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Population characteristics and famous names |
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Friday, 28 November 2008 14:20 |
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Numbers, Origins and Characteristics {mosimage}
According to the 2001 census there are about ten million people living in Portugal. Almost two-thirds of them live in the coastal fourth of the country, with the capital city, Lisbon, and its surrounding metropolitan area having the largest population with around two million people. Oporto (Porto), the next largest city, has a metropolitan population of about one million. Most of the current Portuguese population grew from the mixture of all the peoples who have inhabited and traded in the region over the centuries. The first to settle were the Iberians, and over the years Celts, Romans, Germanic tribes, Moors, Jews, and others migrated into the area and combined to develop a people with unique physical characteristics. Most Portuguese have typical Mediterranean features like brown eyes, dark hair, and a height of less than 6 feet. Evidence of the Germanic tribes can still be seen in the north of the country, where taller, light-haired and light-eyed people are occasionally encountered, and in the south, traces of the Moorish period are seen in both the physical type and the way of life.
In the course of millennia this mingling between people, combined with the country's isolation from Spain and the rest of Europe, gave rise to a population structure that was homogeneous and distinctively Portuguese, both ethnically and culturally.
About 97% of the Portuguese population identify themselves as Roman Catholic, but other religions enjoy freedom of worship. Protestants constitute 1% of the populace, and various other groups make up the remaining 2%.
Although church and state are separated in the constitution, the country's holidays, its moral and legal codes, health and educational systems, are intertwined with its Catholic heritage. While only about one third of the population attends church regularly, almost all Portuguese are baptized and married in church.
The Portuguese (mainly those in rural areas) are a deeply superstitious people whose formal Catholicism is profoundly intertwined with pre-Christian beliefs. Popular superstitions involve the phases of the moon and the evil eye, which is feared in a number of situations. Older rural women are expected to dress in black after the death of their husbands for about seven years, and many wear it for the rest of their lives.
Western-style clothing is the norm, and people in the cities dress well. However, vestiges of traditional garb such as berets for men and black shawls for women may still be seen in some rural areas.
Defining a national character is never easy, but it can be said that most Portuguese are easy-going, welcoming, and friendly. Although some at first may appear sullen and morose to foreigners, they're generally known to be willing to go out of their way to help. Those in the northern part of the country are more formal and conservative, while attitudes in the south are generally more casual and relaxed. As in all countries, there are differences between rural and urban people, with those from rural areas able to sustain themselves by their harvests, and generally distrusting Lisbon and other big cities for all they stand for: social turmoil and bureaucracy. They take festivals (usually in honor of a patron saint) very seriously, especially in the Minho province and the Azores Islands where they can last for days, with solemn processions, dances and fireworks.
The lifestyle of the urban population is like that of their counterparts in other European countries (smartly dressed and with cellular phones clamped to the ear), but in both rural and urban areas manners tend to be elaborate, especially in forms of address. When the Portuguese greet each other, they generally expect to be kissed on both cheeks, or exchange handshakes.
Another cultural activity in both the city and small towns is spending hours at cafes, usually gossiping over coffee. As in most "Mediterranean" countries, older men also tend to gather in the cobbled squares watching the world go by, while women also have their own tête-à-têtes.
All children must attend school at least until the age of fourteen, and most finish high school. Beyond this level, admission to colleges and universities is limited by quotas set each year for each subject and school.
Women (most of whom have gone outside the home, excelling as university professors, doctors, and writers) account for more than half of all persons enrolled in higher education and almost half of the country's physicians. Yet their role in the household is still considered of primary importance.
Portuguese workers are known for being adaptable, hard working, and frugal. Industry employs over a third of the country's labor force, while nearly half work in service jobs. Employment varies by region, with the main occupations being heavy industry around the capital, tourism in Algarve, and agriculture in the Azores and Madeira Islands. Salaries, although rising, are still below the European Union average.
To the Portuguese, their nation is a place they truly love. Those in Lisbon can't believe there is a city more lovely than theirs, the citizens of Porto are truly fond of their city on the banks of the Douro River, and those from about everywhere else believe no other place compares to their terra, or homeland. The Portuguese who went to live abroad usually visit their terra every year, and many return to live their last days after retiring. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 28 November 2008 14:21 |
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Friday, 28 November 2008 14:14 |
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Portugal has developed a specific culture while being influenced by various civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean and the European continent, or were introduced when it played an active role during the Age of Discovery. Portuguese literature, one of the earliest Western literatures, developed through text and song. Until 1350, the Portuguese-Galician troubadours spread their literary influence to most of the Iberian Peninsula. Gil Vicente (ca. 1465 - ca. 1536), was one of the founders of both Portuguese and Spanish dramatic traditions.
