Portuguese Lisboa
City (pop., 2001: 556,797), capital of Portugal .
The country's chief seaport and largest city, it lies on the Tagus River near the river's entrance into the Atlantic Ocean. It was under Roman rule from 205 BC; Afonso I gained control of it in 1147, and it became the national capital in 1256. It flourished as a leading European trading city in the 14th–16th centuries. One of the greatest earthquakes ever recorded struck Lisbon in 1755, killing 30,000. Urban renewal following the earthquake was unrivaled in scope. Lisbon hosted the World's Fair (Expo '98). It is a major commercial, administrative, educational, and manufacturing centre. It was the birthplace of {{link=Cam%C3%B5 es, Lu%C3%ADs Vaz de">Luis Camõ es .