DAVID OSIANY: 16 WONDERS OF PORTUGAL,NUMBER 7 WILL SHOCK YOU

Hon. David Osiany, HSC is the Chief Administrative Secretary for the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade & Enterprise Development. He is a consummate policy analyst and communication specialist. His extensive muliti-sectoral experience spans the areas of public policy, strategic communications and government relations. Recently, He accompanied H.E The president Uhuru Kenyatta on a working tour to Portugal and the fluent CAS noted the following during his tour in Portugal.

1. 1. Remember the famous Vasco Da Gama? Yes, that man you learnt about in primary school who built the pillar in Malindi as a landmark to give direction for those following the sea route to India? Well, he was Portuguese! This is his home.
2. 2. Portugal is the oldest nation in Europe and one of the oldest nations in the world. The borders of Portugal were defined in 1139.
3. 3. Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal is 4 centuries older than Rome.
4. 4. The oldest operating bookstore in the WORLD is in Portugal. It was founded in 1732.
5. 5. It is the 4th most PEACEFUL and SAFEST country in the world after Iceland, New Zealand & Denmark (Global Peace Index 2021).
6. 6. You know the corks that close wine and whisky bottles? Portugal is the world’s leading producer of corks, accounting for 70% of all corks globally. It has the largest cork oak forest cover in the world.
7. 7. Portugal decriminalized ALL drugs in 2001. Hapa ni wewe na maisha yako mjipange.
8. 8. Portugal generates 100% of its energy through renewable sources. Yes, you heard me.
9. 9. It has the lowest birth rate in Europe.
10. 10. It hosts Europe’s longest bridge; Vasco Da Gama Bridge, which spans 17kms over Lisbon’s famous River Tagus.
11. 11. There are more than 250 million Portuguese speakers global, making it the 6th most-spoken language. English speakers are Anglophone; French are Francophone, Portuguese speakers are Lusophone. Portuguese is an official language in Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Sāo Tomé and Principe, as well as Goa in India.
12. 12. There’s nothing like life imprisonment in Portugal. They have a maximum 25 years imprisonment and no death sentence either.
13. 13. 95% of Portugal is actually water. This is because it’s borders go deep into the oceans. The ocean area is 18.7% bigger than the land mass.
14. 14. The world’s largest omelet was made in Portugal – in Santarém on 11 August 2012. It took 55 people, six hours, 145,000 eggs to make a 6,466 kg omelet.
15. 15. Talk about Europe being the ‘West’? The most westerly part in Europe is found in Portugal. It sure is as West as WEST should be.
16. 16. And oh! The legendary GOAT Christiano Ronaldo? That guy? Yes, he is from Portugal.