Portugal

The Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and Spain to the north and east. It has the world’s 20th highest quality of life and ranks the world’s 7th most peaceful nation in the Global Peace Index. Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. It is a member of European Union, the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa, and European Union's Eurozone.

HISTORY:- The Celtic tribe, the Lusitanians were believed to inhabit in the region. In 1140, Afonso Henriques became the first king of Portugal. The Roman Empire annexed the land in 140 BC. Portugal gained independence from the Moorish Spain in 1143. Since 1337, Portuguese explorers starter voyaging and Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias, and Pedro Alvares Cabral explored the vast territory from Brazil to India and Japan. Portugal had been transformed into a strong colonial power in Europe. Philip II of Spain ascended the Portuguese throne as a result of interval disputes of the country in 1580. The House of Braganca turned up as the ruling family of Portugal, ending the decades’ long Spanish rule from 1640 until 1910. In 1910, Portugal became a republic and the monarchy was deposed. The internal political chaos led to the military rule in 1926. Antonio de Oliveira Salazar ruled Portugal as an authoritarian corporate country. Portugal remained neutral in the World War II. The Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974) was started as Angola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea proclaimed independence from Portugal.

GEOGRAPHY:- Portugal is located at 39 30 N, 8 00 W in Southwestern Europe. Portugal possesses total 92,391 sq km area in which land mass and internal water sources occupy 91,951 sq km and 440 sq km respectively. The coastline is 1,793 km long along with the North Atlantic Ocean. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is Ponta do Pico or Pico or Pico Alto on the Ilha do Pico in the Azores (2,351 m). The terrain of Portugal varies from mountainous north of the Tagus River to the rolling plains in the central and south. The Tagus River divides the land.

CLIMATE:- Maritime temperate climate is seen in Portugal. The northern part is cool and rainy while the southern part is warmer and drier.

GOVERNMENT:- Portugal is a republic with parliamentary democracy. The constitution was adopted on 2nd April 1976. The legal system is based on the civil law system. The three principal branches of the government are:

Executive branch comprise the President (chief of state), the Prime minister (head of government), the Council of Ministers and Council of State. The president is elected by a popular vote on a 5-year term. The leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is normally appointed the prime minister by the president. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister. The Council of State enacts as a consultative body to the president.

Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Assembly of the Republic (230 seats).

Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court, the District Courts, the Appeals Courts, and the Constitutional Tribunal.

Principal political parties of Portugal are Socialist Party (PS), Social Democratic Party (PSD); Portuguese Communist Party (PCP); Popular Party (CDS/PP); Left Bloc (BE); and Green Party (PEV). Suffrage is universal at the age of 18.

President   Aníbal Cavaco Silva

Prime Minister  José Sócrates

Assembly President  Jaime Gama

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Portugal is composed of 18 Districts, which are divided into 308 municipalities and 4,000 parishes.

CULTURE:- Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de Queiroz, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, and António Lobo Antunes are some of the notable contemporary Portuguese writers. Portuguese music genres vary from fado to folk, from classical to contemporary music. Portuguese cuisine is marked by its diversity. Football is the most popular sport of Portugal.

ECONOMY:- After gaining the EU membership in 1986, Portugal observes a steady economic growth. It has a service-based economy. Portugal has qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) since 1998. Software and automotive are the major industries of Portugal.

GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $230.5 billion; per capita $21,700.

Real growth rate: 1.9%.

Inflation: 2.4%.

Unemployment: 7.7%.

Arable land: 17%.

Agriculture: Grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish.

Budget:  

Revenues: $92.35 billion

Expenditures: $98 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 63.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Debt - external: $389.5 billion (31 December 2007)

Labor force: 5.62 million (2007 est.); services 60%, industry 30%, agriculture 10% (2001 est.).

Industries: Textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism.

Natural resources: Fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydropower.

Exports: $50.72 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides.

Imports: $72.19 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products.

Major trading partners: Spain, France, Germany, UK, U.S., Italy, Netherlands (2004).

Monetary unit: Euro

LANGUAGE:- Portuguese is the official language of Portugal but Mirandese is also widely spoken locally.

CITIES:- Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. Another major city is Oporto.

POPULATION:- The approximate population of Portugal is 10,642,836 with an average growth rate of 0.3%.

Density per sq mi: 301

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.).

RACE:- Mostly Portuguese, a combination of pre-Celts, Celts, and the Lusitanians resides in the country along with small numbers of black African descent.

RELIGION:-

Roman Catholic 84.5%

Other Christian 2.2%

Other 0.3%

Unknown 9%

None 3.9% (2001

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 10.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.04 years

Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS – deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 2,036

UNICEF:- UNICEF is Portugal works on child rights, women rights, child education, basic nutrition etc.

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 2,786 km (2006).

Highways: total: 78,470 km; paved: 67,484 km (including 2,002 km of expressways); unpaved: 10,986 km (2004).

Waterways: 210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2006).

Ports and harbors: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo. Airports: 66 (2007)