Category:Portugal



Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 A.D. earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 A.D. of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 A.D. revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974 A.D., a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986 A.D.. The official languages of Portugal are Portuguese and Mirandese.