Portuguesa which was adopted in 1910.

You can listen to the Portuguese national anthem and watch it with translation in the next video.

 

(What are the most famous dishes of Portuguese cuisine)?

1- The most famous foods in Portugal are fish, and also Pastel de Nata, which is eaten at all times.

 

There is also coffee, which is one of the popular drinks in Portugal.

 

The Custard Tart and Tempura was made by Catholic monks before the eighteenth century.

 

2- The Japanese tempura dish originated in Portugal in the sixteenth century.

 

Portugal imported huge goods from Japan before the latter closed its doors for export, and among these goods was the tempura dish, which has become famous since that time.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Best Restaurant In Portugal?

3- Belcanto restaurant In Lisbon ranked 25th as the best restaurants in the world for the year 23 according to a report by theworlds50best.com.

 

This report compared the 100 best restaurants around the world.

 

 

(What are the national holidays in Portugal)?

1st January (Monday) – New Year’s Day.

29th March (Friday) – Good Friday.

31st March (Sunday) – Easter Sunday.

25th April (Thursday) – Liberty Day.

1st May (Wednesday) – Worker’s Day.

10th June (Monday) – Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities.

20th June (Thursday) – Corpus Christi.

15th August (Thursday) – Assumption Day.

5th October (Saturday) – Implantation of the Republic.

1st November (Friday) – All Saint’s Day.

1st December (Sunday) – Independence Restauration Day.

8th December (Sunday) – Feast of Immaculate Conception.

25th December (Wednesday) – Christmas Day.

Source: belionpartners.com.

 

 

(What are the most important events in the history of Portugal)?

1- Afonso I, was the first to rule Portugal in history, in the year 1139.

Portugal adopted the monarchy for nearly 800 years and had the strongest naval fleet in the world for many centuries.

 

2- The most famous explorers in history hail from Portugal, such as Fernando Magellan, who was the first person to roam the earth, and Vasco de Gama, descended from the country.

 

Vasco de Gama was the first to find the sea route linking Europe and India, which he used to reach India.

 

There is also Bartolomeu Diaz, who was the first to sail this route south towards Africa and later called it Good Hope.

 

Also, Pedro Alvarez Cabral discovered Brazil and considered it a Portuguese colony.

 

3- In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed between the Portuguese Empire and the Crown of Castile, Spain today.

 

The lands discovered outside the borders of the continent of Europe were divided, where Portugal obtained Africa, Asia, and Brazil.

It’s mentioned that The Verde Islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Was The Former Capital Of The Portuguese Empire?

4- The city of Rio de Janeiro, located in Brazil, was the capital of the former Portuguese Empire in 1808.

 

The Portuguese royal court was moved to Rio de Janeiro after Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Portugal.

 

5- In 711, Portugal was part of the Umayyad Caliphate for a period of 5 centuries, then it became the first empire in history in the 15th century and the longest-lived, lasting 6 centuries.

 

6- The longest diplomatic alliance in Europe and history occurred in 1373 and is known as the (Anglo-Portuguese Alliance), which still exists today.

 

7- Portugal was the first among Europe’s countries to land on Japanese soil.

 

8- The shortest royal rule in the history of Portugal was that of Prince Luis Felipe, who assumed the throne for 20 minutes after his death as a result of illness.

 

 

(What is the most important and diverse information from Portugal)?

1- Portugal is one of the countries that has abolished the death penalty, the maximum penalty can reach 25 years in prison.

 

2- Restaurants in Portugal take a break in the afternoon between 3-6pm so make sure to take your food with you.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Who Invented Slavery?

3- Portugal was the first country to invent the slavery system, as it transported slaves from West Africa to newly discovered lands.

 

Portugal was the first country to abolish this system 50 years ago before it was abolished in Britain, United States, France, and Spain.

 

4- In 2010, Portugal was the sixth country in Europe and the eighth in the world to recognize same-sex marriage.

