Portuguese in Cleveland

Tell us about the music, food, holidays, traditions, costumes, language and other qualities that make the Portuguese so special.

Port Wine is a Portuguese fortified wine from the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal

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 its wealthiest colony of Brazil 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.

(facts courtesy of CIA World Fact Book)

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