10th June: Portugal's National Day

Today is Portugal’s National Day, commemorating the death of national literary icon Luis de Camoes in 1580. He wrote an epic poem about his homeland. Here are 10 things you may not know about Portugal:

1. Portugal is the oldest nation-state in Europe - its defined borders have not changed since 1139. Its capital, Lisbon, is the second oldest capital city in Europe (only Athens is older) having been first settled around 1200 BC; although there is no official document that declares Lisbon is officially the capital - it became the de facto capital when Alfonso III of Portugal moved his court there in 1255. The world's oldest alliance between nations involves Portugal - The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance was signed in 1373 and is in force to this day.
2. Portugal is home to Europe's longest bridge - the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon is 17km long. The bridge broke a world record on its inauguration day when 15,000 people enjoyed a celebratory lunch on the world's largest dining table.
3. Although Portugal was the first country in the world to export slaves from Africa, they were also the first colonial power to abolish slavery in 1761.
4. Portugal produces 70% of the world's cork exports. It also has the largest cork forest.
5. As a result of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Lisbon on All Saints Day 1755, Portugal became a pioneer in the science of seismology. The Earthquake is one of the worst in European history with a death toll of 90,000 - not just from the quake, but from the tsunami it generated and fires caused by all the candles in churches for All Saints Day - 85% of the buildings were destroyed, including famous palaces and churches, the royal library and royal archives, containing the historical records of explorations by Vasco da Gama and other early navigators.
6. Portuguese people are traditionally fatalistic, and this attitude has a name - Fado. Fado is also the name for a Portuguese music genre, characterised by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. Fado has been recognised by the UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011.
7. Lisbon has the oldest bookshop in the world, Bertrand bookstore, which was established in 1732. Just outside the city is Estoril Casino, the oldest (and largest) casino in Europe, opened in 1920.
8. Some snippets about Portuguese royalty - when Pedro I was crowned in 1357, he proclaimed his lover, Ines de Castro, Queen. Fair enough, you might think, until you learn that she had died two years earlier in 1355. We drink Tea in Britain thanks to a Portuguese princess, Catarina de Bragança, who married Charles II of England and brought the tea drinking habit with her. The monarchy was abolished in Portugal in 1910, and the last king, Manuel II, moved to Twickenham to live out the rest of his life in suburbia.
9. Portugal is the westernmost country in mainland Europe and it has 500 miles (800 km) of coastline. While not as well known as surfing destination as say, Hawaii or Australia, surf is up in Portugal on 354 days of the year. At Praia de Norte, a beach near Nazaré, in 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garret McNamara surfed the biggest wave ever caught, which was 90 ft. (27.5 meters) high.
10. The most supported soccer club in the world is based in Lisbon. S.L. Benfica has an estimated total of 14 million fans worldwide and over 170,000 registered paying supporters.