Portugal is a country in the south-west of Europe. The Atlantic Ocean is on its west and south, and Spain is on its north and east.It is a very small country compared to others around it. Three groups of islands in the Atlantic Ocean are also part of Portugal: the Azores (Açores), the Madeira and the Savage Isles (Ilhas Selvagens). The Savage Isles are a small group of islands with nobody on them, controlled by Madeira. The country says that Olivença is also part of it, but it is controlled by Spain (even the United Nations do not recognize the occupation).
History
Portugal became its own kingdom in 1143. The border with Spain has been almost the same since the 13th century. Fishing and trade with other countries are some of the most important economic activities.
Portugal was important in world exploration for two reasons. Henry the Navigator, a prince from Portugal, was very interested in exploration. Inventions in navigation led to a bigger knowledge of geography.
Portugal was a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries. However, it lost a lot of money soon after this. The city of Lisbon was destroyed in an earthquake in 1755. The country was occupied during the Napoleonic Wars. It lost its colony, Brazil, in 1822.
In 1910, Portugal became a Republic, and in 1926, a military group took control of the country from the Portuguese 1st Republic. This began a time of rule by fascist governments. This lasted until 1974. That year, a peaceful left-wing army coup, called the Carnation Revolution happened. The coup changed how the country was run.
The next year, Portugal allowed its colonies in Africa to be on their own: Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe. It lost its colony of East Timor in Asia to an Indonesian battle. Portugal went into the European Union in 1986. Another Asian colony, Macau, became part of China again in December 1999.
