Portugal is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From its natural wonders to its stunning architecture, Portugal would be a great place to visit for anyone. The official name of Portugal is the Portuguese Republic or Republica Portuguesa. It is located on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula and borders Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is famous above all for its food, history and sports, for all of which it boasts important records. Portugal's political past has had several types of government. It ranged from monarchy and constitutional monarchy to republic and dictatorship. Democracy came very late to Portugal. Today, Portugal is a modern parliamentary democracy, adopted in 1976. It has a government similar to ours with a president and 3 branches of government (legislative, judicial and executive), however it has a prime minister who heads the national government. The current president of Portugal is Anibal Cavaro Silva and he is the head of state. In Portugal a president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term and is legible for a second term. Portugal's economy has seen positive growth since it joined the European Community (EU) in 1986, although it had weak growth and suffered from recession at the beginning of the 21st century. Once one of the poorest countries in all of Western Europe it is now strong and truly healthy. What was once a country with a subsistence-based economy (being more reliant on natural resources) is now a country with a modern commercial economy. Today the Portuguese are employed in industry or in the provision of services, while a small part is still dedicated to agriculture. Portugal's trading partners are those of the European Union. Out... middle of paper... holiday terms. They have holidays similar to ours, such as Christmas, New Year and Easter. Carnival is also one of their greatest traditions. Carnival is celebrated in many Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mexico and Brazil. Carnival consists of people from all over the world who usually come in costume for a parade with dancers and colorful floats. In Portugal their main religion is Roman Catholic, which represents approximately 85% of the current population. Only 25% of these people go to church. Portugal is very famous for its food. From Port wine to cod, Portugal offers a variety of unique foods. Portugal is the seventh largest wine producer in the world. “Wine was introduced to Portugal by the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians and Carthaginians, and the Portuguese began exporting their wine to Rome during the Roman Empire.”