Part 154

Chapter 1543,733 wordsPublic domain

Telephones - main lines in use:

10.336 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 22

Telephones - mobile cellular:

44.004 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Telephone system:

general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market based competition finalized in 2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony

domestic: mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas

international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 14, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

75 (2008)

Internet country code:

.pl

Internet hosts:

8.906 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 12

Internet users:

18.679 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 19

Transportation ::Poland

Airports:

125 (2009) country comparison to the world: 46

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 84

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 30

1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 41

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Heliports:

7 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 13,631 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 22,314 km country comparison to the world: 12 broad gauge: 633 km 1.524-m gauge

standard gauge: 21,681 km 1.435-m gauge (11,769 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways:

total: 423,997 km country comparison to the world: 15 paved: 295,356 km (includes 662 km of expressways)

unpaved: 128,641 km (2006)

Waterways:

3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2007) country comparison to the world: 28

Merchant marine:

total: 15 country comparison to the world: 106 by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned: 2 (Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1)

registered in other countries: 98 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Bahamas 17, Cyprus 18, Liberia 13, Malta 24, Norway 3, Panama 11, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 7) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Military ::Poland

Military branches:

Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Aviation Forces, Special Forces (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18-28 years of age for male voluntary or compulsory military service; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; conscription is to end in 2012; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers; reserve obligation to age 50 (2009)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,741,508

females age 16-49: 9,514,843 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,898,892

females age 16-49: 7,888,035 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 246,667

female: 235,698 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.71% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Transnational Issues ::Poland

Disputes - international:

as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine

Illicit drugs:

despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe

page last updated on November 11, 2009

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@Portugal (Europe)

Introduction ::Portugal

Background:

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.

Geography ::Portugal

Location:

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates:

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 92,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 110 land: 91,470 sq km

water: 620 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:

total: 1,214 km

border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline:

1,793 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

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

Terrain:

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

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

Land use:

arable land: 17.29%

permanent crops: 7.84%

other: 74.87% (2005)

Irrigated land:

6,500 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

73.6 cu km (2005)

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

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 ::Portugal

Population:

10,707,924 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 912,147/female 834,941)

15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,525,717/female 3,554,513)

65 years and over: 17.6% (male 772,413/female 1,108,193) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 39.4 years

male: 37.3 years

female: 41.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.275% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Birth rate:

10.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Death rate:

10.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Net migration rate:

3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Urbanization:

urban population: 59% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 195 male: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.21 years country comparison to the world: 48 male: 74.95 years

female: 81.69 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.49 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

34,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Nationality:

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

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

Religions:

Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.3%

male: 95.5%

female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

5.5% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 50

Government ::Portugal

Country name:

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

Government type:

republic; parliamentary democracy

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

Independence:

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)

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; and they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the government-owned communications media

Legal system:

based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005)

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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); 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: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

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 27 September 2009 (next to be held in fall 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - PS 37.7%, PSD 30%, CDS/PP 10.8%, BE 10.2%, CDU 8.1%, other 3.2%; seats by party - PS 96, PSD 78, CDS/PP 21, BE 16, CDU 15

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]; Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership commission elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Manuela FERREIRA LEITE]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and PEV)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

the media; labor unions

International organization participation:

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA

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 Thomas F. STEPHENSON

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 Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

Economy ::Portugal

Economy - overview:

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community 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 European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-08. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of GDP in 2005, but the government reduced the deficit to 2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule. Nonetheless, the government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost the economy, which declined 0.1% in 2008, while keeping the budget deficit within the euro-zone 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$237.3 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $237.3 billion (2007 est.)

$232.9 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$244.6 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199 1.9% (2007 est.)

1.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$22,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $22,300 (2007 est.)

$22,000 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2.8%

industry: 25%

services: 72.2% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

5.625 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 10%

industry: 30%

services: 60% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

18% (2006)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38.5 (2007) country comparison to the world: 72 35.6 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Budget:

revenues: $105.5 billion

expenditures: $111.9 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

66.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 2.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 104 5% (31 December 2007)

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:

8.35% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 7.92% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money:

$NA

Stock of domestic credit:

$491 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $412.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 44 $132.3 billion (31 December 2007)

$104.2 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:

textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

-2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity - production:

44.47 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - consumption:

48.78 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Electricity - exports:

1.313 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

10.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

7,861 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Oil - consumption:

291,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - exports:

53,260 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Oil - imports:

351,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - consumption:

4.754 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - imports:

4.763 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Current account balance:

-$29.6 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 -$21.18 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$56.42 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $51.81 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments

Exports - partners:

Spain 25.7%, Germany 12.7%, France 11.1%, Angola 5.9%, UK 5.3% (2008)

Imports:

$87.83 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $75.98 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

Imports - partners:

Spain 28.9%, Germany 11.6%, France 8%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$11.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 $11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$484.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 $483.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$117.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $114.2 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$69.24 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $69.24 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications ::Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.121 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Telephones - mobile cellular:

14.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 44

Telephone 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)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 63, shortwave 1 (2008)

Television broadcast stations:

42 (2008)

Internet country code:

.pt

Internet hosts:

1.967 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 33

Internet users:

4.476 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Transportation ::Portugal

Airports:

65 (2009) country comparison to the world: 76

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 43

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 13

under 914 m: 11 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 22

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,786 km country comparison to the world: 58 broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 82,900 km country comparison to the world: 56 paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,300 km of expressways)

unpaved: 11,606 km (2005)

Waterways:

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2008) country comparison to the world: 96

Merchant marine: