Area: 92,212 km²
Residents: 10,600,000 (June 2018)
Population density: 115 E / km²
Form of Government: unitary republic
System of Government: semi-presidential democracy
Neighboring countries: Spain
Capital: Lisbon
Language: Portuguese
Religions:
85% Roman Catholic,
0.48% Jehovah’s Witnesses,
other religions (<5%):
Orthodox, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Protestants
Currency: Euro
Telephone area code: +351
Time zone: GMT / UTC +0
Daylight saving time: UTC +1 (March – Oct)
In 2020, 1,461 Germans officially emigrated to Portugal and 986 came back to their homeland. Within the 10 years from 2010 to 2019, 9,642 Germans officially emigrated to Portugal and 8,461 moved back to Germany. In 2020 there were officially 14,669 Germans living in Portugal. Others are only permanent holidaymakers who spend their retirement here. About 70% of the population lives on the coastal strip that runs from the Spanish border in the north to the area around Lisbon.
Since Portugal joined the European Union in 1986, it has increasingly become a country of immigration, with immigrants mainly from Africa (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau), South America (Brazil) and Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Russia and the Republic of Moldova). Otherwise, Portugal is a very homogeneous country in terms of language and ethnicity. Portuguese is spoken across the country except in a few villages. The largest ethnic minority are 40,000 to 50,000 Roma.
According to allcitycodes, Portugal is considered to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world, not least because of its beautiful beaches and stretches of coastline in the Algarve. But it has a lot more to offer. The islands of the Azores and Madeira also belong to Portugal.
The north of Portugal has a relatively cool and humid climate. To the northwest lies the Minho, one of the most densely populated areas in the country, with the two largest cities being Braga and Viana do Castelo. Because of its climate and the comparatively lush vegetation, this region is known as the green garden of Portugal. Wine is mainly cultivated on the slopes of the numerous river valleys.
In the northeast is the very mountainous region of Trás-os-Montes (Behind the Mountains), which has very cold winters and very hot summers. The vegetation is less lush here.
Central Portugal is mostly hilly to mountainous. Here is the Serra da Estrela, a mountain range with many winter sports and hiking opportunities. The entire region is very fertile and has a favorable climate for viticulture. The main cities of central Portugal are Lisbon, Aveiro, Sintra, Coimbra, Viseu, Leiria, Castelo Branco and Santarém.
The south consists mainly of the three landscapes Terras do Sado, Alentejo and Algarve. The climate here is dry and hot. The Alentejo is only sparsely populated and is dominated by extensive grain fields, olive groves and cork oaks. Meadows are used to raise sheep and are covered with flowers in spring. The sun-drenched Algarve has become a popular vacation home along the entire south coast of the country. Imposing cliffs, beautiful sandy beaches and dreamy villages characterize many parts of this region. The largest cities here are Portalegre, Évora, Beja as well as Faro and Lagos.
General travel regulations (up to the corona pandemic)
For EU citizens and Swiss citizens, a valid passport, identity card or child ID card is sufficient for a stay of up to 90 days. An extension is only possible for passport holders (two extensions of 60 days each, a maximum of 7 months stay).
