10 Interesting Facts About Portugal.

The size of Portugal is 92,212 square meters. The population is 10.3 million people. 

This country is not big, but it is very interesting.People's smiles in Portugal are as bright as the sun rays throughout the year.

Do you want to know the truth about Portugal? Read this article and you will definitely find out something new about this country.

1. Portugal is the oldest country in Europe.

King Afonso Henriques became the first king of Portugal in 1139.Lisbon is four centuries older than Rome. The Phoenicians settled in Lisbon approximately in 1200 BC.

2. The world’s oldest bookstore is in Lisbon. 

If you love reading books, visit Bertrand Bookstore. It is situated in Lisbon Chiado district. This store was established in 1732. You will admire its exterior facade with its spectacular display of mosaic tiles. By the way, Portugal is a country of tiles. You can notice it when buying a property in Portugal.

3. The shortest – and longest – reigning monarchs.

Afonso I was the king of Portugal for more than 73 years. Luis Filipe, on the other hand, was king for only 20 minutes.   

4. There’s always time for coffee.

No matter how much work the Portuguese have, they never forget about coffee breaks.The espresso-sized bica in a tiny cup inspires Portuguese people every day. 

5. Portuguese is the official language of 9 countries

Once upon a time Portugal was a global empire. The Portuguese language has traveled beyond the shores of the country. In fact, over 236 million people worldwide are native Portuguese speakers.

Portuguese is the official language in Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Principe, Sao Tome, and Equatorial Guinea.

6. Renewable energy is the strong point of Portugal. 

Portugal is investing heavily in renewable energy. In 2016 the entire country ran for almost five days entirely on renewable energy powered by sun, water and wind.  

7. Portugal is one of the world’s best surf spots.

Portugal is a perfect choice for surfers. It has 800 km of Atlantic coastline and a mild warm climate makes it a year-round surfing hotspot. 

8. Portugal is the world’s largest cork producer. 

Did you know that Portugal is a home to the world’s largest cork forest and produces over 70% of its cork exports? So, you can find many cork coasters and beautiful cork handbags in street markets and shops of Portugal.  

9. A Portuguese explorer was the first to complete a full journey around the earth

Ferdinand Magellan is a Portuguese explorer. He led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

10. Port Wine is Portugal’s most famous export and its national drink.

Porto Wine is produced exclusively in Portugal’s Douro Valley, the third-oldest protected wine region. Port Wine is a sweet, red fortified wine. It became very popular with the English in the 18th century.  

Did you know all of those facts or found out something you never knew?

Portugal is worth visiting, worth living and worth getting acquainted with. 

The Portuguese economy has been growing in recent years. The cost of living in Portugal is the lowest in Western Europe. 

That is why people from other countries choose Portugal for living and investment. Real estate investment is really profitable.