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Portugal  Anthem |
Lisboa, the capital of Portugal since 1255, was conquered from the Moors by Portugal's first king in 1147. It lies on the right bank of the Tagus river and in a region that offers a rich landscape diversity. |
 | The Tower of Belem is the sentinel over the Tagus river that protects the entrance into Lisbon; a city that has always been the object of much covetousness... Built between 1514 and 1520 under the supervision of the architect Francisco da Arruda, the tower Sao Vincente de Belem was the essential part of the defense complex built to protect the mouth of the Tagus river. |
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An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is one of the oldest nations in Europe. Situated on the west side of the Iberian Peninsula, its geographic location along the Atlantic coast soon determined its vocation to the sea. In 1415, the Portuguese set sail on an epic voyage that would make them the first to discover the ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan, and at the same time founded settlements on the east and west coasts of Africa. Portugal, republic in southwestern Europe, situated in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, bounded on the north and east by Spain and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Azores (Açores) and the Madeira Islands in the Atlantic are autonomous regions of Portugal, considered integral parts of the republic. The total area of metropolitan Portugal, including the Azores (2,247 sq km/868 sq mi) and the Madeira Islands (794 sq km/307 sq mi), is 92,345 sq km (35,655 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Lisbon. |
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