Portugal

republicIndependence 1140

Portugal as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLisbon
Area92,080 km2
1990

Every edition of Portugal

Populationas each edition published it
10.35 million July 1990 · 10.19m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.36% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 37.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 74.89 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.5 children per woman 1990 · 1.46 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
14 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 2.4 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $9,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.1% in 1993

Geography

14 fields
Total area
92,080km2
land area: 91,640 km2; includes Azores and Madeira IslandsComparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Coastline
1,793km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundary
1,214km with Spain

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Disputes

Macau is scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1999; East Timor question with Indonesia

Climate

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

Terrain

mountainous north of the Tagus, rolling plains in south

Natural resources

fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble

Land use

  • 32% arable land;
  • 6% permanent crops;
  • 6% meadows and pastures;
  • 40% forest and woodland;
  • 16% other;
  • includes 7% irrigated

Environment

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Note

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

People

14 fields
Population
10,354,497
(July 1990), growth rate 0.3% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
12Death
10Net migration
1

Religion

Roman Catholic 97%Protestant denominations 1%other 2%

Infant mortality rate

14 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

71 years male, 78 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Portuguese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Portuguese

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

Language

Portuguese

Labor force

4,605,700; 45% services, 35% industry, 20% agriculture (1988)

Organized labor

  • about 55% of the labor force;
  • the Communist-dominated General Confederation of Portuguese Workers--Intersindical (CGTP-IN) represents more than half of the unionized labor force;
  • its main competition, the General Workers Union (UGT), is organized by the Socialists and Social Democrats and represents less than half of unionized labor

Government

Republic

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.3%
Dr. Mario Lopes Soares 51.3%Prof. Diogo Freitas do Amal 48.7%16 February 1986 (next to be held January 1991)

Assembly of the Republic, elected 19 July 1987percent of vote

Social Democrats 59.2%Socialists 24.0%Communists (in a front coalition) 12.4%Democratic Renewal 2.8%Center Democrats 1.6%

Long-form name

Portuguese Republic

Type

republic

Capital

Lisbon

Administrative divisions

  • 18 districts (distritos, singular--distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular--regiao autonoma);
  • Acores*, Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Dependent area

Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1999)

Independence

1140; independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910

Constitution

25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982; new discussions on constitutional revision began October 1987

National holiday

Day of Portugal, 10 June

Executive branch

president, Council of State, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justica) Chief of State--President Dr. Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES (since 9 March 1986);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 6 November 1985);
  • Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)

Political parties and leaders

  • Social Democratic Party (PSD), Anibal Cavaco Silva;
  • Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Jorge Sampaio;
  • Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Herminio Martinho;
  • Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Alvaro Cunhal;
  • Social Democratic Center (CDS), Diogo Freitas do Amaral

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 16 February 1986 (next to be held January 1991); results--Dr. Mario Lopes Soares 51.3%, Prof. Diogo Freitas do Amal 48.7%; Assembly of the Republic--last held 19 July 1987 (next to be held July 1991); results--Social Democrats 59.2%, Socialists 24.0%, Communists (in a front coalition) 12.4%, Democratic Renewal 2.8%, Center Democrats 1.6%;

seats--(250 total) Social Democrats 148, Socialists 60, Communists (in a front coalition) 31 seats, Democratic Renewal 7, Center Democrats 4

Communists

Portuguese Communist Party claims membership of 200,753 (December 1983)

Member of

CCC, Council of Europe, EC, EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IATP, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation

  • Ambassador Joao Eduardo M. PEREIRA BASTOS;
  • Chancery at 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008;
  • telephone (202) 328-8610;
  • there are Portuguese Consulates General in Boston, New York, and San Francisco, and Consulates in Los Angeles, Newark (New Jersey), New Bedford (Massachusetts), and Providence (Rhode Island);
  • US--Ambassador Edward M. ROWELL;
  • Embassy at Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon (mailing address is APO New York 09678-0002);
  • telephone [351] (1) 726-6600 or 6659, 8670, 8880;
  • there are US Consulates in Oporto and 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

Economy

During the past four years, the economy has made a sustained recovery from the severe recession of 1983-85.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$72.1billion
per capita $6,900; real growth rate 3.5% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.9%
(1989 est.)
External debt
$17.2billion
(1988)

Budget

Revenues
$19.0 billionExpenditures
$22.2 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.)

