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.
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Geographic coordinates
39 30 N, 8 00 W
Map references
Europe
Area
total
92,391 sq km
land
91,951 sq km
water
440 sq km
note
includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries
total
1,214 km
border countries
Spain 1,214 km
Coastline
1,793 km
Maritime claims
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
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Elevation extremes
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
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
Environment - international agreements
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
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
Population
10,642,836 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
16.5% (male 914,480/female 837,525)
15-64 years
66.3% (male 3,501,206/female 3,551,706)
65 years and over
17.3% (male 757,220/female 1,080,699) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
38.8 years
male
36.7 years
female
41 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
0.334% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
10.59 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
10.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.092 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.986 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.701 male(s)/female
total population
0.946 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
4.92 deaths/1,000 live births
male
5.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female
4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
77.87 years
male
74.6 years
female
81.36 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.48 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
22,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective
Portuguese
Ethnic groups
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
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
93.3%
male
95.5%
female
91.3% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Portuguese Republic
conventional short form
Portugal
local long form
Republica Portuguesa
local short form
Portugal
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Capital
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
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
National holiday
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
adopted 2 April 1976; effective 25 April 1976; revised many times
Legal system
based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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
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 February 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)
Political parties and leaders
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa Augusta Baiao de Brito APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Manuel Goncalves Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PEV and PCP)
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
chief of mission
Ambassador Alfred J. HOFFMAN Jr.
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
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 - overview
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 2001-06. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-25 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 was reduced to 4.6% in 2006. 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)
$210.1 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$176.8 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
1.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$19,800 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
6.6%
industry
28.6%
services
64.9% (2006 est.)
Labor force
5.58 million (2006)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
10%
industry
30%
services
60% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
7.6% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.1%
highest 10%
28.4% (1995 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
38.5 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
20.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$83.89 billion
expenditures
$93.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate
0.9% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
42.52 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
64.5%
hydro
31.3%
nuclear
0%
other
4.1% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
46.05 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
2.1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
8.6 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
NA bbl/day
Oil - consumption
332,000 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - exports
35,400 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports
106,200 bbl/day (2003)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
4.297 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports
4.46 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Current account balance
-$16.75 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides
Exports - partners
Spain 26.5%, Germany 12.9%, France 12%, UK 6.7%, US 6.1% (2006)
Imports
$67.74 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code
EUR
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
4.234 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
11.448 million (2005)
Telephone system
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; 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned (1998)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios
3.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
62 (plus 166 repeaters; includes Azores and Madeira Islands) (1995)
Televisions
3.31 million (1997)
Internet country code
.pt
Internet hosts
845,980 (2005)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
16 (2000)
Internet users
7.783 million (2006)
Airports
66 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
43
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
11 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
23
914 to 1,523 m
1
under 914 m
22 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2006)
Railways
total
2,850 km
broad gauge
2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge
274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
78,470 km
paved
67,484 km (includes 2,002 km of expressways)
unpaved
10,986 km (2004)
Waterways
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2006)
Merchant marine
total
111 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,077,300 GRT/1,363,435 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 11, cargo 27, chemical tanker 15, container 7, liquefied gas 11, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 9
16 (Cyprus 2, Hong Kong 1, Malta 3, Panama 10) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
Military branches
Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)
Military service age and obligation
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 (2005)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
2,435,042
females age 18-49
2,405,816 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
1,952,819
females age 18-49
1,977,264 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
67,189
females age 18-49
60,626 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2.3% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
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
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
