10 facts you didn’t know about Portugal

1. It’s one of the oldest countries of Europe

Its borders haven’t changed since 1297. Portugal had one of the longest functioning empires, spanning from the occupation of Ceuta in 1415 until the handover of Macau in 1999. The allience between England and Portugal, ratified in the Treaty of Windsor in 1389 is the longest standing allience in history, and still stands to this day.

2. Portuguese is one of the most spoken languages in the world

Outside of 10 million inhabitants of Portugal, 230 million speak the language worldwide. Portuguese is the official language in 9 countries, and is the 6th most used language on the internet.

3. 50 % of the world’s corkwood production comes from Portugal

The best corkwood in the world originates from here as well. Worldwide known brands, such as Moët & Chandon, Rolls-Royce, Airbus or NASA source their required corkwood from here.

4. You could swim with dolphins here

Some zoos, parks in Algarve offer their visitors a chance to get real close to dolphins. Children can learn about the animal and have great fun at the same time.

5. The largest man-made underwater park in the world can be found here

It’s built in the ocean near the shores of Algarve. Four sunken navy ships lie in the park, with an ever-growing eco-system building and existing around them. Numerous divers visit here from all over the world.

6. You’ll find the most well-developed ATM system in Portugal

Portugal was the first to implement a system where, besides general bank activites, you can also pay your bills and taxes! Today, more than 60 actions can be done via this system. You could buy concert tickets, donate to charities or even top up your phone balance.

7. Many innovative solutions had been implemented in Portugal

A road tolling system and a prepaid phone card far superior to their predecessors had been developed in Portugal. Of all EU member states, innovation activities were growing the fastest in Portugal. In 2016, Lisbon became the home of the Web Summit events. In 2018, Portugal was elected as one of the 13 most innovative countries in the world.

8. The oldest operating bookstore in the world can be found in Portugal

Lisbon’s Bertrand has been functioning since 1732.

9. Shoemaking has great tradition

Celebrities such as Rihanna wear shoes made in Portugal. She even had a whole collection made here in 2013.

10. Some of the best and largest waves in the world can be found at the coasts of Portugal

Thanks to its Geographical location, Portugal’s awesome waves draw in surfers from all around the world.