Portugal
Official Country Name
Portugal
Portugal Overview
Following its heyday as a world 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 in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. 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.
Portugal Economy
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 2001-06. GDP per capita stands at roughly 70% of the EU-25 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 was reduced to 4.6% in 2006. The government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.
Portugal Location
Portugal is located in Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Region
Portugal is located in Europe
Portugal Population
Portugal has population of 10,605,870 (July 2006 est.)
Portugal Climate
Portugal has maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Portugal Terrain
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south
Portugal Natural Resources
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Ethnic Groups in Portugal
Portugal has the following 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
Portugal Religions
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)
Portugal Languages
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Portugal Capital
Portugal capital is Lisbon
Portugal Currency
Portugal currency is Euro
Map of Portugal
