Portugal

Agriculture-products

grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, meat, 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, $220 million (1996) recipient: ODA, $70 million (1993)

Economy-overview

Portugal's short-term economic fundamentals remain strong: 1997 was marked by a reduction in inflation, a rise in the GDP growth rate, a reduction in the fiscal deficit, and a lowering of interest rates. The Socialist government's primary economic goal is to place Portugal in the initial group of countries adopting the single European currency; Lisbon looks well positioned to be in the first tranche of EMU countries. As for the long run, Portugal is increasing its infrastructure spending, in anticipation of hosting the world's International Exposition, which began in May 1998. Lisbon also is working to modernize its capital plant and increase competitiveness in hope of moving up closer to the EU average.

Electricity-capacity

8.831 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

3,072 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

31.446 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1-185.81 (January 1998), 175.31 (1997), 154.24 (1996), 151.11 (1995), 165.99 (1994), 160.80 (1993)

Exports

total value: $23.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, cork and paper products, hides partners: EU 76%, other developed countries 9% (US 5%)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$149.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 6% industry: 36% services: 58% (1995 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$15,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3.3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $33.9 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, chemicals, petroleum, textiles partners: EU 72%, other developed countries 8% (US 3%), less developed countries 17% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.3% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 4.53 million (1996 est.) by occupation: services 56%, manufacturing 23%, agriculture, forestry, fisheries 11%, construction 8%, utilities 1%, mining 1% (1995)

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

358.61 million (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

66 (repeaters 23)

Televisions

2,970,892 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

7% (January 1998)

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 in 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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94

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

Terrain

mountainous north of the Tagus, 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

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

Dependent areas

Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 20 December 1999)

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] (1) 727-3300

Diplomatic representation in the 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) 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 assembly 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%

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) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

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, 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, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, 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 1 October 1995 (next to be held by NA October 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU 8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party-PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15

National capital

Lisbon

National holiday

Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcelo Rebelo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Antonio GUTERRES]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Carlos CARVALHAS]; Popular Party or PP (formerly known as Center Democratic Party or CDS) [Rebelo DE SOUSA]; National Solidarity Party or PSN [Manuel SERGIO]; United Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists; includes the PCP and a number of small leftist groups)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard, Fiscal Guard, Public Security Police

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$2.07 billion (1996)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.9% (1996)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 2,545,464 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service

males: 2,048,310 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

20 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 76,870 (1998 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 881,091; female 834,775) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,283,273; female 3,429,233) 65 years and over: 15% (male 612,221; female 886,963) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

10.63 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

10.26 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

6.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Portuguese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.66 years male: 72.27 years female: 79.25 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 89% female: 82% (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese

Net migration rate

-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

9,927,556 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.07% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%

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: 0.69 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor province) disputed with Indonesia and not recognized by the UN

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 PUERTO RICO (commonwealth associated with the US)

Airports

69 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 41 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: 6 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways

total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 27 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 68,732 km paved: 59,110 km (including 687 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,622 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 107 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 736,478 GRT/1,139,180 DWT ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 60, chemical tanker 10, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 9, oil tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3 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 (1997 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: 3,072 km broad gauge: 2,769 km 1.668-m gauge (528 km electrified; 426 km double track) narrow gauge: 303 km 1.000-m gauge (1996)

Waterways

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