PORTUGAL Did you notice the colours in our

PORTUGAL! Did you notice the colours in our national banner? Right! They are the same as in that of Belarus! http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=IKL 27 XU 9 x. Ys National anthem: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=etjv. Rf. EKDRE

We are a 9 th year class from “ Escola Secundária de Barcelinhos”, a secondary school in Barcelos, a small city in northern Portugal.

YEAR 9 B Hi!

PORTUGAL Portugal is located in South-Western Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, and it is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, being bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east.

We speak Portuguese, one of the few global languages in the world. PORTUGUESE is spoken by 191 million speakers (as 1 st language).

Portuguese is the sole official language of Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe. It also has co-official language status in Macau, Equatorial Guinea and East Timor. As the result of expansion during colonial times, Portuguese speakers are also found in Goa, Daman and Diu in India, and in Malacca in Malaysia

Not bad for a small country of just 10 million inhabitants!! That’s the heritage left behind by The Portuguese Overseas Empire that started in the 15 th century and was the first global empire in history.

Portuguese discoveries is the name given to the intensive maritime exploration by the Portuguese during the 15 th and 16 th centuries. Portuguese sailors were at the vanguard of European overseas exploration, discovering and mapping the coasts of Africa, Asia and Brazil, in what become known as the Age of Discovery. That is why Portuguese is a global language.

… Portugal has a total area of 92, 391 km 2 and became an independente nation , a kingdom at that time, in the year 1139. This is the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques.

…l The territory of Portugal comprises the mainland the 2 autonomous regions: the Azores and Madeira, two archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean.

Madeira Also called “Pearl of the Atlantic”.

Azores 9 islands of volcanoes and breath-taking beauty

Capital City The Capital of Portugal is Lisbon, a beautiful city full of historical landmarks and mixed cultural influences. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ajtv. E 1 Lt-f. M

Landscape Amazing beaches… …and a little snow too. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=7 l. Ul. JBSFIhs

ARTS Portugal, a decidedly open to cultural diversity country, offers a range of different artistic facets. “Fado”, the traditional song and music was recently classified as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Portuguese guitar: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=s. YSYPBAKi. QQ FADO: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=XQrq 7 n. LPHEw FADO means FATE and is a nostalgic type of music, usually with sad lyrics.

Our hometown: BARCELOS http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=b. MAGr 8 SWht 0 http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ot. B 5 td. A_0 ms http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=1 NCMN 8 Tshdw Barcelos is a small town known for its pottery and the most widely-recognized symbol of Portugal - the Barcelos Cockerel.

The legend of the Barcelos cockerel A 13 th-century legend says a pilgrim on his way to Santiago de Compostela (in Galiza, Spain) stopped in Barcelos and was wrongly accused of theft and sentenced to death by hanging. He was spared when he stated that to prove his innocence, the roasted rooster that the judge was about to eat would get up and crow. It did, and since then, brightly painted ceramic cockerels are sold throughout Portugal as symbols of honesty, integrity, trust, honour and of good luck.

The “Festa das Cruzes” - Festival of the Crosses 2 nd and 3 rd May Religious festival that also includes a battle of flowers and concerts of both traditional and pop music. For over a week the city is beautifully decorated and full of life and excitment. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_p. TQs-u. HC 68

THE BARCELOS WEEKLY MARKET http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=1 NCMN 8 Tshdw Noisy, chaotic and rich with colour and life, the weekly market in Barcelos attracts people to buy and sell all manner of things. You’ll find cheap clothes and shoes, fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of ceramics, kitchenware, traditional tools and farming equipment as well as souvenirs and handicrafts. The Barcelos market started life as an annual event in 15 th century and remains an important element of the local economy and culture.

Local handicrafts represent one of the most traditional art forms in Barcelos. Various items are produced using a wide array of techniques such as pottery, carpentry, basket-weaving, embroidery, iron and derived products. A hallmark product is the famous Cockerel of Barcelos. Pottery and ceramics are the highlights of the local handicrafts.

And, that’s it! A lot was left unsaid, so may be one day you come to Portugal for a visit…we will be here to welcome you! Bye!