Front: Fernando Antonio Nogueira Pessoa (1888-1935), Portuguese poet

Back: Rosebud

Front: Jose Xavier Mouzinho da Silveira (1780-1849), Portuguese politician

Back: Sheaf

Front: João de Barros (1496-1570), Portuguese historian

De Barros was educated in the palace of Manuel I of Portugal. He wrote the Chronicle of the Emperor Clarimundo at the age of 20. His most famous work was Décadas da Ásia (Decades of Asia), first published in 1552. It's a compilation of a history of the Portuguese in India and Asia.

Back: Allegory of the Portuguese Discoveries

Portugal, located in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, emerged as an independent kingdom in the 12th century. Portugal's explorers roamed the world's oceans in the 14th and 15th centuries. By 1494 it had colonized half of the transoceanic world. The monarchy was overthrown and a republic was established in 1910. For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Portugal.

Beginning on January 1, 2002 Euro becomes the official currency for Portugal.