Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country in Southwestern Europe. It is a unitary republic made up by mainland Portugal and two autonomous regions, with Lisbon as its capital and largest city. It has a population of over 10.7 million. The mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula and is bordered by Spain to the north and east; Madeira and the Azores are in the Atlantic Ocean. The western Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with the earliest signs of settlement dating to 5400 BC. Portugal was established as a county of the Kingdom of León in 868, and formally as a kingdom in the 12th century as a result of the Reconquista against the Muslims, who had occupied the Iberian Peninsula since 711. A major participant in the Age of Discovery, the kingdom made several advancements in nautical science and maritime exploration to discover new territories and sea routes, which led to the establishment of the Portuguese Empire. The kingdom became a republic in 1910 and was a dictatorship from 1926 until the dictatorship's overthrow in 1974 enabled the full establishment of democracy in 1976. Portugal is a semi-presidential constitutional unitary republic and multi-party representative democracy with four separate sovereignty bodies: president, government, parliament, and judiciary. It has a unicameral national legislature known as the Assembly of the Republic. Portugal has developed a complex system to manage its territory, even though the mainland continues to remain highly centralised. A developed country, Portugal has an advanced economy that chiefly relies upon services, industry, and tourism. Shaped by the various civilisations that have inhabitted its territory, Portugal developed a culture with a worldwide influence that allowed Portuguese to become the world's fifth-most spoken native language with more than 250 million native speakers. A member of numerous international organizations, Portugal maintains an active role in international political, cultural, economic, and military affairs, guided by a commitment to pacificism. == Etymology == The word Portugal derives from Latin Portus Cale, meaning 'port of Cale', itself the origin of Porto; Cale was a town on the Douro. The usual explanation is that it is an ethnonym derived from the Gallaeci peoples, who occupied the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. Around 136 BC, the Romans, during the Second Punic War, conquered Cale from the Carthaginians and renamed it Portus Cale. During the Middle Ages, the region around Portus Cale became known by the Visigoths as Portucale and by the Suebi as Parochiale. The name Portucale evolved into Portugale; by the 11th and 12th centuries Portugal was used to refer to the region between the Douro and Minho rivers. == History == === Prehistory === The region has been inhabited by humans since approximately 400,000 years ago. Neanderthals roamed the northern Iberian peninsula, and a hominin tooth has been found at the Nova da Columbeira Cave in Estremadura. Homo sapiens sapiens arrived in what is now Portugal around 35,000 years ago and spread rapidly, with the onset of the Neolithic dating to approximately 5400 BC. In southern Portugal, Iron Age inscribed stele have been found, representing the earliest known evidence of writing on the Iberian Peninsula. Pre-Celtic tribes inhabited Portugal and the Lusitanians occupied central, inland regions. Celts inhabited most of the remaining territory of mainland Portugal, leaving lasting traces in the language and culture such as contributing to the formation of Portuguese values and identity. === Antiquity and early Middle Ages === Romans first invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 218 BC. The Carthaginians, Rome's opponent in the Punic Wars, were expelled from the peninsula in 206 BC after the Battle of Ilipa. Within 200 years, almost the entire Iberian Peninsula had been annexed to the Roman Republic, facing resistance from local tribes, notably the Lusitanians led by Viriathus. In 409, with the decline of the Roman Empire, the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by Germanic tribes. Western Iberia was integrated into the Suebian Kingdom, with its capital at Braga. The Visigoths defeated the Suebi and ruled the peninsula until the early 8th century. In 711, the Iberian Peninsula was invaded from the south by the Umayyad Caliphate, who expanded rapidly in the peninsula as most became part of al-Andalus in 726. It was part of the Umayyad Caliphate until the caliphate's collapse in 750 when the western part of the caliphate gained its independence under Abd al-Rahman I and the establishment of the Emirate of Córdoba. This lasted until 1031, with its dissolution into 23 small kingdoms, with most of present-day Portugal ruled by the Taifa of Badajoz, then in 1022 by the Taifa of Seville. These were conquered by the Almoravids in 1086, then by the Almohads in 1147. Invasions from the north also occurred in this period, with Vikings raiding the coast, including Lisbon, between the 9th and 11th centuries. The Viking raids resulted in the establishment of small Norse settlements on the coastline between Douro and Minho. === Reconquista === The Reconquista was a series of military campaigns by northern Iberian Christian polities against the Muslim-ruled al-Andalus. It began with the Battle of Covadonga (c. 718 or 722), which led to the establishment of the Kingdom of Asturias following the defeat of the Umayyad forces by Pelagius, a Visigothic nobleman. In 868, Porto was conquered from the Moors by Vímara Peres on the orders of King Alfonso III of Asturias; Peres became the first Count of Portugal, the first milestone in the history of the future state of Portugal. With the forced abdication of Alfonso III in 910, the Kingdom of Asturias split into three kingdoms, which were reunited in 924 under the crown of León. The first County lasted until 1071, when the Kingdom of Galicia took over the region following the Battle of Pedroso. In 1096, Alfonso VI of León refounded the county and bestowed it on Henry of Burgundy, who married Alfonso's illegitimate daughter, Teresa of León. === Independence === A dispute erupted after the death of Count Henry in 1112, culminating in the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 whereby Afonso Henriques defeated the forces of his mother Countess Teresa and her lover Fernão Peres de Trava, establishing himself as sole leader of the county and