2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

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, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products

Airports

65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

42 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.) Military Portugal

Area

land

91,951 sq km

total

92,391 sq km

water

440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

Background

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

Birth rate

10.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

revenues

$74.38 billion

Capital

Lisbon

Climate

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Coastline

1,793 km

Constitution

25 April 1976; revised many times

Country name

conventional long form

Portuguese Republic

conventional short form

Portugal

local long form

Republica Portuguesa

local short form

Portugal

Currency (code)

euro (EUR) 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

Current account balance

$-8.12 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$274.7 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne S. O'NEAL

consulate(s)

Ponta Delgada (Azores)

embassy

Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon

FAX

[351] (21) 726-9109

mailing address

Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE 09726

telephone

[351] (21) 727-3300

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO

consulate(s)

New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

consulate(s) general

Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 462-3726

telephone

[1] (202) 328-8610

Disputes - international

none

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.6 (1994-95)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $271 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past decade, 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 past decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. 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 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.

Electricity - consumption

42.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

3.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

43.28 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

64.5%

hydro

31.3%

nuclear

0%

other

4.1% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification

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

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)

election results

Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March 2005)

Exports

$37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides

Exports - partners

Spain 25%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Portugal

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 Portugal

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5.9%

industry

30.2%

services

63.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$188.7 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Geography - note

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar People Portugal

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Highways

paved

14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways)

total

17,135 km

unpaved

2,399 km (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

22,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil); transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products

Imports - partners

Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.3%, France 9.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK 4.6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2004)

Independence

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent republic proclaimed)

Industrial production growth rate

1.1% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.pt

Internet hosts

346,078 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

3.6 million (2002) Transportation Portugal

Investment (gross fixed)

22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Labor force

5.48 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Spain 1,214 km

total

1,214 km

Land use

arable land

21.75%

other

70.44% (2001)

permanent crops

7.81%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Legal system

civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8

elections

last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked confidence in the four-month center-right government

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.03 years (2005 est.)

male

74.25 years

total population

77.53 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

91.3% (2003 est.) Government Portugal

male

95.5%

total population

93.3%

Location

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males

67,189 (2005 est.)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

40.33 years (2005 est.)

male

36.06 years

total

38.2 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8

foreign-owned

97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18, Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway 4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4)

registered in other countries

28 (2005)

total

114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.3% (2003) Transnational Issues Portugal

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)

National holiday

Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Nationality

adjective

Portuguese

noun

Portuguese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural hazards

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Natural resources

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Net migration rate

3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; 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 Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

0.39% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Public debt

61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

3.02 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)

narrow gauge

274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

total

2,850 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$12.3 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations

general assessment

Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53%

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

Telephones - main lines in use

4,278,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

9,341,400 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions

3.31 million (1997)

Terrain

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.5% (2004 est.)

Waterways

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)