Once you have seen the great diversity that Portugal has to offer its visitors, you will easily understand why we say that we are hospitable by nature - your greatest difficulty will be bidding us farewell.
You will Portugal at the far western tip of Southern Europe, facing the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the main reasons why we have such a different "climate" to offer you.
There's the sun, naturally, but there's also our great hospitality and friendliness that have helped to make Portugal such a very special destination for tourists.
The country is justly proud of the ideal conditions that it enjoys for water sports and golf, its modern tourist infrastructures and the very traditional welcome and personal treatment that it affords its visitors, offering them the possibility of staying in historic houses and manors or at its famous pousadas.
Portugal established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is among the oldest nations in Europe.
Portugal became an independent nation in 1143, and has maintained its independence and national boundaries from the 13th century to this day, save for a brief period under Spanish domination between 1580 and 1640. Portugal became a republic on October 5, 1910 and today is a strong democracy.
Situated on the extreme southwest corner of Europe, in the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal's position on the Atlantic coast soon determined our attraction to the sea. To the north and east we have open borders with neighboring Spain, whose people we usually call nuestros hermanos--"our brothers."
In 1415, the Portuguese set sail on an epic voyage that would make them the first to discover the ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan, and at the same time founded settlements on the east and west coasts of Africa. This year we are commemorating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil by the navigator Pedro Ãlvares Cabral with a series of festivities.
The nation's vast monumental, artistic and archeological heritage bears witness to 850 years of encounters with distant cultures, and also to the presence of many ancient peoples in Portugal (including the Celts, Suevians, Visigoths, Romans and Arabs).
The natural advantages of a sunny country with diverse geographic features have turned Portugal into a chosen destination for many holiday makers. It is an ideal place for water sports and golf, offering modern tourism facilities, as well as historic and personalized accommodations, such as turismo de habitat (less expensive lodging in private homes ranging from wonderful farmhouses to manor houses), the privately owned Hotels de Charme or the government-operated pousadas.
According to figures released by the World Tourism Organization, Portugal ranks 15th worldwide in number of international visitors, reflecting their confidence in choosing Portugal.
For centuries, Portugal has maintained this greatest treasure: a reputation for hospitality that makes the country a haven of congeniality and safety.
Nearly half of the 10 million population is economically active. Population density is highest in the Lisbon area, in the northern city of Porto and other coastal cities. Portugal's territory is twice the size of Switzerland and about the same as the State of Indiana in the United States.
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