achieving de facto independence. In 1139 he was victorious in the Battle of Ourique and took the title of King of Portugal. In 1143, Afonso was recognised as Afonso I, king of Portugal, by King Alfonso VII of León, and in 1179 by Pope Alexander III, with the papal bull Manifestis Probatum. Afonso Henriques and his successors, aided by military monastic orders, continued pushing south until the capture of Algarve in 1249. With minor readjustments, Portugal's borders have largely remained the same since the signing of the Treaty of Alcanizes in 1297, making it one of the oldest established international borders in Europe. In 1348-49 Portugal, as with the rest of Europe, was devastated by the Black Death. In 1373, Portugal, during the reign of King Ferdinand I, in the midst of the Fernandine Wars, made an alliance with England, which would be later strengthened by the signing of the Treaty of Windsor, making it the oldest standing alliance in the world. === Age of Discovery === In 1383, John I of Castile and Beatrice of Portugal, the only surviving legitimate child of Ferdinand I of Portugal, claimed the throne of Portugal. John of Aviz led a revolt against him and defeated the Castilians in the Battle of Aljubarrota, with the House of Aviz becoming the ruling house that led Portugal to prominence in European politics and culture. Portugal acquired its first colonies by conquering Ceuta in 1415. The country led the European exploration of the world under the sponsorship of Prince Henry the Navigator, and made several advancements in nautical science. Throughout the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed the coast of Africa, establishing trading posts for commodities including gold to slaves. The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, divided the newly located lands outside Europe between Portugal and Spain along a line west of Cape Verde. In 1498, Vasco da Gama reached India. 1500, Gaspar Corte-Real sighted Greenland, chartered by João Fernandes Lavrador two years prior. That same year, Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. The Portuguese explored the Indian Ocean, established trade routes in most of southern Asia, and sent the first direct European maritime trade and diplomatic missions to China and Japan. Portuguese sailors set out to reach eastern Asia, landing in Taiwan, Japan, Timor, Flores, and the Moluccas. Between 1519 and 1522, Ferdinand Magellan organised a Spanish expedition to the East Indies that resulted in the first circumnavigation of the globe. The Treaty of Zaragoza, signed in 1529, divided the Pacific Ocean between Spain and Portugal. === Iberian Union and Restoration === The 1578 death of King Sebastian in battle and the subsequent 1580 death of his great-uncle, King Henry, left the Portuguese throne without a direct heir, precipitating a dynastic crisis. Philip II of Spain claimed the throne on the grounds that his mother, Isabella of Portugal, was a Portuguese princess, and in 1580 he was crowned king of Portugal, forming a personal union of the two kingdoms, depriving Portugal of an independent foreign policy and leading to its involvement in the Eighty Years' War. The Dutch-Portuguese War resulted in the loss of Portugal's Indian Ocean trade monopoly between 1595 and 1663. On 15 December 1640, John, Duke of Braganza, was proclaimed king following an uprising led by disgruntled nobles on 1 December, ending the Iberian Union under the House of Habsburg, and beginning the rule of the House of Braganza. Following its defeat in the Portuguese Restoration War, Spain recognised Afonso VI as king of Portugal. The reign of John V was marked by an influx of gold into the royal treasury, supplied largely by the royal fifth and a gold rush that was one of the largest movements of people from Europe to an American colony. Lisbon was struck by a major earthquake on 1 November 1755. Following the earthquake, King Joseph I gave his prime minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, overarching powers, with Pombai becoming an enlightened despot. === Constitutional monarchy === In 1807, Portugal refused Napoleon's demand to join the Continental System of embargo against the United Kingdom; an invasion led by French General Junot followed, and Lisbon was captured in 1807. During the Napoleonic invasions, the Portuguese royal family transferred the court to Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, making it the capital between 1808 and 1821. British intervention in the Peninsular War helped support Portuguese independence, and all French troops were expelled by 1812. In 1820, a constitutionalist insurrection began in Porto, which forced King John VI and his court to return to mainland Portugal in 1821. The death of John in 1826 led to a succession crisis. His eldest son, Pedro I of Brazil, briefly succeeded as Pedro IV of Portugal, but neither the Portuguese nor the Brazilians wanted a reunified monarchy. Pedro abdicated the Portuguese crown in favour of his 7-year-old daughter, Maria da Glória. Dissatisfaction at Pedro's constitutional reforms led the "absolutist" faction of landowners and the church to proclaim his brother Miguel king in February 1828. This led to the Liberal Wars, in which Pedro forced Miguel to abdicate in favour of Maria and to go into exile in 1834. Under the constitutional monarchy, the country faced economic crises, political instability, and several coups d'état. At the same time it expanded its colonies in Africa, but this culminated in the 1890 British Ultimatum, which thwarted Portugal's imperialist ambitions and represented a devastating blow to the monarchy. === First Republic and Estado Novo === In 1908, King Carlos I and his son and heir, Luís Filipe, Prince Royal, were assassinated by republican sympathizers. In 1910, the monarchy was replaced with a republic. During World War I, Portugal fought for the Allies. However, the war increased political instability and deepened the economic crisis creating further chaos and unrest during the First Republic. These conditions led to the overthrow of the Republic in 1926 and the establishment of the Ditadura Nacional, which eventually evolved into the right-wing dictatorship of the Estado Novo, under António de Oliveira Salazar, in 1933. During the Estado Novo Portugal remained neutral in World War II. New economic development projects and relocation of mainland citizens into the overseas provinces in Africa were initiated. However, indigenous peoples