Portugal General Information

Official Name: Known officially as the Portuguese Republic, or commonly as Portugal.

Capital: Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is located in the west of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the point where the river Tagus flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Location: Portugal is located in Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, West of Spain.

Size: The total land area of Portugal is 92,090 square kilometers and this ranks 110th globally. The size is slightly smaller than Indiana in the USA.

Climate: Portugal has a Mediterranean climate. The climate of the country varies considerably from one region to another and is influenced by the relief, latitude and proximity to the sea, which offers mild winters. The summers are hot and dry, especially in the inland areas. Temperatures are slightly lower in the coastal areas, because of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Population: Portugal has an estimated population of 10.7million people and ranks 75th globally. The country has a population growth rate of 0.275%.

Life expectancy at birth: The average life expectancy at birth for citizens of Portugal is 78.21 years, ranking at 48th globally. Females have a longer average life span at 81.69 years, while Males average at 74.95 years from birth.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Portugal is about 0.5%, placing 74th globally. This means that around 34,000 people are living with the disease in the country.

Major Illnesses: Potential health risks in Portugal include Avian Flu, Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Yellow Fever.

Ethnic Groups: The Portuguese people represent a mixture of various ethnicities. In the North are traces of Celtic influence; in the South, Arab and Berber influence is considerable. Other groups like Lusitanians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Jews have also left their mark on the Portuguese people. Up to date, the Portuguese population is one of the most homogeneous in Europe, with the only minority being less than 100,000 citizens of black African descent who emigrated to the mainland during decolonization.

Languages: The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. Mirandese is also an official language in Portugal, but only locally used. English is widely spoken within the business community.

Religion:The major religion in Portugal is Roman Catholic accounting for 84.5% of the population. Other religions include Christian at 2.2%, other at 0.3%, unknown at 9% and none at 3.9%.

Government: The Government of Portugal is a parliamentary representative democratic republic through which the Prime Minister is the Head of Government, and of a multi-party system.

Head of State: The Head of State in Portugal is the President Aníbal António Cavaco Silva who is elected to a five-year term. The President may serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms and may run for a third and final non-consecutive term. The President theoretically has wide powers, but are rarely used, he has the discretionary power to dissolve Parliament when he/she sees fit.

Head of Government: The Head of Government in Portugal is the Prime Minister José Sócrates. He coordinates the actions of all ministers, represents the Government as a whole, reports his actions to and is controlled by the Assembly of the Republic, and keeps the President of the Republic informed.

Military: The Federal Armed Forces of Portugal consists of three branches namely Portuguese Army, Portuguese Navy and Portuguese Air Force. The suitable age for male and female voluntary military service is 16-49 years of age.

Economy: Portugal achieved considerable economic growth in the years following membership of the European Community. The service sector provides the highest percentage (about 66%) of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This sector is providing more than 50% jobs of the working population coming from communication, transportation, tourism and finance. Other sectors that make up the country’s GDP also include the building and energy sector (30%) and agriculture and fisheries sector (4%). Main industries that made significant contributions to the economy of Portugal comprise of oil refineries, cement production, automotive and shipping industries, machinery, injection moulding, textile and cork production. Significant exports include clothing, shoes, leather, chemicals, paper products and machinery. Mining, particularly of tungsten, uranium and iron ore is also an important industry. Most other agricultural produce like olives, tomatoes, potatoes and grain is grown for home consumption. Tourism is a major contributor of foreign currency. Foreign currency is also sent home by the Portuguese working abroad.