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Portugal Facts & Worksheets

Portugal is a country in southwestern Europe bordered by the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and Spain.

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Officially known as the Portuguese Republic, Portugal is a country in southwestern Europe bordered by the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and Spain.

See the fact file below for more information on the Portugal or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Portugal worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND

  • In the 10th century, Portugal independently emerged after the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. It was then ruled by Counts, who were vassals of the king of Leon.
  • In 1095, Dona Teresa and her husband ruled Portugal after it was handed down by her father. Later, rebellion ended the rule of Dona Teresa after she was defeated by Don Alfonso Henriques.
  • By 1179, Papal diplomats recognised Alfonso as the King of Portugal and Portugal as independent from Leon.
  • After a series of rebellions and political instability in the late 14th century, Portugal made an alliance with a powerful empire, England, in 1386. By the 15th century, it became a maritime nation, which followed the with the capture of Ceuta and Azores.
  • Navigation was turned into fine art by Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. He funded ships and explorations until Bartolomeu Dias discovered the route that rounded the Cape of Good Hope.
  • Following Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the West Indies, Portugal settled its disputes with Spain through the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494.
  • In 1536, the inquisition was formed in Portugal which tortured and executed non Christians, including Muslims and Protestants.
  • By the late 17th century, the discovery of gold in Brazil greatly funded the Portuguese treasury. After a century, the court fled to Brazil after the invasion of the French army.
  • In 1910, Portugal was declared as a republic after a civil war.
  • Compared to its neighbor country, Portugal is only one-sixth the size of Spain in terms of land area. It has a total area of 92,391 sq. km. The capital and largest city, Lisbon, has a population of 2.8 million people as of 2011.

FLAG

  • The current flag of Portugal was adopted a year after the establishment of the Republic on June 19, 1911. From a blue and white background, the new republic adopted green and red, which means hope and blood, respectively.
  • The red shield designed with yellow castles represents their victory against the Moors. The small blue shields in the middle represent the five Moorish kings who were killed by the Portuguese King Alfonso I.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

  • Like Spain, the majority of Portuguese people are Roman Catholics. They also love soccer or futebol as sports. Due to its religious background, Portuguese celebrate many festivals and holidays, including Fat Tuesday, Lent, Easter, Feast of Epiphany, and days of saints, such as St. Anthony, John, and Peter.
  • About 10 million of its population speak Portuguese. Portuguese is a Romance language with Latin roots. It was declared as the official language by King Dinis. Due to colonization, Portuguese is widely spoken in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Macao, Principe, and Sao Tome.
  • Among the traditional Portuguese food and drinks are caldo verde, grilled sardines, broa, vinho verde, cozida a portuguesa, and cataplana. Bacalhau or salt cod has been the national dish since the 15th century. Cinnamon is a common flavoring for desserts.
  • There are about 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Portugal, including monuments, historic centers, and landmarks.
  • Known as land of the poets, lyric poetry emerged in Portugal during the Renaissance period.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

  • Portugal is the first unified national-state in Western Europe which contributed to its homogenous history and culture.
  • In 1910, King Manuel II was overthrown, followed by the establishment of the republic. The First Republic of Portugal lasted from 1910 to 1926. By 1926, a coup overthrew the parliamentary democratic government and formed an authoritarian regime.
  • Antonio de Oliveira Salazar ruled Portugal (Estado Novo) from 1932 until 1974.
  • On April 25, 1974, a democratic republic was established after the Revolution of the Carnations.
  • Today, Portugal’s executive branch is headed by the chief of state, the president who is elected every five years. The president is the commander-in-chief and responsible for the appointment and dismissal of the prime minister.
  • The parliament consists a Unicameral Assembly with 230 deputies. The chief policy-making body is the Council of Ministers designated by the constitution.

Portugal Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Portugal across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Portugal worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Portugal which is a country in southwestern Europe bordered by the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and Spain.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Portugal Facts
  • Colors and Symbols
  • Portuguese History
  • A Taste of Portugal
  • Naval Rivalry
  • Portugal and Colony
  • Portuguese Facts
  • When in Portugal
  • Crossing Portugal
  • Vasco da Gama: Portugal’s Finest
  • Take a Tour!

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Link will appear as Portugal Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 12, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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