Portugal is situated in Western Europe and borders Spain to the east and north, the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Gulf of Cadiz to the south. The landmass of Portugal is 91,951 sq km, which also includes the offshore islands of Azores and Madeira. Portugal also boasts a further 440 sq km of water, including the Tagus River, which cuts through the centre of Portugal via Spain and winds westward past the port city of Lisbon and into the North Atlantic Ocean. The terrain of Portugal is lush and verdant in the northern two thirds of the country and considerably more dry and arid in the south. North of the Tagus, the terrain is largely mountainous and rugged whereas the south is comprised of rolling hills and low-lying plains. The highest point is actually in the Azores and reaches a height of 2351m. The southern coast of Portugal is home to a scenic coastline with many beach resorts, known to the world as the 'Algarve'.

The Portuguese colonized many countries in the past, including Sri Lanka and many of the now-independent African nations. Nowadays, with the former colonies handed over, Portugal sits alone with Spain at the Atlantic tip of Europe. The capital city is Lisbon. This is a very important port city. Porto is another large Portuguese city. The population of Portugal is largely made up of a Portuguese mix with a minority of Africans and Eastern Europeans. The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism. The official language is Portuguese and the national unit of currency is the Euro. Portugal joined the European Union in 1986. Portugal will host the UEFA European Championships in 2004.

Portugal has a well-developed service industry with a big influence from the tourist trade. Other industries include textiles and footwear, wine, paper, and metals. 10% of the population works within the agriculture sector, producing grain, potatoes, olives and grapes. The transport network consists of 2850 km of railways and 68,732 km of highways. 

The climate of Portugal is maritime temperate. Portugal is considerably cooler and wetter the further north one ventures. The south receives long hot summers and short, mild winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Lisbon was 40°C. The coldest was just -1°C.