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Essay Name       : 1574.txt 
Uploader         : Roland Lewis II
Email Address    : 
Language         : English
Subject          : Countries
Title            : Portugal
Grade            : 98%
School System    : High School
Country          : USA
Author Comments  : 
Teacher Comments : Excellent Detail
Date             : September 26,1996
Site found at    : a friend
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	Portugal is the westernmost country on the continent of Europe. Portugal is located on the

Iberian Peninsula. Spain is located to the east and north of Portugal. On the west and south of 

Portugal is the Atlantic Ocean. Many Portugal residents live in rural villages. These people make a 

living by fishing in small boats and farming. The major crop is grapes which is used to make wine.

	The capital of  Portugal is Lisbon. Lisbon is located nine miles from the sea on the north 

bank of the Tagus River. It is also Portugal`s largest city. The population of  Lisbon is about 

818,000. Lisbon is Portugal`s center for economic, political, and cultural issues.

	The form of Portugal`s government is a parliamentary democracy. The principal political 

groups are Social Democratic Party, headed by Anibal Silva; the Socialist party led by Mario 

Soares; and the Communist party, led by Alvaro Cunhal. Mario Soares was prime minister

from 1983 to 1985, when he was succeeded by Cavaco Silvia. His Social Democrats captured

more than 50% in an election. This was the first time any party had done this since the restoration

of Portugal`s democracy. The current President is Mario Soares.

	There arent many customs that the Portuguese practice, they have one that shows the 

good morals. This custom is to keep strong family ties. Sometimes two or more generations of a 

family live together in the same house. The people who do not live with their families often 

communicate with them every day.

	The Coastal Plains are flatlands that tie along the western and southern coasts. In some 

places the land is narrow, but in other places it stretches out to the center of the country. This

supports farm and fishing villages. The Northern Tablelands,Central Range, and Southern 

Tablelands are extensions of the Metsa which is a large plateau that covers most of Spain. These

regions consist of plains broken by mountain ranges. Farmers grow crops and raise cattle on the

plains. Portugal`s highest mountains are in the Serra de Estrela range in the Central Range region.

The peaks rise more than 6,000 feet above sea level. Estrela, Portugal`s highest mountain rises

6,539 feet in the region.

	Portugal has one of the poorest economies in Europe. Since 1960 the country has 

experienced an economic growth. Until the 1900`s its economy was based mainly on fishing and 

farming. Manufacturing is the most important factor in the economy. It accounts for 30% of 

Portugal`s economic production. Agriculture and fishing make up 10%. Service industries 

accounts for 60%. Portugal has valuable resources even though they are not well developed.

Some of the resources are building stone such as marble. There is also coal, copper, and 

wolframite. Forests make up about a third of Portugal. The rivers provide hydroelectric power.

Fish are also provided by the rivers and other bodies of water. The production of textiles is the 

leading manufacturing activity. Cotton fabric is the most important type of textile. Other 

manufacturing activities are cement, ceramics, cork products, shoes, and fertilizer.

	Wine grapes are grown in the river valleys that run across Portugal. The vineyards of the 

Douro Valley produce grapes for port wine, which is named after the city of Porto.Other crops 

grown in Portugal are rice, tomatoes, wheat, almonds, corn, olives, and potatoes. Farmers also 

raise cattle, chicken, hogs, and sheep. People who are fishermen catch cod, sardines, tuna, and

other fish.

	Transportation in Portugal is mainly railroad. The national government owns and operates

the main railroad system. The government also owns and operates the airline. The name of this is

Air Portugal. Lisbon Airport is Portugal`s main international airport. There is an average of  one 

automobile to every seven people. Cars, buses, and electric streetcars provide much of the 

transportation. In the rural areas people travel by oxcart, horse, or mule.

	There are 25 newspapers in Portugal. There is an average of about one radio to four 

people and one television for every five people.

	The climate varies according to the altitude, and high temperatures happen only in low 

altitude. The annual temperature north of the Douro River is about 10 degrees Celsius. Between

the Tagus and Douro Rivers the temperature is about 15.6 degrees Celsius. In the valley of the 

Guadiana the temperature is about 18.3 degrees Celsius. The rainfall is heavy, especially in the 

north.

	Portugal`s major exports include clothing and textiles, cork, paper, and wine. The imports

are chemicals, grain, iron, steel, petroleum, textile yarn, and transportation equipment. Portugal`s 

main trading partner is Germany. Portugal also trades with France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom,

United States, and other European countries.
	
	The main foods of Portugal are beef, pork, chicken, fish, sardines, rice, and potatoes. One 

of the Portuguese favorite dishes is bife com ovo a cavalo. This is steak with french fried potatoes 

and an egg on top.

