Archive for August, 2010

* In the year 1152, Portugal was founded by Alfonso Henriques.
* Lusitania was the name of Portugal during the Roman period.
* Republic of Portugal is the official name of Portugal and it follows Parliamentary democracy.
* Its currency is Euro and Portuguese is its official language. It is also the official language of 9 countries.
* Lisbon is the capital city of the country and is also its largest city.
* Majority of the country’s population are Roman Catholics.
* In the year 1986, this country became a European Union’s member.
* In Europe, one of the oldest universities is the University of Coimbra, instituted in 1290.
* Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese who discovered the sea route to India.
* In the First Word War, Portugal was the collaborator of Britain.
* Signed in the year 1373, the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance is the oldest in the world, which is still in force.
* In the year 1522, Ferdinand Magellan was the first Portuguese explorer who has completed a circumnavigation of the world.
* Europe’s longest bridge is the Vasco da Gama Bridge, which is in the city of Lisbon.
* Brazil was discovered by a Portuguese named Pedro Alvarez Cabral.
* Another Portuguese Bartholomew Diaz was the first to cruise round the southern tip of Africa and named it as the Cape of Good Hope.
* During the year 2006, in order to produce electricity, the world’s first commercial wave farm was introduced by the country.

* Europe’s largest gambling outlet Estoril Casino is situated on the Lisbon city outskirts.

car hire portugal services in Portugal are available from Argus, Easy Car, Holiday Autos, Thrifty, National and Avis.
Car review archiveCars you may hire, or buy, reviewed