!!!Portugal %%image_right [{GoogleMap location='Portugal' type='embedded' zoom='bounds' width='450' height='350'}] %% [{Image src='po-lgflag.gif' class='image_left' height='150' width='226'}] [{Image src='portugal.jpg' class='image_left' }] Following its heyday as a global maritime 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 independence of Brazil, its wealthiest 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 military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986. %%menu-geo %%cols-r * %%icon-geo,geo %% [Geography|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Geography] * %%icon-geo,maps %% [Maps|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Maps] * %%icon-geo,culture %% [Culture|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Culture] ---- * %%icon-geo,special %% [Special Information|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Special_Information] * %%icon-geo,picture %% [Pictures|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Pictures] * %%icon-geo,community %% [Community Contributions|Geography/Europe/Portugal/Community_Contributions] %% %%