already second-class citizens, were sidelined by those development projects, which led to the emergence of independence movements, in the 1960s, culminating in 1961 in the Portuguese Colonial War, which lasted until 1974. === Return to democracy === On 25 April 1974, the Carnation Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo regime, initiating the transition to democracy and also the dissolution of the Portuguese empire, from the independence of the African colonies to the Handover of Macau in 1999. Portugal was governed by a succession of unstable provisional governments, with a lot of social and political tension, during the Ongoing Revolutionary Process (PREC), until the failed coup of 25 November 1975, which paved the way for the approval of a new Constitution and the holding of new elections. After the transition to democracy, Portugal set about to remove the early aspects of socialism from the revolution period and move towards neoliberalism. In 1986, Portugal joined the European Economic Community (EEC), which led to a considerable growth of its economy. The 2010–2014 Portuguese financial crisis resulted in an international bailout and intense austerity policies, causing lasting social impacts. == Geography == Portugal comprises a mainland territory located on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe, commonly referred to as Continental Portugal, as well as the two archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores on the Atlantic Ocean. The country is situated between latitudes 30° and 42° N, and longitudes 32° and 6° W. Portugal encompasses a total area of 156,597 km2 (60,462 sq mi), of which 64,372 km2 (24,854 sq mi) consists of territorial sea and internal waters, while the country's land area amounts to 92,225 km2 (35,608 sq mi). Portugal's exclusive economic zone extends over 1,727,408 km2 (666,956 mi2), making it the third-largest in the European Union and the twentieth-largest in the world. The country's highest point is the summit of Mount Pico, located on Pico Island in the Azores, which rises to an elevation of 2,351 m (7,713 ft) above sea level. Despite the country's size, Portugal exhibits a diverse array of geomorphological landscapes as a result of its long geological evolution, shaped by two Wilson cycles, its position relative to plate boundaries, and climatic variability that produced distinct morphoclimatic zones. Continental Portugal is 67% forests and 24% agricultural. The Portuguese mainland is predominantly low-altitude, with over 70% of the territory lying below 400 m (1,300 ft) and less than 12% rising above 700 m (2,300 ft) of elevation. Its geography is structured by the Tagus River, which enters from Spain and flows into the Tagus Estuary, as 95% of areas exceeding 400 m (1,300 ft) are situated to the north of the river while the regions south of the Tagus, encompassing Alentejo and the Algarve, have 62% of the lands below 200 m (660 ft). The territory north of the Tagus is marked by mountains and plateaus incised by river valleys, whereas the south is distinguished by rolling plains. The Madeira archipelago comprises the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, together with the Desertas and Savage Islands, all of which are of volcanic origin. Approximately one third of Madeira Island lies above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in elevation, and its landscape is characterised by a dense network of deep valleys with slopes rising several hundred metres, as well as streams that originate in the island's centre and diverge towards the coast, sustained by abundant rainfall. The steep gradient and very high rainfall is a cause of flash floods with high sediment transport. The Azores is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands which, from west to east, are Flores, Corvo, Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Graciosa, Terceira, São Miguel, and Santa Maria. The islands retain much of their volcanic landforms, most visibly in volcanic cones and in the lakes that shape the scenery of the islands especially São Miguel, Flores, Terceira, Pico, and Corvo. Although rainfall is abundant, most streams in the Azores are temporary, and the predominance of agricultural land use further accentuates the torrential nature of the river regime during periods of intense precipitation. === Climate === The climate of Portugal is mainly Mediterranean. While the mainland and Madeira show a Mediterranean climate, the Azores mainly have a temperate oceanic climate. Portugal has a diverse variety of regional climates for a country of its size. The Iberian Peninsula is located at the southern margin of the temperate zone and at the northern margin of the subtropical high-pressure zone. Additionally, Portugal's climate is influenced by the seasonal latitudinal shift of the jet stream, which directly impacts the trajectory of a polar front. Typically in the winter, the jet stream moves southwards and Portugal comes under the influence of the polar front, producing colder temperatures. When the polar front moves northward, Portugal comes under the influence of the stable atmospheric conditions that bring milder weather during the summer. The high altitude zones of the Azorean islands have a temperate maritime climate while the western Azores have a humid subtropical climate. In parts of the Beja District and on Porto Santo Island the climate is semi-arid. In the Selvagens Islands the climate is that of a hot desert. Portugal is one of the warmest countries in Europe: the average temperature in mainland Portugal varies from 10–12 °C (50.0–53.6 °F) in the mountainous interior north to 17–19 °C (62.6–66.2 °F) in the south and on the Guadiana river basin, with variations from the highlands to the lowlands. Wildfires remain a serious challenge in Portugal, where 99% of the cases reported by law enforcement in 2024 were of unknown origin. Between 2014 and 2024, Portugal recorded an annual average of 12,496 fires and 112,455 ha (434 sq mi) burned, making it the European Union country with both the highest average number of wildfires and the greatest average burned area over that period. Climate change is projected to raise average temperatures in Portugal by as much as 4 °C (39.2 °F) by 2100 relative to the 1970–2010 average, with likely consequences for the country's energy supply, particularly by diminishing electricity generation capacity. === Biodiversity === Portugal is located on the Mediterranean basin, the 3rd most diverse hotspot of flora in the world. It is home to 6 terrestrial ecoregions - Azores temperate mixed forests, Cantabrian mixed forests, Madeira evergreen forests, Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests, Northwest Iberian montane forests, and Southwest Iberian Mediterranean sclerophyllous and mixed forests. Over 22% of its land area is included in the Natura 2000 network. Eucalyptus, cork oak, and maritime pine together make up 71% of the total forested area of continental Portugal. The Portuguese west coast is part of the four major Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems of the ocean. 