Portugal

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

20 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

3.02 million (1997)

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 - main lines in use

3.724 million (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular

887,216 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 62 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

3.31 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $48 billion expenditures: $52 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.4 billion (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$13.1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $271 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Portugal is an upcoming capitalist economy with a per capita GDP two-thirds that of the four big West European economies. In 1999, it continued to enjoy sturdy economic growth, falling interest rates, and low unemployment. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and joined with 10 other European countries in launching the euro on 1 January 1999. Portugal's inflation rate for 1999, 2.4%, was comfortably low. The country continues to run a trade deficit and a balance of payments deficit. The government is working to modernize capital plant and increase the country's competitiveness in the increasingly integrated world markets. Growth is expected to remain stable in 2000 as the economic integration of Europe proceeds. Improvement in the education sector is critical to the catch-up process.

Electricity - consumption

36.18 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

3.7 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

4 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

38.581 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 63.14% hydro: 33.46% nuclear: 0% other: 3.4% (1998)

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1 - 172.78 (January 1999), 180.10 (1998), 175.31 (1997), 154.24 (1996), 151.11 (1995) note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at a fixed rate of 200.482 escudos per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002

Exports

$25 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

EU 82% (Germany 20%, Spain 16%, France 14%, UK 12% Netherlands 5%, Benelux 5%, Italy), US 5% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $151.4 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 36% services: 60% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $15,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$34.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

EU 77% (Spain 24%, Germany 15%, France 11%, Italy 8%, UK 7%, Netherlands 5%), US, Japan (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (1999 est.)

Industries

textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (1999 est.)

Labor force

4.75 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

4.6% (1999 est.)

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

Climate

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

Coastline

1,793 km

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

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, 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

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

Irrigated land

6,300 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Land use

arable land: 26% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 36% other: 20% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Natural resources

fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydro power

Terrain

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

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

Capital

Lisbon

Constitution

25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November 1992, and 3 September 1997

Country name

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal

Data code

PO

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald S. MCGOWAN embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon mailing address: PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao Alberto Bacelar DA ROCKA PARIS chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610 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)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES (since 28 October 1995) 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; election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001); 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: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Social Democrat) 46.2%

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)

International organization participation

AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or 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 Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 October 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PSP 43.9%, PSD 32.3%, CDU 9%, PP 8.3%, The Left Bloc 2.4%; seats by party - PSP 113, PSD 83, CDU 17, PP 15, The Left Bloc 2

National holiday

Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

Political parties and leaders

Popular Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Part/United Democratic Coalition or PCP/CDU [Carlos CARVALHAS]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PSP [Antonio GUTERRES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO]; The Left Bloc [Francisco LOUCA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 loss of its Brazilian colony in 1822. 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 entered the EC in 1985.

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.458 billion (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.6% (FY97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,534,872 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,036,712 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 74,050 (2000 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 880,501; female 834,062) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,319,143; female 3,468,009) 65 years and over: 15% (male 628,101; female 918,416) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

11.49 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000

Infant mortality rate

6.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Portuguese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.75 years male: 72.24 years female: 79.49 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese

Net migration rate

0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

10,048,232 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.18% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Illicit drugs

important gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

66 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 40 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 68,732 km paved: 59,110 km (including 797 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,622 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,061,202 GRT/1,601,267 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 80, chemical tanker 14, container 8, liquified gas 8, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 6, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 5 (1999 est.) 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 (1998 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km; natural gas 700 km note: the secondary lines for the natural gas pipeline that will be 300 km long have not yet been built

Ports and harbors

Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Railways

total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified; 426 km double track) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (1998)

Waterways

820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton or less cargo capacity