Portugal
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the loss of its Brazilian colony in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing bloodless military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a member of the European Union (EU) and the common European currency, the euro.
Anibal Cavaco Silva won the January 2006 presidential poll, becoming the first center-right president since the coup of 1974. The president's role is mainly ceremonial, but incumbents can appoint prime ministers, dissolve parliament and call elections.
Victory in February 2005 elections went to the Socialist Party led by Jose Socrates. The Socialists gained their first absolute majority in parliament since democracy returned to the country in 1974. On becoming premier, Socrates said his priority would be to encourage economic growth and stem rising unemployment. He promised to invest in training and technology. His government also faces the major task of bringing the budget deficit under control.
There are currently no known threats to visitors or expatriate personnel in Portugal.
Brief general strikes and public protests by public sector employees, industrial workers and/or university student groups take place with some frequency, but are usually publicized in advance and are rarely violent.
It is a requirement for foreigners to be able to show some identity if requested, for example, by the police. Visitors and expatriate personnel should carry a photocopy of the relevant page of his/her passport to avoid losing the original, which should be kept in a safe place.
