SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(9 fields)
Branches
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard, Fiscal Guard, Public Security Police
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $1.9 billion, 2.4% of GDP (1995)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49: 2,498,965 males fit for military service: 2,014,653 males reach military age (20) annually: 83,427 (1996 est.)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 57, FM 66 (repeaters 22), shortwave 0
Radios
2.2 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: generally adequate integrated network of coaxial cables, open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: 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
2,236,411 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations
66 (repeaters 23)
Televisions
2,970,892 (1993 est.) Defense
◆ ECONOMY(21 fields)
Agriculture
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, meat, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $31 billion expenditures: $41 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Currency
1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
donor: ODA, $248 million (1993) recipient: ODA, $70 million (1993)
Economic overview
Portugal's short-term economic fundamentals are strong - the economy grew by 2.8% in 1995, with similar growth expected in 1996 and 1997, and unemployment is among the lowest in the EU. The Socialist government has pledged its dedication both to meeting the Maastricht monetary convergence criteria and to increasing social spending, including provision of a guaranteed minimum income. The government's 1996 budget, passed in March 1996, includes a budget deficit target of 4.2%, to be attained largely through cuts in non-social-service government spending and income from an ambitious privatization program. As for the long run, Portugal hopes for a steady modernization of its capital plant, its work force, and its infrastructure in order to catch up with the productivity and income levels of the Big Four economies of Western Europe.
Electricity
capacity: 8,220,000 kW production: 29.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,642 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1 - 151.61 (January 1996), 149.97 (1995), 165.99 (1994), 160.80 (1993), 135.00 (1992), 144.48 (1991)
Exports
$18.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, cork and paper products, hides partners: EU 75.1%, other developed countries 12.4% (US 5.2%) (1995)
External debt
$11.8 billion (1995 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $116.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 35.8% services: 58.2% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita
$11,000 (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate
2.8% (1995 est.)
Illicit drugs
important gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe
Imports
$24.1 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, petroleum, textiles partners: EU 71%, other developed countries 10.9% (US 2.5%), less developed countries 12.9% (1995)
Industrial production growth rate
2.1% (1995 est.)
Industries
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.6% (1995 est.)
Labor force
4.24 million (1994 est.) by occupation: services 54.5%, manufacturing 24.4%, agriculture, forestry, fisheries 11.2%, construction 8.3%, utilities 1.0%, mining 0.5% (1992)
Unemployment rate
7.1% (1995 est.)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(15 fields)
Area
total area: 92,080 sq km land area: 91,640 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Climate
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Coastline
1,793 km
Environment
current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic coordinates
39 30 N, 8 00 W
Geographic note
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
International disputes
sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor Province) disputed with Indonesia and not recognized by the UN
Irrigated land
6,340 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,214 km border country: Spain 1,214 km
Land use
arable land: 32% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 40% other: 16%
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble
Terrain
mountainous north of the Tagus, rolling plains in south lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Ponta do Pico in Azores 2,351 m
◆ GOVERNMENT(23 fields)
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
Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)
elections last held 1 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1999); results - PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU 8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats - (230 total) PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Capital
Lisbon
Constitution
25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982 and 1 June 1989
Council of State
acts as a consultative body to the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister
Data code
PO
Dependent areas
Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 20 December 1999)
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN GUIMARAES chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001); results - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Conservative) 46.2% head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995) was appointed by the president following the October 1995 legislative elections
FAX
[1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)
FAX
[351] (1) 7269109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line
Independence
1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
International organization participation
AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica), judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Legal system
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral
Name of country
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal
National holiday
Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Political parties and leaders
Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcelo Rebelo DE SOUSA; Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Antonio GUTERRES; Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Pedro CANAVARRO; Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Carlos CARVALHAS; Social Democratic Center (CDS), Manuel MONTEIRO; National Solidarity Party (PSN), Manuel SERGIO; Center Democratic Party (CDS); United Democratic Coalition (CDU; communists)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type of government
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (1) 7266600, 7266659, 7268670, 7268880
◆ PEOPLE(15 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 18% (male 888,157; female 843,309) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,249,973; female 3,414,793) 65 years and over: 14% (male 601,913; female 866,969) (July 1996 est.)
Birth rate
10.53 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions
homogeneous Mediterranean stock in mainland, Azores, Madeira Islands; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000
Infant mortality rate
7.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages
Portuguese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.31 years male: 71.52 years female: 79.31 years (1996 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 85% male: 89% female: 82%
Nationality
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese
Net migration rate
-0.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population
9,865,114 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate
0.02% (1996 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female all ages: 0.92 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.36 children born/woman (1996 est.)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(7 fields)
Airports
total: 67 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 5 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 18 with paved runways under 914 m: 30 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)
Highways
total: 70,176 km (statistics for continental Portugal only) paved: 60,351 km (including 519 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,825 km (1992 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 72 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 795,725 GRT/1,418,538 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 35, chemical tanker 5, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 12, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira for Portuguese-owned ships; ships on the Madeira Register (MAR) will have taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience; Portugal owns an additional 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 155,776 DWT operating under the registries of Panama and Malta (1995 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km
Ports
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Railways
total: 3,068 km broad gauge: 2,761 km 1.668-m gauge (464 km electrified; 426 km double track) narrow gauge: 307 km 1.000-m gauge note: in 1992, Portugal had 3,588 km of track of which 464 km were electrified
Waterways
820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton cargo capacity