A few quirky things about Portugal that surprise almost every visitor — small details that explain a lot about how life there actually feels.
In Portugal, fun facts comes down to a few things: portugal is the oldest country in europe, half the world once spoke portuguese because of portugal, and cork capital of the world.
Portugal's borders have been essentially unchanged since 1249, making it the oldest nation-state in Europe. It declared independence in 1139. The Treaty of Windsor with England (1386) is the world's oldest active alliance.
The Portuguese Empire was the first global maritime empire. Today, 260 million people speak Portuguese across Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, and more — making it the 6th most spoken language.
Portugal produces over 50% of the world's cork. The cork oak is the national tree and it's illegal to cut one down. Cork harvesting is done by hand every 9 years without harming the tree.