Adventurer and poet Luís de Camões (ca. 1524–1580) wrote the epic poem The Lusiads, with Virgil's Aeneid as his main influence. Modern Portuguese poetry is rooted in neoclassic and contemporary styles, as exemplified by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Modern Portuguese literature is represented by authors such as Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de Queiroz, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, and António Lobo Antunes. Particularly popular and distinguished is José Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for literature.
Portuguese music encompasses a wide variety of genres. The most renowned is fado, a melancholy urban music, usually associated with the Portuguese guitar and saudade, or longing. Coimbra fado, a unique type of fado, is also noteworthy. Internationally notable performers include Amália Rodrigues, Carlos Paredes, José Afonso, Mariza, Carlos do Carmo, Mísia, and Madredeus. One of the most notable Portuguese musical groups outside the country, and specially in Germany, is the goth-metal band Moonspell. In addition to fado and folk, the Portuguese listen to pop and other types of modern music, particularly from North America and the United Kingdom, as well as a wide range of Portuguese and Brazilian artists and bands. Bands with international recognition include Blasted Mechanism and The Gift, both of which were nominated for an MTV Music Award. Portugal has several summer music festivals, such as Festival Sudoeste in Zambujeira do Mar, Festival de Paredes de Coura in Paredes de Coura, Festival Vilar de Mouros near Caminha, and Rock in Rio Lisboa and Super Bock Super Rock in Lisbon. Out of the summer season, Portugal has a large number of festivals, designed more to an urban audience, like Flowfest or Hip Hop Porto. Furthermore, one of the largest international Goa trance festivals takes place in central Portugal every two years, and the student festivals of Queima das Fitas are major events in a number of cities across Portugal. In the Classical music domain, Portugal is represented by names as the pianist Maria João Pires, and in the past by the great cellist Guilhermina Suggia. Notable composers include Luís de Freitas Branco and his student Joly Braga Santos, and Fernando Lopes-Graça. Portuguese cinema has a long tradition, reaching back to the birth of the medium in the late 19th century. Portuguese film directors such as Arthur Duarte, António Lopes Ribeiro, Manoel de Oliveira, António-Pedro Vasconcelos, João Botelho and Leonel Vieira, are among those that gained notability. Noted Portuguese film actors include Joaquim de Almeida, Maria de Medeiros, Diogo Infante, Soraia Chaves, Vasco Santana, Ribeirinho, and António Silva, among many others. It has also a rich history as far as painting is concerned. The first well-known painters date back to the XV century – like Nuno Gonçalves - were part of the Gothic painting period. José Malhoa, known for his work Fado, and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (who painted the portraits of Teófilo Braga and Antero de Quental) were both references in naturalist painting.
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The 20th century saw the arrival of Modernism, and along with it came the most prominent Portuguese painters: Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, who was heavily influenced by French painters, particularly by the Delaunays. Among his best known works is Canção Popular a Russa e o Fígaro. Another great modernist painter/writer was Almada Negreiros, friend to the poet Fernando Pessoa, who painted his (Pessoa’s) portrait. He was deeply influenced by both Cubist and Futurist trends. Prominent international figures in visual arts nowadays include painters Vieira da Silva, Júlio Pomar, and Paula Rego.
Traditional architecture is distinctive. Modern Portugal has given the world renowned architects like Eduardo Souto de Moura, Álvaro Siza Vieira and Gonçalo Byrne. Internally, Tomás Taveira is also noteworthy.
