Portugal´s Polulation and Economy

657 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Portugal culture

Portugal would be agreed to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From it natural wonders to its amazing architecture, Portugal would be a great place for anyone to visit. Portugal’s official name is Portuguese Republic or Republica Portuguesa. It is located on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, and is bordered by Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is mainly popular for its food, history, and sports, all of which they have se important records for.
Portugal’s political past has had a variety of types Government. They have ranged from monarchy and constitutional monarchy to republic and dictatorship. Democracy came in really late for Portugal. Today Portugal is a modern parliamentary democracy, which was adopted in 1976. It has a similar government like us with a president and 3 branches of government (legislative, judicial, and executive), however it has a prime minister that is head of the national government. The current president of Portugal is Anibal Cavaro Silva and is the head of State. In Portugal a president is elected by popular vote to a five year term and is legible for a second term.
Portugal’s economy has had a positive increase since it became part of the European Community (EU) in 1986, although they had had weak growth and suffered from recession in the early 21 century. Being once one of the poorest countries in all of Western Europe is now strong and really healthy. What was once a country with subsistence based economy (being more reliable on natural resources) is now a country with a modern commercial economy. Today Portuguese are employed in industry or providing services, while a really small amount is still farming. Portugal’s trading partners are those of the European Union. Out ...

... middle of paper ...

...terms of Holidays. They have similar holidays as we do such as Christmas, New Year, and Easter. Carnival is also one of their biggest traditions. Carnival is celebrated by many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries like Mexico and Brazil. Carnival consists of people from all over the world that usually come in costumes to a parade with colorful dancers and floats. In Portugal their main religion there is Roman Catholic which is about 85% of their current population. Only 25% of those people go to church.
Portugal is really famous for its food. From its port wine to its salted cod, portugal offers a variety of unique foods. Portugal is the seventh largest wine producer in the world. “Wine was introduced into Portugal by the Greeks, the Romans, the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians, and the Portuguese began exporting their wine to Rome during the Roman Empire.”

Show More
Related

  • How Did The European Union Outweigh The Costs

    393 Words  | 1 Pages

    The European Union has been helped economically ever since World War II. Right after World War II’s end, Europe was struggling to hold on. The countries of the modern-day European Union thought it would be a good idea to come together and help each others struggling economy. To this day, this decision has had a very positive outcome on the EU’s economy. As shown in Diagram 1, the European Union combined together has the world’s highest GDP at 18.3 Trillion USD as compared to the United States’ 17.4 Trillion USD GDP and China’s 10.4 Trillion USD GDP. The idea

    Read More

  • History of Native Americans in Brazil

    531 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like many Latin American countries, Brazil was originally inhabited by over two thousand distinct Native American tribes who’s history goes back over 10,000 years. However, they left scarce written records, hence little is know about them. Even so, today, Brazil is home to the largest population of un-contacted people in the world. During the age of colonization, Portugal flourished as it expanded its territories in both Africa and India. Yet, competition among colonizers increased as Portugal continued to zero-sum vie for territory against Spain. Pope Alexander VI fearing trade wars between two Catholic countries, declared in the Treaty of Tordesillas that newly discovered land, outside of Europe, to the west of the antemeridian* line to be considered Spanish and east Portuguese. Yet, unbeknownst to Pope Alexander VI, Brazil jettisoned into the Atlantic well beyond the antemeridian. In 1500 CE Portuguese’s explorers made first contact in Brazil and claimed it for Portugal.

    Read More

  • How Did The Portuguese Encounter In Brazil

    1509 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Spanish and Portuguese were able to thrive in China during the sixteenth century, because China already had a well-established silk industry. The Chinese were interested in trading with the Spanish for silver; the Chinese were also interested in Jesuits as middlemen in Japanese trade. In contrast, the Portuguese did not have much prosperity in Brazil at the beginning of its settlement. The Portuguese had to start from nothing and had to introduce sugarcane for the sake of producing revenue in Brazil. In addition, the Portuguese had to import slaves from Africa in order to cultivate sugarcane. The constant, economic encounters that took place in sixteenth-century China and Brazil were more than just trade. When people engage in trade with people of other countries, they are taking part in globalization. The economic interests of people and countries affect the customs, languages, and families of the inhabitants of the area. Even though the Age of Discovery happened centuries ago, globalization continues to develop today, because new technology and laws are being created to make commerce easier or harder to

    Read More

  • Brazil Research Paper

    658 Words  | 2 Pages

    Other Portuguese explorers followed Cabral, in search of valuable goods for European trade but also for unsettled land and the opportunity to escape poverty in Portugal itself.

    Read More

  • The Economic Case of Brazil

    2110 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the 1500s Pedro Alvares Cabral landed on Brazil, previously a inhabited by tribal nations, and claimed the land in the name of Portugal. Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until September 7, 1822 when it declared its independence becoming the Empire of Brazil making the nation a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. In early 1964, a Military junta took control of the nation until it fell in 1985 further changing the structure of the nation, and finally in 1988 a formal constitution was created enacting 26 states encompassing its boarders. Throughout the history of Brazil, the nation was never able to fully immerse itself in the international market and expand its economy, until today. Latin America has not had the best of luck when it comes to economic development and many nations in Latin America have similar issues when it comes to economic and societal development, and many of these issues are cause by the same things. For example, before the military coup in 1964 Brazil was in massive amounts of debt to international partners, however, during the military rule the payment of this debt was halted so the trust and economic backing of countries stopped with the payments. Many plans have been enacted after the fall of the military control to reverse the economic downfall that occurred in the country and continent in the 20th century and especially in the 1980s, the lost decade. In Brazil alone, there have been at least seven economic plans to reverse the economic hardships of the country, from the Cruzado Plan to the Real Plan, none seemed to work. However, in the past decade the Brazilian economy has seen an amazing increase and the condition of life of the people in the nation has increased with it. The quest...

