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Portugal
Exciting sporting facts
The stick game
The Portuguese sport of 'Jogo Do Pau' has a long history.
For hundreds of years, farmers and shepherds were never
without their 'Pau', which was a long stick. They used
it as a hiking staff, for crossing rivers and herding
their animals and, if necessary, as a weapon for defending
themselves.
Especially in the north of Portugal, this tradition
developed into a combat sport, 'Jogo Do Pau', the 'stick
game', in which two contestants came face to face, each
armed with a staff.
For many years, 'Jogo Do Pau' was almost forgotten about.
Today it is played once again, and there are even national
championships.
Extraordinary records
Heading champion
On 10 June, 2001, Luis Silva from Portugal set a world
record in 'heading a tennis ball'. He managed to keep
the tennis ball in the air for nearly an hour - 59 minutes
and 53 seconds.
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Official
name
República Portuguesa
Portuguese Republic
Location in Europe
National flag
National
holidays
25 April: Dia da Liberdade
National holiday in commemoration of 25 April, 1974, the day
of the Carnation Revolution
10 June: Dia de Portugal
National holiday to commemorate the death of the poet Camoes
on 10 June, 1580
5 October: Dia da República
National holiday to commemorate the overthrow of the monarchy
on 5 October, 1910
1 December: Dia da Restauracao
National holiday to commemorate the restoration of independence
from Spain in the year 1640
Political
system
Republic since 1910
Area
92,345 km²
Population
10,231,000
Capital
Lissabon
International dialling
code
00351
Country code
P
Biggest cities
Lisbon 564,700 inhabitants
Vila Nova de Gaia 288,700 inhabitants
Porto 263,100 inhabitants
Amadora 175,900 inhabitants
Highest mountain
On the mainland: Malhao da Estrela 1991 metres
On the Azores: Ponta do Pico 2351 metres
Longest river
Tejo (section) 1010 km
Currency
1 Euro = 100 Cent
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