Portugal, officially The Portuguese Republic, is a country in southern Europe, founded in 1143, occupying a total area of 92,212 km2. It borders Spain to the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. The Portuguese territory includes two autonomous regions: the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores, in the Atlantic Ocean. One of Europe’s oldest extant nations, Portugal’s landscape is crowned with castles and dramatic walled towns. It has a population of 10,6 million people. The signs of the Portuguese presence around the world are still visible and this is the reason why Portuguese is one of the most spoken languages worldwide and the Portuguese are one of the peoples more open to other civilizations. Portugal has been a Republic since 1911 and its government is a Parliamentary Democracy. A member of the European Union (EU) since 1986, Portugal is a nation in full development that has always kept its best treasure - its ability to welcome people. This makes this country an attractive and safe place.

by Raisa Stoyanova, 8v