FACTS

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Area (only Total) total: 92,391 sq km

Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Population: 10,676,910 (July 2008 est.)

Main Language (only first): Portuguese

Government type: republic; parliamentary democracy

Capital (Name): Lisbon

Capital (Time Difference): UTC+0

Independence: 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday: Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

HOLIDAYS

January 1 New Year's Day

February 5 Carnival

March 12 Good Friday

March 23 Easter Day

April 25 Liberty day

May 1 Labour Day

May 22 Corpus Christi

June 10 National Day/Camoes and Portugal Day

August 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary1

October 5 Republic Day

November 1 All Saints Day

December 1 Independence Restoration Day, Youth Day

December 8 Immaculate Conception

December 24 Christmas Eve - banks

December 25 Christmas Day

1 Not listed by the Banco de Portugal

Local Festas

Portugal has a remarkable number of festivals and local holidays, including the Holy Week Festival (Braga, Easter), which features colourful processions; the Festas de São João (Oporto, 24 June), when everyone dances through the streets amicably hitting each other over the head with leeks and the Feira de São Martinho (Golegã, November), which showcases all manner of horses, riding contests and bullfights. The following are known dates:-

May Municipal holiday (Ponta Delgada)

June Regional holiday (Azores)

June Saint Anthony's Day (Lisbon)

June Municipal holiday (Oporto)

July Regional holiday (Madeira)

August Municipal holiday (Funchal)

December Boxing Day (Madeira)

Weekend - Saturday, Sunday