| Portugal |
 fado... Fado is the music of Portugal; traditional songs combining styles originally from Afr  ica and Brazil. The essence of fado is saudade - which means nostalgia, melancholy, a yearning for the past. The word fado literally means fate, and this combination of destiny (an unalterable future), and suadade In Portugal it is wine and port (from Porto) which fuels the suadade, and fado that gives it its voice. Sad songs as far removed from the passion and temperament of Spanish flamenco, tarantella and zorcico, as Portuguese character is from the Spanish. (an inescapable past) says something of the Portuguese temperament.  Location: Europe Status: UN Country Capital City: Lisbon (Lisboa) Main Cities: Oporto Population: 9,877,000 Area: 92,390 km2 Currency: 1 euro = 100 cents Languages: Portuguese Religions: Roman Catholic |
