Portugal has been a Republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910. Its status as a democratic state began with the so-called Carnation Revolution on April 25th, 1974, which brought down the authoritarian, dictatorship established by António de Oliveira Salazar in 1932.

According to the constitution of 1976, Portugal's chief of state is the President of the Republic, who is directly elected for a five-year term. The President represents the nation, serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, appoints the Prime Minister and convenes or dissolves parliament as necessary.

The government is headed by the Prime Minister, who appoints the Council of Ministers. These ministers are responsible for debating and approving bills to be submitted to parliament. Parliament (known as the Assembly of the Republic) is a chamber composed of 230 members elected by the public, and is the representative assembly of all Portuguese citizens. Parliamentary elections occur every four years, just like elections for regional governments and local districts.

Currently the President of the Republic is Marcelo Nuno Duarte Rebelo de Sousa and the Prime Minister is António Luís Santos da Costa.

Early Portugal was shaped by the Romans for over 600 years, the Visigoths for the next two centuries and African Muslims (the Moors) for almost 800 years. Portugal was recognised as a separate kingdom in 1143 under the rule of King Afonso I and with the help of Christian military groups, the last remnants of Muslim power were defeated by 1249.

The Age of Discoveries
During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese sailors embarked to explore the unknown world. Successful expeditions were made to Africa and the Americas, and Vasco da Gama’s passage to India opened up a sea route to the empires of the east. The Age of Discoveries was a time of tremendous wealth and the Portuguese Empire expanded worldwide, establishing colonies in Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea (presently Guinea-Bissau), Brazil, Goa, Macau and East Timor. With the success of these voyages, Portugal emerged as one of the richest countries in the world and a major European power in terms of economic, political and cultural influence.

Decline of the Empire
Over the next 300 years, Portugal was occupied by the Spanish, invaded by the French and endured trade rivalries with British and Dutch fleets. Internal struggles and disputes over sovereign succession caused Portugal to lose much of its wealth and status. In 1755, the catastrophic Lisbon earthquake destroyed much of the capital as well as areas of the Algarve. The cumulative turmoil caused by centuries of invasion and civil conflict ushered in an era of social discontent, political instability and economic decline.

Republic, Repression and Revolution
In 1910, the monarchy was overthrown by military forces and Portugal declared as a Republic. António de Oliveira Salazar was appointed Prime Minister in 1932 and soon devolved into a fascist dictator. Portugal was transformed under his rigidly authoritarian Estado Novo (New State), which controlled the media and elections, as well as the civil liberties of the population.

On 25 April 1974, the regime was overthrown by a peaceful, left-wing military coup, known as the Carnation Revolution. Portugal’s Liberation Day is commemorated with streets named “Rua 25 de Abril” in nearly every town.

Modern Portugal, a founding member of NATO and a member of the European Union, has evolved into a country with a stable democracy and vibrant cultural life.

Portugal is famous for its explorers and navigators who sailed around the world during the Age of Discovery. Vasco da Gama opened up sea routes from Europe to India while Fernão de Magalhães (known as Magellan) was the first to circumnavigate the globe. Portuguese names have also been influential in the arts, including poets Luís de Camões and Fernando Pessoa.

The most treasured aspect of Portuguese culture is Fado, a style of music that emerged in Alfama but is also a traditional part of university life in Coimbra. Beloved across the nation as a true expression of Portuguese saudade, this yearning, melancholy music has a heartfelt, almost operatic style and is performed in Fado Houses, generally accompanied by Portuguese guitars.

One of the best-known Fado songs, ‘Casa Portuguesa’ by Amália Rodrigues, has the lyrics: “In a Portuguese house, there is good bread and wine on the table and if someone knocks at the door, they sit at the table with us”. This epitomises the spirit of Portuguese hospitality – humble, charming and welcoming.

The vegetation of Portugal is a mixture of Atlantic, European, Mediterranean and some African species. North of the Mondego valley, 57 percent of the plants are European species (more than 86 percent in the northern interior) and only 26 percent Mediterranean; in the south the proportions are reversed; 29 and 46 percent, respectively.

The fauna in Portugal is again a mixture of European and North African species. Wild goat, pig and deer can be found in the Portuguese countryside. There are still wolves in the remote parts of Serra da Estrela, and lynx can be found in the Alentejo. The fox, rabbit and Iberian hare are ubiquitous. Bird life is rich because the peninsula lies on the winter migration route of western and central European species, especially in the wetlands of the Algarve. Fish are plentiful in the Atlantic waters of mainland Portugal, especially the European sardine, sea bass and gilded sea bream. Crustaceans are common on the northern rocky coasts.