Introduction to Geography of Portugal
Portugal, officially Portuguese Republic, the most westerly country of continental Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain, Andorra, and Gibraltar, the Portuguese section being along the western coast. Portugal is roughly rectangular in shape. It is bounded on the north and east by Spain and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal also includes the Azores and Madeira Islands in the Atlantic.
Portugal once had a vast overseas empire that included Brazil and numerous possessions in Africa and Asia. It was the last European power to give up its major possessions in Africa, retaining Angola, Mozambique, and Portuguese Guinea (Guinea-Bissau) until the mid-1970's.
Facts in brief about PortugalCapital: Lisbon.Official language: Portuguese.Official name: Republica Portuguesa (Portuguese Republic).Area: 34,340 mi2 (88,941 km2), not including the Azores or the Madeira Islands. Greatest distances—north-south, 350 mi (563 km); east-west, 125 mi (201 km). Coastline—458 mi (737 km).Elevation: Highest—Estrela, in Serra da Estrela, 6,539 ft (1,993 m). Lowest—sea level.Population: Current estimate—10,678,000; density, 301 per mi2 (116 per km2); distribution, 56 percent urban, 44 percent rural. 2001 census—10,356,117. Population figures include the Azores and Madeira island groups.Chief products: Agriculture—grapes, tomatoes, potatoes, hogs, chickens, milk, beef cattle, corn. Fishing—sardines, tuna. Manufacturing—textiles, food products, paper products, electrical machinery, cork products, ceramics, shoes, cement, fertilizer.Flag and coat of arms: Portugal's flag has a band of green, which stands for hope; and of red, which symbolizes the blood of the country's heroes. Portugal's coat of arms appears on the flag. It shows castles and shields that recall Portuguese history.National anthem: "A Portuguesa" ("The Portuguese").Money: Basic unit—euro. One hundred cents equal one euro. The Portuguese escudo was taken out of circulation in 2002.Physical Geography
Portugal lies on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula in Europe.LandPortugal lies at the western edge of the Spanish Meseta, a vast tableland dominating the Iberian Peninsula. Landforms consist mainly of moderately high plateaus and mountains sloping south westward to lowlands along the Atlantic coast.
Northern Portugal—the area north of the Tagus River—is the most rugged part of the country. Here, behind a coastal lowland up to 30 miles (48 km) wide, mountains rise to heights of generally less than 5,000 feet (1,520 m). The highest range is the Serra de Estrela, which runs northeast-southwest and reaches a maximum elevation of more than 6,500 feet (1,980 m). There are also flattopped plateaus cut by deep river valleys, especially in the northeast.
Southern Portugal is made up primarily of coastal lowlands, broad river valleys, and low, almost flat plateaus. Only along the Spanish border and in the extreme south are there mountains, most of which are low.
WaterPortugal is drained by three major rivers, all flowing from the Spanish Meseta: the Tagus, Douro, and Guadiana. Other rivers include the Minho, Mondego, and Sado. Because of distinct wet and dry seasons, the rivers flow irregularly; many dry up completely during the summer. Principal lakes are reservoirs, impounded mainly for hydroelectric power on the Douro and Tagus rivers.
ClimatePrevailing in the south is a Mediterranean type of climate similar to that of southern California. Summers here are long, hot, and dry; winters are mild and relatively rainy. Normally, average temperatures range between 50° F. (10° C.) in January and 80° F. (27° C.) in July. Throughout most of this area, freezing temperatures and snow are unknown. Rainfall totals about 20 inches (510 mm) a year.
Northern Portugal, because of greater oceanic influences and higher elevations, has a more temperate climate. Winters are cooler and summers are milder than are those in the south; average January and July temperatures are about 40° F. (4° C.) and 70° F. (21° C.). Frosts frequently occur in winter; snow occasionally blankets the high mountains. Precipitation exceeds 30 inches (760 mm) annually. The dry season is neither as long nor as pronounced as in the south.