 

5- There are some fun areas in Portugal named after versions of Nissan cars, such as SENTRA and Cascais, because companies use city names to increase their brand reputation and sales.

 

6- It is legal to urinate in swimming pools in Portugal.

 

7- Lisbon has an underground gallery dating back to the Roman Empire and the gallery is located under the city streets.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Tallest Building In Portugal?

8- The tallest building in Portugal is Torre São Gabriel, with a height of 110 meters, consisting of 24 floors.

 

Torre São Gabriel was opened in the year 2000 in the capital, Lisbon, where it includes residential apartments, without forgetting that it has a beautiful and fun view.

 

9- Portugal is very clean, with rubbish bins everywhere.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Best Neighborhood In Portugal?

10- Costa da Caparica neighborhood which is located in Almada ranked 18th as the 40 best neighborhoods in the world for the year 2023, according to a report by timeout.com.

 

Costa da Caparica neighbourhood has always been a summer destination, but in recent years it has welcomed a new, international crowd who are reshaping and activate the area.

 

11- In 2001, Portugal abolished the ban imposed on the possession or use of drugs.

An individual can consume any type of drug, provided that it is not enough for more than 10 days and that it is not circulated.

 

Portugal has witnessed a decrease in the number of deaths from drug overdoses and a decrease in the number of drug abusers.

 

 

(What Ranks Does Portugal Occupy In Various Fields Worldwide)?

1- Portugal ranked 60th as the happiest country in the world as the 1st quarter of 2025, with Index reached 6.013, according to worldhappiness.report.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Crime Rate In Portugal?

2- Portugal came in position 104th as having the highest crime rates in the world for the year 2023, which reached 4.88.    Source: Organized Crime Index.

 

3- Portugal ranked 31 as the most innovative country in the world for the year 2024, with a total of 43.7.    Source: visualcapitalist.com.

 

4- Portugal ranks 26th among world’s countries for having the fastest internet as the 1st quarter of 2025, with download speed reaches 128.56 kilobits per second.    Source: speedtest.net.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Is The Portuguese Passport Strong?

5- Portugal ranked 4th as having the most powerful passport in the world as the 1st quarter of 2025.

 

Portuguese passport shared rank with Luxembourg, Austria, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium.

 

Through Portuguese passport, you can travel to a 188 destination without a visa, according to the Henley Passport Ranking Index which deals with the ranking of the power of countries’ passports.

 

6- Portugal ranked 43rd in the world as the most transparent country for the year 2024 by obtaining 57 scores on the Corruption Perceptions Index.    Source: transparency.org.

 

7- Portugal was ranked 7th among world’s countries as the safest country for the year 2024 with a peace index 1.372 according to visionofhumanity.org.

That’s a fun news to hear if you think to visit Portugal.

 

8- Portugal was ranked 38th in the world as the best country to live in in 2022 with a human development index 0.874 according to the development program issued by the United Nations.

 

 

(What Are The Disasters That Happened In Portugal)?

1- Augusta is a triumphal arch located in the capital Lisbon and was built to commemorate the construction of the city after the earthquake in 1755.

 

2- In 1755, specifically on Saints’ Day, the city of Lisbon was exposed to a devastating earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, followed by a tsunami in the country.

 

After all, fires that swept the city, killing 275,000 Portuguese and destroying 85% of the infrastructure.

 

 

(Is the health system in Portugal good)?

1- According to the Legatum Institute report, Portugal comes in the position 40th of having the best health systems in the world by 2023, which includes:

The extent to which people enjoy good health, and their ability to access the services necessary to maintain good health, including health outcomes, disease, and risk factors, mortality rates.

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Obesity Rate In Portugal?

2- According to WorldAtlas Report In 2023: Adults with obesity 2035 In Portugal reaches 39% which Is very high.

The annual Increase In adult obesity 2022-2035 reaches 2.8% which Is high.

The annual Increase In child obesity 2020-2035 reaches 3.5% which Is very high.

Overweight Impact on national GDP 2035 reaches 2.2% which Is very high.

Finally global preparedness ranking In Portugal reaches 8/183 which Is good.

Facts About Portugal:

What Is Smoking Rate In Portugal?

3- The largest health problem in Portugal is smoking.

 

The country ranks 37th in the world as the largest country in terms of the rate of smokers, which amounts to 27.9% of the Portuguese people according to datapandas.org, despite the high prices of cigarettes.

 

Facts About Portugal:

How Much Alcohol Do Portuguese Consume?

4- Portugal has been ranked 20th in the world as the nation that consumes the most alcohol, which has reached 10.37 liters per capita since 2019.    Source: cia.gov.

Facts About Portugal:

How Much Coffee Do Portuguese Consume?

5- Portugal ranks 35th globally in coffee consumption after Switzerland, with 931,000 bags annually.    Source: wisevoter.com.

 

6- For more information and medical news, visit healthline.com.

 

 

(What are the characteristics of Portuguese people)?

1- The Portuguese are characterized by smiling, they are friendly and fun people, and it is usual for them to be late for their appointments, like the Italians.

 

 

(What is the quality of roads and transport condition in Portugal)?

1- The second longest bridge in Europe is located in Portugal, which is the Vasco de Gama Bridge, with a length of 12,345 meters.

 

Vasco de Gama Bridge is similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in California, United States, as it comes after the Canakkale Bridge in 1915, which was opened by Türkiye, which will connect between the continents of Europe and Asia.

 

Facts About Portugal:

Does Portugal Have A  Good Road Network?

2- Portugal is ranked 7th in the world and 7th in Europe regarding road quality, with a rating of 6th according to a report released by theglobaleconomy.com.

This report studied road condition In Portugal between 2006 – 2019.

 

3- Book your ticket now to your favorite destination through Expedia which is one of the best companies in the field of aviation in the world.

 

Live unforgettable moments of your life with your family and friends.

Book now. What are you waiting for ?

 

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Longest Pedestrian Bridge Globally?

4- The longest pedestrian bridge in the world located over the Paiva River, with a length of 516 meters.

 

The pedestrian bridge over Paiva River has become the second longest bridge after the Czechs opened the sky bridge between the peaks of the Jinsky Mountains in the Bohemia region in 2022.

 

The pedestrian bridge over Paiva River is 721 meters long and 1.2 meters wide, and is located at an altitude of 95 meters above sea level.

Facts About Portugal:

What Are The Best Airlines In Portugal?

5- TAP Air Portugal was ranked 71 in the world as the best airline for the year 2024 according to worldairlineawards.com.

 

The Portuguese flag carrier (TAP stands for “Transportes Aeroes Portugueses”) debuted 77 years ago, connecting its home country with far-flung nations, including former colonial outposts in Brazil, Mozambique, and elsewhere.

 

TAP Air Portugal now flies to more than 80 destinations worldwide, via a mix of 84 narrow- and wide-bodied aircraft with an average age of 11.5 years.    Source: afar.com.

 

 

(Is Portugal advanced in the field of clean energy)?

Portugal is one of the countries most dependent on clean energy production sources.

 

In 2014, about 70% of the country’s energy was generated from clean sources such as wind and sun.

 

(What Are Portugal’s Guinness World Records)?

1- The largest wave surfed in February 2011, when the wave height reached 20.77 meters on the coast of Nazaré, and an American surfer achieved this achievement.

 

2- 55 Portuguese chefs made the largest Omelette in the world in 2012, which consumed 145,000 eggs, 4,000 kilos of salt, and 100 kilos of butter in a period of time of 6 hours.

 

3- In 2015, the largest lace reel was made in a Portuguese town to commemorate a historical tradition.

The size of the reel reached 537.3 square feet.

 

4- The largest dining table in the world went to Portugal, which was on the Vasco de Gama Bridge.

The number of guests at the table reached 15,000 Portuguese, surely it was a fun party.

