BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The following are
some basic facts about Portugal.
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The Portuguese Republic |
National
Emblem |
Portugal has a total area of 91,900 square
km (updated: December 2005), with Lisbon being its capital. It locates in
the southwest of Iberia Peninsula, bordering Spain on the east and north and the
Pacific Ocean on the southwest. It has a total coastline of 800 km.
Among its total population of 10.3 million (updated
in 2005), Portuguese account for 99 percent, and the rest of the population are
Spaniard. The official language is Portuguese.
It has a total forest area of 3.6 million hectares,
covering one third of the land area. It is known as the "kingdom of cork,"
as cork production accounts for more than half of world total
output and cork exports rank in the world's first place. Portugal is one of
the main producer of wine in the world, with Porto in the north being the famous
wine producing area. Portugal is known for its ketchup throughout Europe as
being the largest supplier for the European market.
China and Portugal set up diplomatic ties on
Feb. 8, 1979. The successful solution of Macao issue in 1999 turned a fresh page
in the all-round development of bilateral relations.
Portuguese President Jorge Fernando Branco de
Sampaio paid a state visit to China in January 2005, and the two countries
issued a joint communique.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Portugal in December,
2005, and their premiers signed joint declarations at the time.
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Revellers perform during a carnival
parade to celebrate the annual Santo Antonio Gala in Lisbon, capital of
Portugal, June 12, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)
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