Portugal

(por'tu-gal,) the most W. kingdom of Europe, occupying the greater portion of W. seaboard of the Iberian peninsula, bet. N. Lat. 36° 55′-42° 8', and W. Lon. 6° 15′-9° 30′. N. and E. it is b. by Spain, and on all other sides by the Atlantic Ocean. Length, from N. to S. 338 m.; mean breadth, abt. 100 m. Area, 34,502 sq. miles. The surface of the country is generally of a hilly character, receiving the terminal continuation of several Spanish mountain-chains -one of which, under the name of Serro de Estrella, pierces the centre in a S.W. direction, and rises in its highest part to an altitude of 7,524 ft. above the sea. Further S., is the Serrado Monchique, terminating at the Atlantic in the headland ofCape St. Vincent. The chief rivers are the Tagus, Douro, Minho, Guadiana, and Mondego. The soil is, generally speaking, rich, but agriculture is much neglected. Wine is the chief industrial product of the country, the best growths of which, known as Port, are shipped to England, the U. States, and other countries. The exports consist almost entirely of wine, fruits, oil, cork, and salt. Portuguese manufacturing interests include those of the fabrication of textile goods, gloves, metallic and ceramic wares, tobacco, cigars, . P. is divided into six continental pro vs., besides which there are 2 insular ones-those of the Azores and Funchal (Madeira). The chief cities and towns are Lisbon (the cap.), Oporto, Braga, Coimbra, Setubal, Evora, Fig. 538. PORTUGUESE. and Elvas; and, in (prov. Tras-os-Montes). Madeira, Funchal. The govt. is a limited monarchy, and the legislature, known as the Cortes, consists of two houses-one of Peers, the other of Deputies. The Roman Catholic is the state religion, but entire toleration with respect to others prevails. The army, by decree of Oct. 4, 1869, was placed on apeace-footing of 33,279 men of all ranks, capable of increase in time of war to an aggregate of 72,948 rank and file. In 1870, the Portuguese navy consisted of 44 ve els of all cla es, mounting 326 guns, and manned by 3,308 men. The pp. colonial po e ions ofP. comprise, in Africa: the Cape Verd Islands, Angola, Benguela, Mozambique; in India, Goa and some islands in the Indian Archipelago, and in China the settlement of Macao. In 1869, the railroads in operation amounted to 96.5 geog. miles, and the length of telegraph wires, 1.941 m.-Under its anc. name of Lusitania, P.was constituted a Roman prov. under August us, and so remained till the 5th cent., when it became subject to the Visigoths. In the 8th the Moors took po e ion of the country, and held it for 4 centuries, at the end of which period they were driven out by Prince Alonzo Enrique of Castile, who thereupon was elected king. Under the dynasty he founded, P. made rapid progre , and under John I., and in the reigns of John II. and Emanuel, 1481-1521, became eminent as a maritime and colonizing power, establishing settlements in the East, and adding Brazil to her dominions. Under Sebastian III., began that fruitle crusade against the Moors, which cost that monarch both his life and crown. Later, P. became a dependency of Spain, but in 1640, she threw off the yoke, and placed the Braganza dynasty on the vacant throne. In 1807, after the deposition of the royal family by decree of Napoleon, Dom Pedro, the king, withdrew to Brazil, of which country he became first emperor. The events which came after are briefly capitulated under the art. PEDRO (Dom); MI GUEL (DOM): and MARIA DE GLORIA. Pop. of the king- | dom, 4,360,974; of the colonies, 3,873,659. [s. 724]