- Population:
- 10,263,850
- Religion:
- Christianity
'Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula bordering Spain. Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture: salt cod and grilled sardines are national dishes the Algarve''s beaches are a major destination and much of the nation’s architecture dates to the 1500s–1800s when Portugal had a powerful maritime empire.'
Following its heyday as a global maritime 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 of Brazil its wealthiest colony in 1822. 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.