Since the 1990s, Portugal has increased the number of public cultural facilities, in addition to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation established in 1956 in Lisbon. These include the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon, Serralves Foundation and the Casa da Música, both in Porto, as well as new public cultural facilities like municipal libraries and concert halls which were built or renovated in many municipalities across the country. |
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Last Updated on Sunday, 16 October 2011 12:46 |
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Russia's Medvedev sets off for Latin American tour |
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Friday, 13 April 2007 06:37 |
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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev began on Friday a seven-day tour of Portugal and four Latin American countries, during which he will attend an APEC summit, a presidential aide said on Friday. Medvedev will discuss his initiative to sign a pan-European security treaty and measures to fight the consequences of the global financial crisis with his Portuguese counterpart Anibal Cavaco Silva and Prime Minister Jose Socrates on Friday, Sergei Prikhodko said. After Tuesday talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado said Lisbon welcomed Medvedev's security pact initiative and urged the rest of Europe to follow suit. Medvedev will take part in the APEC summit in Lima, Peru, on Saturday and Sunday, and hold a number of bilateral meetings with the U.S., Chinese, Japanese and Australian leaders. The Russian president is also expected to meet with his Indonesian and Philippine counterparts on the sidelines of the summit. After the summit, Medvedev will stay on in Lima for an official visit, including a Monday meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia, before leaving for Brazil. Brazilian political analysts and experts on Russia expect Medvedev's three-day stay in Brazil, centered on talks with President Luiz Lula da Silva on Wednesday, to play a crucial role for all levels of bilateral contacts. "For a number of reasons - historical, geographical - we [Russia and Brazil] are hardly rivals in any major sphere. On the contrary, our economies are mutually complementary, which offers a host of opportunities for cooperation," said Gilberto Ramos, who heads the Brazil-Russian chamber of industry and commerce. Bilateral trade has already exceeded $7 billion this year, and Brazil and Russia plan to increase annual investment to $10 billion by 2010, Ramos said. On a visit to Caracas, the first by a Russian head of state, Medvedev will meet late on Wednesday with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez. The two leaders will give a joint news conference after the signing of bilateral documents. Cuba is the last country on Medvedev's itinerary. On Thursday, he will hold talks there with Cuban leader Raul Castro before returning to Moscow. Medvedev will be accompanied by a number of ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the heads of several government departments and leading businessmen. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 28 November 2008 14:07 |
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Portugal Wants Large Telecom with Brazil to Promote Portuguese Language |
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Friday, 13 April 2007 06:35 |
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{mosimage} Portugal's prime minister, José Sócrates, defended the creation of a large Portuguese and Brazilian telecommunications company to defend and promote the Portuguese language worldwide and said that Portugal Telecom (PT) "is in Vivo to stay", according to Agência Lusa. Vivo, controlled by PT and by the Spanish Telefonica, is one of the main mobile telephony companies in Brazil. "Yes, I believe it. That was what I was referring to," stated José Sócrates, about whether he defends the establishment of a large Portuguese-Brazilian telecommunications company and referring to an address he had given minutes earlier, during the ceremony for signing of a protocol between Portugal Telecom and Bahia state. Noting the existence of a "dispute" between the main languages in the world, José Sócrates added that "it is the state's obligation to promote a language," something which "should also be done through partnerships" between telecommunications companies. "The Portuguese language is the most important asset we have, the greatest," said the prime minister, adding that it is the "responsibility of all" to defend and promote the maternal language. Without specifying whether the creation of this great player should take place through consolidation or strategic partnerships between sector companies, José Sócrates returned to stating the need to establish a company that may compete with the large sector giants on the international market. Before that, during his participation in the ceremony and addressing an audience of Brazilian journalists and politicians, Sócrates nicknamed Portugal Telecom the "jewel of the crown" among companies in his country, guaranteeing that the operator led by Zeinal Bava - in which the Portuguese government has a 'golden share' that guarantees special rights - "is in Vivo and in Brazil to stay". "The responsibility is large and starts in telecommunications," he defended. This statement was made at a moment in which the future of the partnership between PT and Telefonica in the control of Vivo seems uncertain, due to the support of the Spaniards to the takeover bid by Sonaecom over PT, in 2006, which practically reduced the strategic partnership between the two Iberian operators to a convenience marriage. Both PT and Telefonica refused to sell their half of Vivo, stating, on the contrary, that they were buyers. Sócrates' statements, therefore, represent a clear signal of public support of the Portuguese executive to the refusal of selling the Portuguese half of Vivo to the Spaniards, an operation that is defended by the hardcore shareholder group at the operator. On the other hand, analysts who follow the sector believe that a new Brazilian telecommunications group that is going to be born with the merger of Telemar (Oi) and Brasil Telecom could be an alternative for PT investment, through exchange of participation, a movement that the government of Brazil has already said it would consider with appreciation. Another possible scenario is the purchase of TIM Brazil from Telecom Italia by Telefonica, which has disclosed as a possibility by the Italian press and would oblige the Spaniards to leave Vivo, opening way for a takeover by PT. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 28 November 2008 14:09 |
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