Facts About Portugal:

What Is The Oldest Library In The World?

5- The Livaria Bertrand S.A. Library, which is located in the Chiado district of the capital, Lisbon, entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest library in the world, dating back to the year 732.

 

Livaria Bertrand S.A was destroyed as a result of a massive earthquake that occurred in the year 755, with a magnitude of 8.5 on the Richter scale, and 60,000 Portuguese died as a result.

 

 

(How big is the Portuguese economy, and what are the most important exports)?

1- The industrial sector is considered the largest in the country and its most important exports are plastic, petroleum and its derivatives, clothing, leather.

 

Also, Portugal exports car spare parts, vehicles, electrical appliances, computers, food and beverages.

 

2- In the agricultural sector, the most important exports in Portugal are grapes, olive oil, cork and avocado.

 

Portugal exports more than half of official global production, and Portugal has the largest forest of cork oak trees in the world.

 

There is also a service sector, which includes work in official government jobs, public facilities, and delivery services.

Facts About Portugal:

Who Is The Wealthiest Person In Portugal?

3- The richest man in Portugal is Americo Amorim, who is deceased, however, his family, especially his wife, is managing the business he left behind.

 

Americo Amorim wealth amounted to $4.8 billion, as Americo headed the Corticeria Amorim company, which specializes in the cork industry.

 

Americo owns 50% of its shares, and his investments are active in other commercial sectors such as energy and banking.

 

4- Portugal have a gross domestic product in the world as the 1st quarter of 2025, which reached $30,947 according to data.worldbank.org.

 

5- Portugal’s official currency is the euro, as it joined the European Union in 2002, and the old currency was the escudo.

 

 

(How many people live in Portugal and what is their average age)?

1- Portugal is ranked 93rd among world’s countries, and 15th In Europe after Greece, as the largest country in terms of population, which reaches 10,411,800 Portuguese.

 

Population density in Portugal reaches 114 per square kilometers, according to Worldpopulationreview.com.

It is mentioned that one of the most populous regions regions in Portugal is Lisbon.     

 

2- In 2022, about 13.18 percent of Portugal’s total population were aged 0 to 14 years.    Source: Statista.com.

 

3- The largest communities in Portugal hail from Brazil, USA, Spain and Africa’s countries.

 

(Is the education system developed in Portugal)?

1- Portugal is ranked 25th in the world in terms of quality of education after Russia, according to US.NEWS.

 

2- Portugal ranked 25th with the highest global knowledge index for the year 2024, which reached 61.2, according to knowledge4all.com.

 

(Is the Portuguese army strong)?

The Portuguese army ranked 39th among world’s countries as the strongest armies as the 1st quarter of 2025, according to the Global Fire Power website’s classification.

 

The Portuguese army had power index reached 0,6116. which evaluate the strength of countries’ armies.

 

(What is the climate like in Portugal)?

1- The annual average temperature in mainland Portugal varies from 12–13 °C (53.6–55.4 °F) in the mountainous interior north to 17–18 °C (62.6–64.4 °F) in the south.

 

In general the south of Portugal is warmer and drier than the north).

 

The Madeira and Azores archipelagos have a narrower temperature range according to Wikipedia.

It’s mentioned that Portugal has the second best sunrise in the world which is different from the sunrise in any other country.

 

(How Many UNESCO Sites Does Portugal Have)?

Portugal has 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites which you can know them by visiting the official UNESCO website.

(Who are the Nobel Prize winners from Portugal and how many are they)?

1- There are two Nobel Prize winners from Portugal’s population.

 

2- You can find out the who won the Nobel prizes through the official Nobel website.

 

 

You can see Portugal with its different landmarks and geography through this video.

 

If you think that this article was useful, please share it with your friends and your family so that the benefit may spread.

We worked hard to write this article.

 

 

 

Note: Some data and numbers may change in small percentages due to their constant change, but we (World On A Website) team will provide you with the latest information as quickly as possible.