Portuguese Foreign Relations

Before Portugal was liberated in 1640, it had been taken over by various countries. The Celts were the first to arrive in Portugal. They were soon taken over by the Romans. The Romans were followed by the Visigoths. Then the Lucitanians came, and lastly, the Spanish Moors took over.

As a small country with larger countries around it, Portugal had a weak place in world politics. Fear of attack by strong neighbors, mostly Spain, led Portugal to find partners to help them stay safe.  In 1386, Portugal and England formed the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance. This deal helped both countries.  The United Kingdom still honors this agreement today.

Portugal has also worked to maintain political strength in the Iberian Peninsula. The Portuguese empire was the first global empire. It lasted for nearly six hundred years. There were 49 colonies spanning the globe. Over time, the local people rose up and claimed the right to rule themselves.  The last colony of Macau was returned to China in 1999. At this time, the Azores and Madeira outposts are the only Portuguese occupancies not attached to the country by land.

Portugal joined the UN in 1955. They were one of the first members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). They are very active in aiding the forces in the Balkans. Portugal also helped to found the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Portugal left EFTA in 1986 to form the European Economic Community(EEC). The European Economic Community is now called the European Union (EU).

Portugal helped start the Community of Portuguese Language communities in 1996. The goal was to instill a stronger community feeling between the Portuguese speaking countries. Portugal is also an active player in the Ibero-American Summit, a yearly meeting of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries in the Americas and Europe.

Between 1995 and 2004, the European Union gave Portugal major financial aid. Portugal held the presidency of the European Union twice in 2000 and a third time in the 2007. During their term in office, they worked toward making the Europe a more dominant force in the world economy.

In 2002, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was chaired by Portugal.  This group is an inter-governmental security group focused on better weapons issues and human rights, including the right to vote and free speech.

Overall, Portugal, despite its small size, is a country that is very involved in the matters that go on in the world around it. Portugal seeks to be a key figure in the European community, and it appears that the country is succeeding in this goal.