73% of the freshwater fish occurring in the Iberian Peninsula are endemic, the largest out of any region in Europe. Among Portugal's protected areas are the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, one of Europe's last remaining stretches of wild coastline, and Montesinho Natural Park, which preserves one of the few thriving Mediterranean mountain landscapes and is an example of successful coexistence between human communities and nature. Geographical and climatic conditions facilitate the introduction of exotic species that later turn out to be invasive and destructive to the native habitats. Around 20% of the total number of extant species in continental Portugal are exotic. Portugal is the 2nd country in Europe with the highest number of threatened animal and plant species. The country as a whole is an important stopover for migratory bird species. The mammalian species of Portugal such as deer, Iberian ibex, wild boar, red fox, Iberian wolf, and Iberian lynx were once widespread throughout the country, but intense hunting, habitat degradation, and growing pressure from agriculture and livestock largely reduced their populations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Others species, such as the Portuguese ibex, became extinct, but some mammalian species have been re-expanding their native range. == Government and politics == Portugal has been a semi-presidential representative democratic republic since the ratification of the Constitution of 1976. The Constitution makes for a separation of powers among four sovereignty bodies: the president, the government, the Assembly of the Republic, and the courts. There is universal suffrage for adults over 18 years of age, with a secret ballot for all elected offices. The head of state of Portugal is the president who is elected to a five-year term by direct, universal adult suffrage. The president exercises representative functions, carries supervisory and reserve powers, being capable of using its position to shape political opinions and agendas, and promote consensus and dialogue; in addition, the office includes ex officio the supreme command of the armed forces and is advised by the Council of State. The current president of Portugal is António José Seguro; he took office after winning the runoff vote of the 2026 Portuguese presidential election. Portugal's legislative body is the Assembly of the Republic, a unicameral parliament. It consists of a single chamber with a minimum of 180 seats and a maximum of 230, elected by popular vote every four years or when dissolved. The members of parliament represent the whole country and not the constituencies for which they are elected. As the head of government, the prime minister leads the Council of Ministers which includes ministers and secretaries of state that have full executive powers, and is appointed by the president in light of electoral results after consulting with the parties with seats in the Assembly of the Republic. Portugal's current prime minister is Luís Montenegro, who took office after the AD – PSD/CDS Coalition won enough seats to form a minority government following the 2024 Portuguese legislative election. Portugal operates a multi-party system of competitive legislatures at the national, regional, and local levels. The Assembly of the Republic is dominated by three political parties, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Chega (CH), and the Socialist Party (PS), while the PSD and PS continue to be the dominant parties in the regional parliaments and at the local level. There have been recent trends towards autocratisation. Portugal has a civil law system based on Roman law and on Canon Law and influenced by German civil law. The Constitution is the supreme law of Portugal. In the Portuguese legal system, private civil law and criminal law are codified in the Código Civil and the Código Penal respectively. In Portugal, courts are organised into several levels, among the judicial, administrative, and fiscal branches. The institution of last appeal is the Supreme Court of Justice. The Constitutional Court determines the constitutionality of the laws. === Administrative divisions === Portugal is a highly centralised unitary state comprising two autonomous regions, as well as seven regions on the mainland. Subnational government in Portugal is currently organised through municipalities (concelhos), civil parishes (freguesias), and 24 intermunicipal communities (comunidades intermunicipais). In the following table, the intermunicipal communities are grouped by region: === Foreign relations === A member state of the United Nations since 1955, Portugal is a member of almost all major international organizations, and is among the countries that founded NATO in 1949, the OECD in 1961, EFTA in 1960, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) in 1996, an international organisation of countries with Portuguese as an official language. Portugal has a stable foreign policy that is the result of its history, geography, and specific foreign policy choices. It is structured around six principal regional and policy priorities: Europe, NATO and relations with the United Kingdom and with the United States, the Portuguese-speaking world, the importance of and support for Portuguese communities abroad, the internationalization of the national economy, and the strengthening of multilateralism. Portugal regards the success of European integration as paramount and is prepared, where a consensus exists among European Union member states, to endorse policies that go against with the country's national interests; it also supports general disarmament, the dismantling of political-military blocs, and the creation of a collective security system aimed at establishing an international order grounded in peace and justice among peoples. Portugal has