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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Portugal



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Portugal Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
   Geography    Portugal Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
1,793 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 17.29%
permanent crops: 7.84%
other: 74.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
6,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
73.6 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%)
per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
   People    Portugal Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10,676,910 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 912,995/female 835,715)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 3,514,905/female 3,555,097)
65 years and over: 17.4% (male 764,443/female 1,093,755) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 39.1 years
male: 37 years
female: 41.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.305% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 78.04 years
male: 74.78 years
female: 81.53 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
fewer than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.5% of GDP (2005)
   Government    Portugal Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic; parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Lisbon
geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 2 April 1976; note - subsequent revisions of the Constitution placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; as well, they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the government-owned communications media
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held in Fall 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, CDS/PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, CDS/PP 12, BE 8
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership commission elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Manuela FERREIRA Leite]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and PEV)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
the media
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA
chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco
consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas F. STEPHENSON
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
   Economy    Portugal Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past two decades, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-07. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of GDP in 2005, but the government reduced the deficit to 2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule. Nonetheless, the government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$232.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$223.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$21,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 8.2%
industry: 25.4%
services: 66.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.618 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 10%
industry: 30%
services: 60% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
38.5 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $96.01 billion
expenditures: $101.9 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
63.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.4% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.92% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$451.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
44.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
48.02 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
2.153 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
9.641 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,281 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
301,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50,490 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
390,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.112 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.095 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$21.75 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$51.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Spain 27.1%, Germany 12.9%, France 12.3%, UK 5.9%, US 4.8%, Angola 4.5%, Italy 4% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$75.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Spain 29.5%, Germany 12.9%, France 8.4%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands 4.6% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$461.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$91.19 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$54.85 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$66.98 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
   Communications    Portugal Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.139 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13.413 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (1998)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
62 (plus 166 repeaters; includes Azores and Madeira Islands) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.pt
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.858 million (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.549 million (2007)
   Transportation    Portugal Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
66 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,786 km
broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 82,900 km
paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,300 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,606 km (2005)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2006)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 117
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 36, carrier 1, chemical tanker 15, container 6, liquefied gas 9, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 15
foreign-owned: 84 (Bahamas 1, Belgium 7, Belgium 1, Denmark 3, Germany 20, Greece 4, Hong Kong 2, Italy 12, Japan 15, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Spain 11, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, US 1)
registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 1, Malta 3, Panama 9) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
   Military    Portugal Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portugues), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 2,573,913
females age 16-49: 2,498,262 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 2,099,647
females age 16-49: 2,060,559 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 64,910
female: 58,599 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Portugal Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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