PORTSMOUTH, 1, largest city (10) of New Hampshire, and only seaport in the State, on the Piscataqua River, 3 m. from the ocean; is by rail 57 m.  NE. of Boston, a handsome old town and favourite watering-place; near it is a U.S. navy-yard. 2, (12), On the Ohio River, in Ohio; is the centre of an extensive iron industry. 3, (13), Seaport and naval station on the Elizabeth River, Virginia.

PORTSMOUTH (159), the most important British naval station, a seaport and market-town, is situated on Portsea Island, on the coast of Hants, 15 m.  SE. of Southampton.  It is an unimposing town, but strongly fortified.  St. Thomas’s and Garrison Chapel are old churches with historical associations.  The naval dockyards contain 12 docks lined with masonry, vast store-houses, wood-mills, anchor-forges, and building-slips.  Some of the docks are roofed over, as also is a large building-slip on which four vessels may be constructed at once.  The harbour can receive the largest war-vessels, and in Spithead roadstead 1000 ships can anchor at once.  The trade of Portsmouth is dependent on the dockyards.  It owes its defences to Edward IV.  Elizabeth, and William III.  It was the scene of Buckingham’s assassination and of the loss of the Royal George.  Three novelists were born here—­Dickens, Meredith, and Besant.

PORTUGAL (5,000), a country as large as Ireland, bounded on the S. and W. by the Atlantic, on the N. and E. by Spain, from which at different places it is separated by the rivers Minho, Douro, Tagus, and Guadiana; consists of the Atlantic slopes of the great peninsular tableland, and has a moist, warm atmosphere, heavy rains, and frequent fogs.  The above rivers and the Mondego traverse it; their valleys are fertile, the mountain slopes covered with forests.  In the N. the oak abounds, in the centre the chestnut, in the S. cork-trees and palms.  Agriculture, carried on with primitive implements, is the chief industry.  Indian corn, wheat, and in the S. rice, are extensively grown; the vine yields the most valuable crops, but in the N. it is giving place to tobacco.  There are a few textile factories.  The largest export is wine; the others, cork, copper ore, and onions, which are sent to Great Britain, Brazil, and France.  The principal imports, iron, textiles, and grain.  The capital is Lisbon, on the Tagus, one of the finest towns in the world.  Oporto, the chief manufacturing centre, and second city for commerce, is at the mouth of the Douro.  Braga was once the capital.  Coimbra, on the Mondego, is the rainiest place in Europe.  There are good roads between the chief towns, 1200 m. of railway and 3000 m. of telegraph.  The people are a mixed race, showing traces of Arab, Berber, and Negro blood, with a predominance of northern strains.  They are courteous and gentle; the peasantry hard-working and thrifty.  Roman Catholic is the national faith, but they are tolerant of other religions.  The language is closely akin to Spanish.  Education