Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
July 16th 2008Europe » Portugal » Central » Coimbra 16th July. Bye bye Lisbon, hello Coimbra. As I did my final packing just after 09:00 I was conflicted in my feelings. On the one hand I was relieved to be leaving Lisbon where I’d had an extende ... [full story]
Map of Portugal
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