Portugal
Portuguese RepublicRepublica Portuguesa
republicIndependence 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized)
Portugal as the 2011 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Following its heyday as a global maritime 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 of its wealthiest colony of Brazil 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 is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986. In January 2011, Portugal assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.
Geography
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
20 fieldsLand useshare of 92,090 sq 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
Natural resources
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%)
- per capita:
- 1,056 cu m/yr (1998)
Natural hazards
Azores subject to severe earthquakes
- volcanism:
- Portugal experiences limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands;
- Fayal or Faial (elev. 1,043 m) last erupted in 1958;
- most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries;
- historically active volcanoes include
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, 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
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2011 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Religions(2001 census)
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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.067 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.09 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.7 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Government
Republic; President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006); Prime Minister Pedro Manuel Mamede PASSOS COELHO (since 21 June 2011)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica, 230 seats, elected 5 June 2011one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Portuguese Republic
- conventional short form:
- Portugal
- local long form:
- Republica Portuguesa
- local short form:
- Portugal
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
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 (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
National holiday
Portugal Day (Dia de 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; subsequently revised
note: the revisions placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy;
they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and government-owned communications media
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Pedro Manuel Mamede PASSOS COELHO (since 21 June 2011)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
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 on 23 January 2011 (next to be held in January 2016);
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president
- election results:
- Anibal CAVACO SILVA reelected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 53%, Manuel ALEGRE 19.8%, Fernando NOBRE 14.1%, Francisco LOPES 7.1%, Manuel COELHO 4.5%, Defensor MOURA 1.6%
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 5 June 2011 (next to be held in 2015)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PPD/PSD 38%, PS 28%, CDS/PP 11%, PCP/PEV 7%, BE 5%; seats by party - PPD/PSD 108, PS 74, CDS/PP 24, PCP/PEV 16, BE 8
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica); judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS];
- Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pedro Manuel PASSOS COELHO];
- Socialist Party or PS [Antonio de Almeida SANTOS];
- The Left Bloc or BE;
- Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes Portuguese Communist Party or PCP and Ecologist Party ("The Greens") or PEV)
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Nuno Filipe Alves Salvador e BRITO
- chancery:
- 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 328-8610
- 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 Allan J. KATZ
- 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 national coat of arms (armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) centered on the dividing line;
- explanations for the color meanings are ambiguous, but a popular interpretation has green symbolizing hope and red the blood of those defending the nation
National anthem
- name:
- "A Portugesa" (The Song of the Portuguese)
- lyrics/music:
- Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL
note: adopted 1910; "A Portuguesa" was originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa; the lyrics refer to the "insult" that resulted from the event
Economy
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community - the EU's predecessor - in 1986.
53 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community - the EU's predecessor - 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 Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU members. The economy had grown by more than the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-08, and contracted 2.6% in 2009, before growing 1% in 2010.
GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational system and a rigid labor market have been obstacles to greater productivity and growth. Portugal also has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a destination for foreign direct investment.
Portugal's low competitiveness, low growth prospects, and high levels of public debt have made it vulnerable to bond market turbulence. The government is implementing austerity measures, including a 5% public salary cut which went into effect on January 1, 2011 and a 2% increase in the value-added tax, to reduce the budget deficit from 9.3% of GDP in 2009 to 4.6% in 2011, but some investors have expressed concern about the government's ability to achieve these targets and cover its sovereign debt.
Without the option for stimulus measures, the government is focusing instead on boosting exports and implementing labor market reforms to try to raise GDP growth and increase Portugal's competitiveness - which, over time, may help mitigate investor concerns.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
38.5 (2007) · 35.6 (1995) country comparison to the world: 73
Central bank discount rate
1.75% (31 December 2010) · 1.75% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 125 note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate
4.225% (31 December 2010 est.) · 4.694% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Stock of narrow money
$95.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $103.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money
$319.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $311 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Stock of domestic credit
$556.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.) · $490.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Agriculture - products
- grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes;
- sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, dairy products;
- fish
Industries
- textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, dairy products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications;
- ship construction and refurbishment;
- tourism
Current account balance
-$22.61 billion (2010 est.) · -$25.6 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Exports - commodities
agricultural products, food products, wine, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, hides, leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, machinery and tools
Imports - commodities
agricultural products, chemical products, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$21 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $16.03 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Debt - external
$548.3 billion (30 June 2011) · $497.8 billion (30 June 2010) country comparison to the world: 21
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$110.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $114.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$64.25 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $68.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.755 (2010) · 0.7198 (2009) · 0.6827 (2008) · 0.7345 (2007) · 0.7964 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- Portugal's telephone system has 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;
- a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US;
- satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
- tropospheric scatter to Azores (2008)
Broadcast media
- the publicly-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 domestic channels and external service channels to Africa;
- overall, roughly 40 domestic TV stations;
- viewers have widespread access to international broadcasters with more than half of all households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems;
- publicly-owned radio operates 3 national networks and provides regional and external services;
- several privately-owned national radio stations and some 300 regional and local commercial radio stations (2008)
Transportation
9 fieldsMerchant marine, 111 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 3,319 km
country comparison to the world: 53
- broad gauge:
- 2,700 km 1.668-m gauge (1,436 km electrified)
- narrow gauge:
- 192 km 1.000-m gauge; 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2010)
Roadways
- total:
- 82,900 km
country comparison to the world: 56
- paved:
- 71,294 km (includes 2,613 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 11,606 km (2008)
Military
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2011)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2011)
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
- no compulsory military service;
- women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties;
- reserve obligation to age 35 (2010)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,566,264
- females age 16-49:
- 2,458,297 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Portugal.” The World Factbook 2011. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/portugal/2011.