The First Global Village

About this book

Portugal is Europes south-western extremity washed by the Atlantic and warmed by the Mediterranean sun. Alone among Iberias ancient kingdoms in its independence from Spain it is a nation about half the size of Florida with two-thirds the population. Yet over centuries it has influenced the lives of the rest of us far more than many much larger and more powerful countries. The Portuguese gave the English afternoon tea and Bombay the key to empire. They brought to Africa protection from Malaria and slave-shipments to America; to India higher education curry and samosas; to Japan tempura and firearms. Portugal entered the 21st century as the first European nation to have freed itself from communism returned to democracy and set about rebuilding itself as a vital part of the new Europe. (from the back cover)