Portugal has a unique and strategic location. Portuguese market is far larger than it may initially appear. It has 10.6 million people in the mainland and in Madeira and Azores islands, but it is also a gateway to a market of about 250 million people in the Portuguese speaking countries. And furthermore, there are 4 million more Portuguese and their descendents living abroad settled mainly in France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, US, Canada, Venezuela and Brazil.
Portuguese is the 5th most widely spoken language in the world shared by the CPLP (Portuguese Speaking Countries Community) countries like Brazil (one of the BRIC countries), Angola (one of the fastest growing economies), Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Principe, Guinea-Bissau and East Timor.
Portugal is also an excellent entry point, or first test-market, for a foreign firm looking to get into the European Union.
Portugal’s unique location, in the West Coast of Europe, is very close to time zones of so distant countries like Russia and the US facilitating business whether you go West or East.
Key facts about Portugal’s location:
Ø Nearest European country to the American continent time zones
Ø 3 hours from Brazilian, Argentine and Russian time zones
Ø Same time zone as UK and Ireland