10th of June – Day of Camões, Portugal and the Portuguese Communities
Language
Portuguese. Spoken by about 200 million people worldwide and is also the official language in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Sao Tome, Guinea-Bissau and East Timor
Currency
Euro. Portugal is part of the Economic and Monetary Union since January 1999 and the first group of Member States introducing the euro as their single currency in January 2002. The conversion rate was fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 200 $ 482
National Symblos
National Flag – sthe symbol of sovereignty, independence, unity and integrity of the country, adopted at the founding of the Republic on 5 October 1910.
National Anthem – “A Portuguesa” verses Henrique Lopes de Mendonça and music by Alfredo Keil, composed in early 1890 and used as a symbol of patriotism and Republican.
A Portuguesa
Heróis do mar, nobre povo,
Nação valente, imortal,
Levantai hoje de novo
O esplendor de Portugal!
Entre as brumas da memória,
Ó Pátria, sente-se a voz
Dos teus egrégios avós,
Que há-de guiar-te à vitória!
Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!
Composição
Alfredo Keil, Henrique Lopes de Mendonça
Tourism
Portugal attracts many tourists each year and the tourism is playing an increasingly important role in Portugal’s economy. The main tourist areas are the Greater Lisbon (Lisboa), the Algarve, the Greater Porto and Northern of Portugal (Porto e Norte), the Greater Alentejo and the Portuguese Islands (Madeira and Azores).
