Global - Technology - Review

Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with its larger neighbour Spain. The River Tagus divides the mountainous north of the country from the rolling plains of the south. Portugal also includes the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores. In former times Portuguese seafarers explored and settled the coasts of Africa and Brazil. In 1498 after an epic voyage round the Cape of Good Hope, Vasco da Gama reached India. Today, five hundred years later, a bridge named after him, Europe’s longest at over ten miles, spans the Tagus near Lisbon, the nation’s capital. Lisbon is a city with a rich architectural tradition including the magnificent Monastery of the Hieronymites and the nearby Belem Tower, both World Heritage Sites. Portugal is famous for its wine, including Port and Madeira. The main wine producing area is centred along the Douro River, which runs through Portugal’s second city, Porto. From here the fortified wines of the region are exported round the world. Delicacies from Porto include dishes made with cod and tripe. The Algarve region of southern Portugal attracts millions of visitors each year to enjoy spectacular coastal scenery with limestone caves and beaches, as well as over thirty golf courses.