    Read More

  • European Union and the North American Free Trade

    2910 Words  | 6 Pages

    Over the course of sixty years, the European Union (EU) has evolved to become one of the most economically and politically integrated regions in the world. Compare and contrast the EU with one other major global trading bloc, such as NAFTA or ASEAN, with which you are familiar.

    Read More

  • The End of Absolutism in Europe

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    Russell-Wood, A. J. R. Portuguese empire, 1415-1808 a world on the move. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins UP, 1998. Print.

    Read More

  • The Emerging American Character During the 1700’s

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another great navigator from Portugal was Henry the navigator, he was the prince of Portugal who began to establish an observatory and also a school of navigation, and he also directed many long voyages that ignited the growth of Portugal’s colonial empire.

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast Spanish Culture on Christmas

    620 Words  | 2 Pages

    In America, Christmas is celebrated on one day, December 25th, but in Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from December 16th to February 2nd, whereas in Puerto Rico people celebrate Christmas from December 24th to January 6th. Americans just celebrate this one day because it is the day Jesus was born. The Mexican people celebrate for so long for many reasons. From December 16th to Christmas Eve they perform “Posada,” which means that they celebrate the time in which Joseph and Mary looked for an inn in Bethlehem. A few days after Christmas ...

    Read More

  • Mexico: Beyond Stereotypes and Demographics

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    MEXICO! If you’re anything like me, the first things you think about when you hear Mexico are tacos, sombreros, Chihuahuas, and piñatas. Well truth is you’re right to think about that, but there is still so much more to learn about the lovely country, traditions, culture, and people. Mexico is the country at the south end of North America, right below the United States, and directly above Central America. Mexico was founded on September 27, 1821. Its capital is Mexico City. According to the 2013 World Bank Census the population of Mexico is about 122 million people. That’s roughly 1/3 (one third) the population of the United States. Mexico is a fast growing country. The population in 1960 was only about 39 million.

    Read More

  • Spain

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Kingdom of Spain is a constitutional monarchy governed by the constitution approved in 1978 (The World Factbook). The executive branch of the state consists of a monarch and the Prime Minister (ibid.). The head of the state is a hereditary monarch, currently King Juan Carlos, who has right to approve laws, dissolve the legislative branch of government, propose a candidate for the post of the prime minister, and is also a head of military force (The Columbia Encyclopedia, The World Factbook). Nevertheless, the King and royal family do not govern the state but rather act as official figureheads (Issues in Context Online Collection). The prime minister is the head of government, currently Mariano Rajoy (ibid.). Spain is one of the bicameral legislative states, that is, the National Assembly is subdivided into the Congress of Deput...

    Read More

  • The Similarities And Differences Of Batistas And Castros Affects O

    534 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although it is certain that Fidel Castro and Fulgencio Batista would not have been able to peacefully sit in the same room together, they are alike in more ways than either man would ever have liked to admit. When reviewing the effects they had on Cuban history, many similarities could be noted. At the very start of each man's political career, he overthrew his predecessor using some sort of militant force. In Batista's case, this was achieved by staging a coup with military backing. For Castro, he was a main figurehead in the Cuban Revolution who eventually emerged as Cuba's leader for many years to come. At the onset of both leader's career's as Cuba's leader, Batista and Castro were admired by the majority of the public, but they went on to establish dictatorships and suspended the constitution, thus were later disliked by many.

    Read More

  • The History Of Brazil

    768 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 500th birthday of modern-era Brazil was celebrated in 2000, recognizing April 1500, the date that the first Portuguese explorer, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, first landed on Brazilian shores on the north-east coast of Bahia (Fausto). Like many post-colonial countries, Brazil’s official “birth” is only representative of the date that Europeans arrived, not taking into account the fact that many Amerindians already inhabited the vast nation. Nonetheless, following the year 1500, the Portuguese established Brazil as a major trade route and economic zone for the cross-Atlantic European trading companies, as plantations and economic enterprises began to spring up across the lands. Some of the major economic advantages found in the land’s resources were sugar and tobacco plantations, wood and gold, which was in plenty of supply especially in the 17th century (Fausto). With the growing number of plantations also brought a significant amount of slave trade from Africa, a situation which contributes to the complicated identity that has existed throughout history for Brazilian citizens. The Portuguese were able to manage...

    Read More

  • Essay About Mexico

    633 Words  | 2 Pages

    Our neighbor,Mexico is very interesting and much more complex than normally think. It has a variety of celebrations and customs.The people of Mexico are fun loving people.It’s beaches and warm temperatures attract tourists each year. One important thing that attracts the tourist to Mexico is its people. They show pride for their country and welcome other people to be part of it.

    Read More

  • An Essay About Vasco Da Gama

    913 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vasco da Gama made many discoveries and achievements during his lifetime. He was the first person ever to sail directly from Portugal to India around the Cape of Good Hope. This allowed the Portugese people access to Indian markets and many European spices. His voyage showed his country that wealth could be attained from Indian goods and trading at those markets. Da Gama was able to force his way into the Indian trading system, and established Portugal as a huge supplier of luxury goods. He brought much wealth to Portugal because of this (history.com).

    Read More

More about Portugal´s Polulation and Economy

Open Document