two territorial disputes, both of which are with Spain: the Spanish town of Olivenza which has been claimed by Portugal since the 19th century, and the Portuguese Savage Islands which have been claimed by Spain since 1911. Despite causing moments of tension between the two countries, the relationship between the two countries remains excellent. === Military === The Portuguese Armed Forces consist of three branches commanded by the Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas (Armed Forces General Staff) – Marinha (Navy), Exército (Army), and Força Aérea (Air Force). In addition to the three branches of the armed forces, there is the Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Republican Guard), a gendarmerie, comprising 23,042 personnel in 2025, under the authority of both the Defence and the Home Affairs ministries. The Portuguese military serves as a self-defence force, takes part in humanitarian and peace missions undertaken by the international organisations to which Portugal belongs, and cooperates in civil defence missions. In recent years, the Portuguese military have carried out several NATO and European Union missions worldwide. The Portuguese military budget in 2025 was estimated at more than $6 billion, representing 2% of GDP. As of 2025, the three branches numbered 23,589 military personnel. Until 1999, military service was compulsory for men at age 18 becoming officially suspended during peace time and replaced by one mandatory day of sensibilization about the Armed Forces called Dia da Defesa Nacional (National Defence Day). Since 1992 women may serve in all branches of the armed forces. The Portuguese military became fully professional in 2004. The United States maintains a military presence, with 770 troops in the Lajes Air Base at Terceira Island, in the Azores. === Law enforcement === In Portugal, public prosecution is conducted by the Public Prosecution Service which is headed by the prosecutor general. The main police organisations of Portugal are the Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Republican Guard), the Polícia de Segurança Pública (Public Security Police), a civilian police force that works in urban areas; and the Polícia Judiciária (Judiciary Police), a senior criminal police body, under the authority of the Minister of Justice and endowed with administrative autonomy. Portugal has 49 correctional facilities run by the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP). The facilities include seventeen central prisons, four special prisons, twenty-seven regional prisons, and one Cadeia de Apoio (Support Detention Centre). As of 2024, the prison population stood at 12,193 inmates, with the incarceration rate increasing between 2023 and 2024. === Human rights === Portugal has a tradition of a humanistic criminal justice. The Portuguese Constitution defines the country as being one that is based on human dignity. It abolished capital punishment and life imprisonment in the 19th century, and forbids extradition in the case of either sentence possibly being imposed. The Portuguese Penal Code provides for a wide range of non-custodial sentences, with the aim of keeping a prison sentence a punishment of last resort. Portuguese penitentiary laws have traditionally been progressive, and based on rehabilitation as the main goal of the implementation of such a sentence. Since the 2000s, numerous laws strengthening LGBT rights were passed in Portugal. In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the personal possession and consumption of all drugs. Portugal faces issues such as police brutality, widespread racism and discrimination against minorities, migrant slavery, restrictions on freedom of association and collective bargaining, violations of wage, hour, and overtime laws, and treatment inside prisons. == Economy == Portugal is a high-income country with an advanced economy that follows the Mediterranean model. The country's economic policy is framed by strategic guidelines called Major Plan Options, which are subsequently implemented through the State Budget. Portugal has the EU's 14th-largest economy by nominal GDP and the 12th-largest economy by PPP-adjusted GDP. Its PPP-adjusted GDP per capita stood at to 81% of the EU average in 2025. As of 2024, the country's service sector contributes the most for its economic output followed the industrial sector and its primary sector. In 2025, Portugal unemployment rate was 5.8%. As of 2024, its poverty rate after social transfers is 15.4% of the population while in 2023, the at-risk-of-poverty rate before social transfers stood at 40.3%. The national debt of Portugal is estimated at 89.7% relative to GDP as of 2025. Portugal is part of the European single market which represents more than 450 million consumers. Portugal replaced the escudo with the euro in 2002. Its monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank. The country has been a part of the Eurozone since its inception. Portugal's central bank is the Banco de Portugal and it is part of the European System of Central Banks. In 2024, Portugal had a combined share of exports and imports that amounted to 90% of its total GDP. As of February 2026, Portugal's main export markets were Spain at 26% and Germany at 13.9%. Its main exports are machinery and mechanical appliances, vehicles and other transportation equipment, base metals, and plastics. Portugal's main import markets in 2026 were Spain at 32.9% and Germany at 11.9%. Portugal's main imports are machinery and mechanical appliances, chemical products, agricultural products, and mineral fuels. Since the 1990s, Portugal's economic model has been based on public consumption and economic development focused on exports, private investment and the development of its high-tech sector. Consequently, business services have overtaken more traditional industries such as wine and cork in export earnings. The PSI, Portugal's stock market index operated by the Euronext Lisbon, includes 16 major Portugal-based companies. Preeminent Portuguese companies include Sonae, Mota-Engil, Corticeira Amorim, The Navigator Company and EDP. In 2025, Portugal ranked 16th among European Union member states in innovation by the European Innovation Scoreboard, while placing 31st worldwide in the Global Innovation Index. In 2024, neuroscience accounted for 12.5% of Portugal's scientific output, the second-highest national share, and the country ranked 23rd worldwide in total neuroscience output. Among