Overview

During the past four years, the economy has made a sustained recovery from the severe recession of 1983-85. The economy grew by 4.7% in 1987, 4.1% in 1988, and 3.5% in 1989, largely because of strong domestic consumption and investment spending. Unemployment has declined for the third consecutive year, but inflation continues to be about three times the European Community average.

The government is pushing economic restructuring and privatization measures in anticipation of the 1992 European Community timetable to form a single large market in Europe.

Exports

  • $11.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
  • commodities--cotton textiles, cork and cork products, canned fish, wine, timber and timber products, resin, machinery, appliances;
  • partners--EC 72%, other developed countries 13%, US 6%

Imports

  • $17.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
  • commodities--petroleum, cotton, foodgrains, industrial machinery, iron and steel, chemicals;
  • partners--EC 67%, other developed countries 13%, less developed countries 15%, US 4%

Industrial production

growth rate 5.5% (1988)

Electricity

6,729,000 kW capacity; 16,000 million kWh produced, 1,530 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 9% of GDP and 20% of labor force;
  • small inefficient farms;
  • imports more than half of food needs;
  • major crops--grain, potatoes, olives, grapes;
  • livestock sector--sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, meat, dairy products

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.8 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $998 million

Currency

Portuguese escudo (plural--escudos); 1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1--149.15 (January 1990), 157.46 (1989), 143.95 (1988), 140.88 (1987), 149.59 (1986), 170.39 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 50 ships by typeone square, one ship

short-sea passenger 1cargo 21refrigerated cargo 2container 1roll-on/roll-off cargo 1petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 10chemical tanker 2liquefied gas 1bulk 10combination bulk; note--Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira (MAR) for Portuguese-owned ships that will have the taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience; although only one ship is currently known to fly the Portuguese flag on the MAR register, it is likely that a majority of Portuguese flag ships will transfer to this subregister in a few years 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 576,654 GRT/1,005,740 DWT

Airports, 69 total, 64 usable

permanent-surface runways
37runways over 3,659 m
1runways 2,440-3,659 m
11runways 1,220-2,439 m
8

Networkskm

Highways
73,661Inland waterways
820
Highways: ; 61,599 km paved (bituminous, gravel, and crushed stone), including 140 km of limited-access divided highway; 7,962 km improved earth; 4,100 km unimproved earth (motorable tracks) · Inland waterways: ; relatively unimportant to national economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300-metric-ton cargo capacity

Railroads

  • 3,613 km total;
  • state-owned Portuguese Railroad Co. (CP) operates 2,858 km 1.665-meter gauge (434 km electrified and 426 km double track), 755 km 1.000-meter gauge;
  • 12 km (1.435-meter gauge) electrified, double track, privately owned

Highways

  • 73,661 km total;
  • 61,599 km paved (bituminous, gravel, and crushed stone), including 140 km of limited-access divided highway;
  • 7,962 km improved earth;
  • 4,100 km unimproved earth (motorable tracks)

Inland waterways

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

Pipelines

crude oil, 11 km; refined products, 58 km

Ports

Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Velas (Azores), Setubal, Sines

Telecommunications

  • facilities are generally adequate;
  • 2,250,000 telephones;
  • stations--44 AM, 66 (22 relays) FM, 25 (23 relays) TV;
  • 7 submarine cables;
  • communication satellite ground stations operating in the INTELSAT (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), EUTELSAT, and domestic systems (mainland and Azores)

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
2,583,782fit for military service
2,102,835reach military age (20) annually
88,384
Defense expenditures
$1.3billion
(1989 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Central Intelligence Agency. “Portugal.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/portugal/1990.

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