	The Portuguese flag is red on the right side and green on the left side. The national symbol 

appears on the flag. The symbols represent the historic castles and heroes from Portugal’s past.

	Portugal`s monetary unit is the escudo. This is made up of 100 centavos. 144 escudos is 

equal to 1 U.S. dollar.

	Portugal`s educational system is very weak compared to other European countries. By 

Portuguese law, children must attend school between the ages of 6 and 15 years of age. Many 

children leave school before the age of 15. In many cases, they come from poor families and the 

children leave school to begin work. Elementary education is available, but there are not many 

high schools. Portugal has 10 universities. The largest university is Lisbon University. Less than 

2% of the people attend a university.

	Most Portuguese who practice a religion are Roman Catholics. Portugal also has small 

groups of Jews, Muslims, and Protestants. Religion is important especially to the people in the 

rural areas. Catholic priests play a major role in local government, education, and social life. 

Each year people make a pilgrimage to Fatima ,which is located in Portugal.

	Portugal is famous for its wine and its buildings. Portugal has many beautiful buildings 

including the monastery and church in  Belem, Lisbon, and the Abbey of Santa Maria at Batalha, 

which is said to be the most beautiful building in the Iberian Peninsula. Wines from Portugal are 

enjoyed by people in many parts of the world. Some Portuguese winemakers still follow the 

colorful old custom of crushing the grapes with their feet.

	The people enjoy sports such as bullfights and soccer. Portuguese bullfights are different 

from those in Spain. In Portugal it is illegal to kill the bulls during the fight. In Spain, killing the 

bulls are allowed.

	The population of Portugal is 9,859,600 people. This consists of many ethnic groups 

including Iberians, Romans, Visigoths, and Later Moors. The overall population density is 113 

people per square kilometer.

	The Portuguese live in modern houses, apartments, and farms.

	The Portuguese literary rate is 83% or roughly 4 out of 5 people can read and write.

	Portuguese is the official language of Portugal. It is the only widely used language in 

Portugal. Like Spanish, it is one of  the Romance Languages that developed from Latin.

Portuguese and Spanish are also very similar.







	Luis de Camoes was one of the greatest Portuguese poets, whose principal work, The 

Luisads is considered to be Portugals`s national epic. Luis de Camoes lived a life of high 

adventure and excitement. He was most likely to be born in Lisbon but no one knows for sure. He 

received his education from the University of Coimbra. He became a tutor at the court of John III,

from which he was kicked out because he was having a love affair with one of the queens`s ladies 

in waiting. The lady`s name was Caterina de Ataide. She was supposedly the inspiration of Luis de

Camoes` love poetry.

	Luis de Camoes was being treated like an outcast because of the offense he committed with

Caterina de Ataide. Luis de Camoes pursued a career in the military and in 1547 he lost an eye in 

battle in Morocco. In 1950 he went back to Lisbon. After he went back to Lisbon, he was 

arrested for fighting in a street fight. After he was released he sailed to India. It was now when 

Luis de Camoes started writing The Luisads. The central theme of the poem is the discovery of the 

sea route to India by the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama.

	After fighting in India, Luis de Camoes was sent to Macao, but in 1558 was accused of 

extortion and immediately sent back to India. On the way back to India the ship wrecked due to 

bad weather. After surviving the shipwreck, Luis de Camoes made his way back home to Lisbon 

through Mozambique in 1570. He did this and still had his manuscript with him. Two years later 

The Luisads was published. He received a small royal pension an then his life of world fame 

began. Luis de Camoes spent his last years in obscurity, and he died in poverty in his birthplace

of Lisbon on June 10,1580.

	The Lusiads, written in ten cantos in ottava rima, was patterned after both the Aeneid, the

Latin epic of Vergil, and Orlando furioso by the Italian poet Ludovico Aristo. It is also tied to the



story of Vasco de Gama`s voyage are lively narrative and prophetic references to past events

in Portuguese history, which goes along with certain Christian and humanist concepts. The work 

does commend the achievements of the sons of Luscus,which are the Luisads or Portuguese.

It also reflects the bitterness and darkside of the poet’s aspect of the punitive views of the

Portuguese colonialism.The same vein of pessimism passes through many of his lyrics and his

few surviving letters.

	Luis de Camoes`s fame rests on the number of his unpublished shorter poems which

consist of odes, sonnets,  and elegies. Luis de Camoes also wrote three plays. Two were

based on classic models. The main theme of his verse is conflict between passionate, sensuous 

love and the Neoplatonic idea of spiritual love. It is noted for its formal perfection and simplicity,

expressive of deep sentiment.


























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