the research institutions based in the country are the Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, and the Champalimaud Foundation which was the world's eleventh top non-profit institution in neuroscience research between 2019 and 2023. === Agriculture and fishery === The Portuguese agriculture sector accounts for 2.9% of the country's total GDP as of 2024. Portugal's agricultural land encompasses an area of approximately 3,697,000 ha (36,970 km2) as of 2023, of which 17.4% is dedicated to organic farming, representing the fifth-highest share worldwide. Despite the extent of the country's agricultural land, the diversity of Portugal's edaphoclimatic and agroecological conditions enables the cultivation of various agricultural products such as wheat, maize, and rice, with each one having an important role in the primary sector, and resulting in an agricultural self-sufficiency rate of 85% as of 2018. Portugal ranks sixth in the world in seafood consumption per capita, with each Portuguese person consuming on average 54 kg (119 lb) of fish in 2023. The high fish consumption in Portugal is due to tradition and cultural roots, politics, dynamics of the fish market system, and geography which makes fisheries and the consumption of seafood products extremely valuable. While Portugal captured 185,000 metric tons of fish in 2019, down from the 222,000 metric tons in 2010, fish and seafood represent the single highest import of biocapacity from abroad, amounting to 1,600,000 global hectares in total. === Industry and services === Portugal's industry accounts for 21.2% of the country's total GDP as of 2024, down from an annual average of 26% over the period between 1953 and 1973. The lower contribution of manufacturing to Portugal's economy has led to lower real GDP growth rates between 1974 and 2019 than during the period between 1950 and 1973. As of 2025, Portugal's automobile industry produced the biggest share of the country's exports. The automobile industry accounts for 20.2% of the country manufacturing exports and 82.8% of the total value of its exports employing 43.247 workers in 2020. Portugal's service sector accounted for 76.5% of the country's total economic output as of 2024. Tourism, retail, and telecommunication are all major industries. Tourism is an important industry representing 11.4% of the Portugal's total GDP as of 2024. Portugal attracted 29 million international tourists in 2024, ranking fifteenth in the world in that year for inbound tourism. === Infrastructure === Portugal has a 14,342 km (8,912 mi) road network, of which 3,113 km (1,934 mi) are part of a system of 48 motorways, making it the eighth largest motorway system among 42 European countries as of 2024. The country has 37 civil airports, of which five are international airports. A national railway system is administered by Comboios de Portugal (CP). Rail transport of passengers and goods is made using the 2,526 km (1,570 mi) of railway lines in service as of 2024. The major seaports are located in Sines, Leixões, Lisbon, Setúbal, Aveiro, Figueira da Foz, and Faro. As of 2023, 66.7% of Portugal's energy consumption was supplied from abroad, representing the eleventh-highest level of energy dependency in the European Union. The country is pursuing energy transition and has invested in the development of renewable energy sources such as the world's first commercial wave power farm. Portugal has expanded the role of renewable sources in its energy sector, with renewables accounting for 35.2% of energy consumption, up from 21.9% in 2007, and 78.1% of total installed capacity, compared with 59.3% in 2014. In 2021, the country completed the phase-out of coal-fired generation. == Demographics == Portugal has a population of 10,749,635, of whom 9,205,938 are Portuguese nationals and the remainder are foreign residents at 1,543,697, as of 2024. Portugal is steadily aging and has the world's third-highest proportion of elderly citizens, comprising nearly one-fourth of its entire population. With a female share of the population at 52.2%, the country has the fourth-highest proportion of females in the European Union and one of the world's highest. Portugal has a fertility rate of 1.4, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1 and is one of the world's lowest. The country has had a fertility rate below the replacement rate of 2.1 since the 1980s that has led to the country having a median age of 47.3, one of the highest in the world. As of 2024, 24.3% of the population is aged 65 or older. Despite the effects of net migration, due to low fertility rates Portugal's population is projected to drop to 8.3 million by 2100. Historically a country of emigration, Portugal has been a net recipient of immigrants since 1993 except between 2011 and 2016 during the Portuguese financial crisis. Since 2016, Portugal has experienced a marked increase in immigration, with the proportion of non-nationals in the total population rising from 3.5% to 9.8% by 2024, the largest concentrations living in the Algarve and the Lisbon metropolitan area, and with 24.5% of all births registered in 2024 being to foreign-born women. In Portugal, White Portuguese constitute the largest racial and ethnic group, representing 84.2% of the population, followed by multiracial Portuguese at 3.4%, Black Portuguese at 2.2%, Asian Portuguese at 0.7%, and the Romani at 0.6%. In 2023, 88% of the Portuguese population lived in urban areas. The capital city, Lisbon, has a population of 575,739 as of 2024. It is part of Lisbon metropolitan area, the biggest metropolitan area of Portugal with 3 million people. === Religion === Portugal has been a secular state since 1911, and it guarantees religious freedom. Although Portugal has no official religion, the Catholic Church has a long history there that predates the country's formation and can be traced back to the 3rd century. According to the 2021 Census, 80.2% of the Portuguese population are Catholic, while 14.7% are nonreligious. The country has small Protestant, Latter-day Saints, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Eastern Orthodox Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baháʼí, Buddhist, Jewish, and Spiritist communities. Influences from African Traditional Religion and Chinese Traditional Religion are also felt among many people, particularly in fields related to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional African Herbal Medicine. Even though Portugal has deep ties