Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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 Brazil, its wealthiest colony, 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.
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
total: 92,090 sq km
country comparison to the world: 111
land: 91,470 sq km
water: 620 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
slightly smaller than Indiana
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
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
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
arable land: 11.88%
permanent crops: 7.71%
other: 80.41% (2011)
total: 8.46 cu km/yr (12%/18%/69%)
per capita: 812 cu m/yr (2005)
Azores subject to severe earthquakes
volcanism: 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 Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
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
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese
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
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
10,799,270 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
0-14 years: 16% (male 900,758/female 827,219)
15-24 years: 11.4% (male 655,365/female 581,010)
25-54 years: 42.4% (male 2,303,445/female 2,270,380)
55-64 years: 11.8% (male 595,464/female 681,506)
65 years and over: 18.4% (male 811,005/female 1,173,118) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 50.5 %
youth dependency ratio: 22.2 %
elderly dependency ratio: 28.2 %
potential support ratio: 3.5 (2013)
total: 40.7 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 42.9 years (2013 est.)
0.15% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
9.59 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
10.91 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
urban population: 61% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
LISBON (capital) 2.808 million; Porto 1.344 million (2009)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 163
total: 4.54 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 188
male: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 78.85 years
country comparison to the world: 49
male: 75.61 years
female: 82.32 years (2013 est.)
1.51 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
10.4% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 21
3.76 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
3.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)
0.6% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
42,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
24% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 69
5.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 46
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.4%
male: 97%
female: 94% (2011 est.)
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 16 years (2010)
total number: 36,569
percentage: 3 %
note: data represents children ages 6-14 (2001 est.)
total: 37.6%
country comparison to the world: 17
male: 36.4%
female: 39.1% (2012)
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal
republic; parliamentary democracy
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
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
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
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
several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976; amended several times, last in 2005 (2013)
civil law system; Constitutional Tribunal review of legislative acts
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Pedro Manuel PASSOS COELHO Mamede (since 21 June 2011)
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 on 23 January 2011 (next to be held in January 2016); following legislative elections which must be held by October 2015, 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%
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 by October 2015)
election results: percent of vote by party - PPD/PSD 38%, PS 28%, CDS/PP 11%, PCP/PEV (see CDU) 7%, BE 5%, other 11%; seats by party - PPD/PSD 108, PS 74, CDS/PP 24, PCP/PEV (see CDU) 16, BE 8
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 12 justices); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president and appointed by the Assembly of the Republic; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court judges - 10 elected by the Assembly and 3 elected by the other Constitutional Court judges; judges elected for 6-year non-renewable terms
subordinate courts: Supreme Administrative Court (Supremo Tribunal Administrativo); Audit Court (Auditoria do Tribunal); appellate, district, and municipal courts
Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS]
Armed Forces Officers' Association (AOFA) [Colonel Pereira CRACEL]
other: the media; labor unions
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 (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
chief of mission: Ambassador Nuno Filipe Alves Salvador e BRITO (since 10 February 2011)
chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 332-3007
FAX: [1] (202) 223-3926
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (NJ), San Francisco
consulate(s): New Bedford (MA), Providence (RI)
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John OLSON (since August 2013)
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)
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
armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe modeling objects in the sky)
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
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community - the EU's predecessor - in 1986. Over the following two decades, successive governments 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 grew by more than the EU average for much of the 1990s, but the rate of growth slowed in 2001-08. The economy contracted 2.5% in 2009, before growing 1.4% in 2010, but GDP fell again in 2011 and 2012, as the government began implementing spending cuts and tax increases to comply with conditions of an EU-IMF financial rescue package, agreed to in May 2011. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. Portugal also has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a destination for foreign direct investment, in part because its rigid labor market hindered greater productivity and growth. However, the government of Pedro PASSOS COELHO has enacted several measures to introduce more flexibility into the labor market, and, this, along with steps to reduce high levels of public debt, could make Portugal more attractive to foreign investors. The government reduced the budget deficit from 10.1% of GDP in 2009 to 4.5% in 2011, an achievement made possible only by the extraordinary revenues obtained from the one-time transfer of bank pension funds to the social security system. The budget deficit worsened in 2012 as a sharp reduction in domestic consumption took a bigger bite out of value-added tax revenues while rising unemployment benefits increased expenditures more than anticipated. Poor growth prospects over the next year have reinforced investors' concerns about the government's ability to achieve its budget deficit targets and regain full access to bond market financing when the EU-IMF financing program expires in 2013.
$244.3 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$209.6 billion (2012 est.)
-3.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
$23,000 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
15% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
household consumption: 65.6%
government consumption: 18.3%
investment in fixed capital: 16%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 38.7%
imports of goods and services: -39.3%
agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 22.1%
services: 75.4% (2012 est.)
grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, dairy products; fish
textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; dairy products, wine and other foods; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism
-6.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
5.495 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
agriculture: 11.7%
industry: 28.5%
services: 59.8% (2009 est.)
15.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)
38.5 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 71
revenues: $87.36 billion
expenditures: $101 billion (2012 est.)
41.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
-6.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
123.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
2.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
1.5% (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 124
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
6.37% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
$88.92 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
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
$298.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
$433.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
$61.69 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 46
$-3.365 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
$58.24 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
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, base metals
Spain 22.7%, Germany 12.4%, France 11.9%, Angola 6.5%, UK 5.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2012)
$69.48 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
agricultural products, chemical products, vehicles and other transport material, optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, oil products, base metals, food products, textile materials
Spain 32%, Germany 11.5%, France 6.7%, Italy 5.3%, Netherlands 4.9% (2012)
$22.66 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
$508.3 billion (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 25
$117.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
$71.26 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
49.92 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
50.26 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
2.873 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
10.76 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
18.92 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
49% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
21.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
24.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
5,250 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
222,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
NA bbl (1 January 2013 es)
252,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
259,700 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
61,010 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
84,080 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
4.904 billion cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
5.143 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
5.185 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 184
54.17 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
4.558 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 35
12.312 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 70
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 (2010)
Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP),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)
3.748 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 28
5.168 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 45
64 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 76
total: 43
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 8 (2013)
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m:
gas 1,344 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2013)
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 (2008)
total: 82,900 km
country comparison to the world: 58
paved: 71,294 km (includes 2,613 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,606 km (2008)
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 96
total: 109
country comparison to the world: 50
by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 35, carrier 1, chemical tanker 21, container 7, liquefied gas 6, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 9
foreign-owned: 81 (Belgium 8, Colombia 1, Denmark 4, Germany 14, Greece 2, Italy 12, Japan 9, Mexico 1, Norway 2, Spain 18, Sweden 3, Switzerland 3, US 4)
registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 2, Malta 3, Panama 10) (2010)
major seaport(s): Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2013)
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but conscription possible if insufficient volunteers available; 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 (2012)
males age 16-49: 2,566,264
females age 16-49: 2,458,297 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 2,103,080
females age 16-49: 2,018,004 (2010 est.)
male: 62,208
female: 54,786 (2010 est.)
1.78% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 125
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
stateless persons: 553 (2012)