with Christianity, as of 2019 the majority of its people were shown to be tolerant towards followers of other faiths, with the Muslim community perceiving itself as thoroughly integrated into Portugal and believing that the country provided conditions conducive to smooth integration. === Languages === Portuguese is the official and predominantly spoken language in Portugal. It is one of 24 official and working languages of the European Union. Portuguese is the fifth-most widely spoken first language in the world, with around 250 million native speakers. Portuguese Sign Language is officially protected by the country's constitution. The recognised regional languages and dialects include Mirandese, spoken in Terra de Miranda, and Barranquenho, in Barrancos. Portuguese people are typically bilingual, with 67.5% speaking two languages, and rank among the world's most proficient non-native English speakers, with Portugal placed sixth globally for English proficiency in the 2025 EF English Proficiency Index. === Education === The educational system is divided into preschool (for those under age six), basic education (nine years, in three stages, compulsory), secondary education (three years, compulsory since 2010), and higher education (subdivided into university and polytechnic education). Universities are usually organised into faculties. Institutes and schools are also common designations for autonomous subdivisions of Portuguese higher education institutions. Portuguese universities have existed since 1290. The University of Coimbra, the oldest Portuguese university, was first established in Lisbon before moving to Coimbra. Historically, within the scope of the Portuguese Empire, the Portuguese founded the oldest engineering school in the Americas (the Real Academia de Artilharia, Fortificação e Desenho of Rio de Janeiro) in 1792, as well as the oldest medical college in Asia (the Escola Médico-Cirúrgica of Goa) in 1842. Presently, the largest university in Portugal is the University of Lisbon. The Bologna process has been adopted by Portuguese universities and polytechnical institutes in 2006. Higher education in state-run educational establishments is provided on a competitive basis, a system of numerus clausus is enforced through a national database on student admissions. However, every higher education institution offers also a number of additional vacant places through other admission processes for sportsmen, mature applicants (over 23 years old), international students, foreign students from the Lusosphere, degree owners from other institutions, students from other institutions (academic transfer), former students (readmission), and course change, which are subject to specific standards and regulations set by each institution or course department. === Health === Portugal has a predominantly universal tax-funded health care system, called Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS), that operates alongside public-sector health insurance schemes called health subsystems funded mainly through employee and employer contributions, as well as private voluntary health insurance. Primary and hospital care are provided by both public and private entities, with the private sector and complementing services offered by the SNS. In 2023, Portugal's health care was 38% privately funded and 62% government-funded, the 3rd lowest public share on health spending in the European Union. Portugal has among the highest levels of health inequity in the OECD, driven by limited public spending, uneven distribution of services, low household income, long waiting times, and policy shortcomings. Portugal ranked 23rd in the world in 2024 in life expectancy with 85.4 years for women and 79.8 years for men, and it had an infant mortality rate of 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 2022, the leading cause of death were cardiovascular diseases, at 25.4%. Portugal presents several adverse public-health indicators, including the 3rd lowest share of people reporting good health in the European Union, in 2024, at 54%, the highest alcohol consumption with 11.9 litres (2.6 imp gal; 3.1 US gal) consumed per person, in 2020, and the highest share of adult population living a sedentary lifestyle, in 2022, at 73%, a pattern reinforced by limited active-transport infrastructure and unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The percentage of the Portuguese population suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity between 2022 and 2024 was on average 11.9%, which makes Portugal the third-highest country in Southern Europe for this indicator where the average stands at 5.9%. == Culture == Portugal has developed a specific culture due to, initially before its existence, the influence from various civilisations that have crossed Europe, especially the Mediterranean, and later, during the period of Portugal's engagement in the Age of Discovery which introduced cultural elements from outside of the European continent and became a central element of Portuguese national identity. Portugal is well known for its heritage and architecture, sacred sites, summer festivals, poetry, its music (especially the fado), and cuisine (especially its wine). As of 2026, UNESCO inscribed 17 properties in Portugal on the World Heritage List. There are 13 public holidays in Portugal; 10 June is the national day of Portugal, celebrated as the Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas (Portugal, Camões, and Portuguese Communities Day). === Art and architecture === The history of visual art in Portugal dates back into the Paleolithic. The earliest evidence showing an attempt at depicting motion was found at the Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde. Over time, foreign and native influences, together with developments in manufacturing, have led to the creation and development of a number of crafts that are typical of Portugal, the most notable of which being the azulejo, talha dourada, and Portuguese pavement, which formed the basis of some Portuguese architectural styles, such as the Pombaline style. Historically, religion, specifically Christianity, had an influential role in Portuguese art, as it was a recurrent theme widely employed in many art forms, such as in painting. Throughout the country's history, artwork in Portugal was typically done by local artists who, depending on location, followed different variations in style, giving Portugal a diverse array of artistic styles throughout the country, an example of this being the thatch houses of Santana, in Madeira. === Literature === Portugal has a literary tradition that predates the Portuguese language going back into the early 13th century. Portuguese literature developed through song as well as the written page known as cantigas. The cantigas drew practitioners from all social ranging from King Denis I to Martin Codax who was a minstrel. The earliest work of Portugal's literature is the Ora faz ost’o senhor de Navarra, a cantiga de escárnio e maldizer written in Galician–Portuguese by João Soares de Paiva at around the year 1200. Portuguese literature developed under the influence of both European geopolitical developments and broader European literary traditions. The Hundred Years' War helped foster the development of Portuguese chronicles by Fernão Lopes, which constitute a valuable record of some of Europe's earliest encounters with peoples beyond the continent. European medieval chivalric literature, together with didactic religious literature transmitted through adaptations and partial translations, contributed to the development of Portuguese poetry in the translated works of Norman French Arturian narratives. Portuguese literature flourished during the Age of Discovery, its most notable example being Os Lusíadas by Luís Vaz de Camões. Modern Portuguese literature took shape through the work of Almeida Garrett, one of the early founders of Portuguese Romanticism. Portugal has one Nobel Prize–winning author—José Saramago (1998). === Music === The history of music in Portugal dates back to the 6th century. The earliest record of a singer in Portugal is from the year 525. Portuguese music initially consisted mostly of liturgical music and troubadourism. Over time, new folk traditions together with the influence of foreign cultures and the creation of new instruments, especially guitars, led to a diverse variety of regional folk music such as the fado, the Coimbra fado, Desgarrada, and Madeira's folk music. Popular music in Portugal after the Carnation Revolution has been heavily influenced by American trends, which has led into the evolution of Hip-hop tuga and popularization of Rock. Historically, Portugal has been a country of emigration which has heavily influenced the Pimba in the 20th century and led to the introduction of Portuguese music into other cultures such as the ukelele in Hawaii in the 19th century. === Holidays === Officially, Portugal has 13 national, government-recognised holidays. Public holidays in Portugal are regulated by the Labour Code. Besides the national holidays, there are 3 regional holidays celebrated only in Madeira and the Azores and 2 facultative holidays. The national holidays in Portugal are: New Year's Day on January 1, Good Friday on a Friday between March 20 and April 23, Easter on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25, Freedom Day on April 25, International Workers' Day on May 1, Feast of Corpus Christi on a Thursday between May 21 and June 24, Portugal Day on June 10, Assumption Day on August 15, Implementation of the Republic Day on October 5, All Saints' Day on November 1, Restoration of the Independence Day on December 1, Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, and Christmas Day on December 25. The regional holidays in Madeira are Madeira Day on July 1, and 1st Octave Day on December 26. The Azores celebrate Azores Day on a Monday between May 11 and June 14. Optional holidays in Portugal are the Entrudo and one municipal holiday allowed per concelho. === Cuisine === Portuguese cuisine is influenced by both the Mediterranean and Atlantic diets. Seafood, brassicas, potatoes, bread, dairy, and olive oil are traditional staples. Bacalhau has such a broad presence in Portugal that it is considered a national dish, along with the pastel de nata. Traditional Portuguese sweets are known as conventual sweets. Large quantities of sugar and eggs are used. Popular Portuguese beverages include its wines, a craft that was introduced in Portugal by the Romans, and of which are such notable examples as Port and Madeira. Beer has been brewed in Portugal since the Chalcolithic. Tea has been produced on São Miguel Island since the 19th century. === Sport === Portugal has contributed to the popularity and globalisation of sport through internationally recognised athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardinho, Naide Gomes, and Carlos Lopes, as well as through the popularity of its three largest football clubs. Football is the most popular sport in Portugal. The Portugal men's national football team won the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Portugal is among the world's leading futsal countries, with its men's national team having won the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2021, the UEFA Futsal Championship in 2018 and 2022, and the Futsal Finalissima in 2022. In athletics, the country has set several records and has earned more medals in this sport than in any other at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In traditional sport, Portugal is noted for its classical dressage as well as native sports such as jogo do pau and jogo da malha. Portugal has several established sporting centres across the country, including the Algarve and Lisbon, which are international golf destinations and have hosted motorsport events such as Formula One and Grand Prix motorcycle racing, as well as Nazaré and Peniche, which are known for surfing and annually host the TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge and the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, respectively. == See also == Outline of Portugal == Notes == == References == === Sources === == External links == Geographic data related to Portugal at OpenStreetMap National English language newspaper National Wine Website News about Portugal from the Portuguese American Journal Portugal at UCB Libraries GovPubs Portugal profile from the BBC News Prestage, Edgar; Jayne, Kingsley Garland (1911). "Portugal" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). p. 134–163. Portuguese Pamphlets Collection from the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress Wikimedia Atlas of Portugal Government Official Parliament website Official Portuguese Government website (in English and Portuguese) Trade World Bank Summary Trade Statistics Portugal Travel Official Portuguese Government Travel/media website Official Travel and Tourism office website