Economy
Although Portugal is a modern industrial state, it remains one of the least developed countries in western Europe. Industrial development and economic growth occurred during the 1960's and early 1970's. Sustained economic growth, however, was hampered by a variety of factors, including a lack of fuels and other industrial raw materials, large-scale emigration, and heavy military expenditures for fighting rebellions in the country's African territories.
A coup in 1974 led to major economic changes. Chief among these changes was the nationalization of many industries. Economic decline occurred during the late 1970's and early 1980's. High unemployment, caused chiefly by the return of Portuguese settlers and soldiers from former colonies, was one of many economic problems. By the mid-1980's, however, the economy began to show signs of improvement, especially after Portugal joined what is now the European Union, in 1986. A program to return most nationalized industries to private ownership was initiated in 1989. By the mid-1990's many state concerns had been privatized.
ManufacturingThe manufacturing or processing of agricultural, fishery, and forest products has long been a mainstay of Portugal's economy. Among the chief products are wine, olive oil, sardines, cork, and resins. The making of textiles, a major export, provides the greatest number of manufacturing jobs. Other manufacturing includes automobile assembly and the making of footwear electronic equipment, steel, pulp and paper, refined petroleum and petrochemical products, cement, ceramics and fertilizer. Portugal also has sizable shipbuilding and ship repairing facilities. Almost all of the industry is concentrated in the Lisbon, Oporto, and Sines areas.
AgricultureFourteen per cent of Portugal's workforce is engaged in agriculture, one of the highest percentages in western Europe. Poor farming methods and a lack of investment in agriculture, however, have kept productivity low, and Portugal must import food products to meet domestic demand. Small farms, many less than five acres (two hectares), predominate in the north; larger farms are found in the south.
Potatoes, wheat, and corn are grown in the largest amounts. Other major crops include rye, rice, oats, barley, beans, tomatoes, grapes (mainly for wine), almonds, olives, and citrus fruit. Wines, particularly Port, Madeira, and Rosé, have been major exports for many years. Sheep, pigs, and, to a lesser extent, cattle and goats make up most of the livestock.
Fishing, Forestry, MiningPortugal is a seafaring nation of long tradition, and fishing is a well-established industry. Fish from distant Atlantic waters account for most of the catch. The most important species from these waters, are cod, hake, and tuna. Of the many species taken in coastal waters, the most valuable is the sardine. Much of the sardine catch is canned for export.
Forests cover slightly more than a third of Portugal and consist mainly of pines, cork oak, other oaks, and chestnut. From them come major products and exports, including cork, resin, turpentine, and wood for pulp. Portugal is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of cork.
Mining is of limited importance. Many minerals are produced, but few in significant amounts, rarely enough to meet domestic needs. Pyrite (mainly for sulfur) and copper are normally the leaders in production. Iron ore, kaolin, gold, tin, and silver are also produced. When prices on the world market are sufficiently high, tungsten and beryl are mined for export.
TransportationHighways link most large towns and cities. The bridge over the Tagus River at Lisbon is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. The railway system is owned and operated by the government. Lisbon and Oporto (Porto) are the chief ports. Lisbon's Portela Airport is a major European air terminal, serving TAP, the national airline, and other international carriers.
Trade and TourismPortugal trades mainly with western European nations and the United States. Portugal is one of the least expensive countries in Europe to visit, and tourism has become a major industry.
The People
The nation has a relatively homogeneous population. Blacks from former African colonies form the largest minority group.
Language and ReligionPortuguese is the official language and there are no large linguistic minorities. Almost all the people are Roman Catholics. There is freedom of religion, and small minorities of Protestants and Jews are in the larger cities. Religious festivals and feasts, celebrated with great enthusiasm, play an important role in Portuguese life.
Education and CulturePrimary education is free and compulsory from age 6 to age 15. There are not enough schools in all areas, and Portugal's adult illiteracy rate of about 11 per cent is one of the highest in Europe. Secondary education is provided by the government; attendance is not compulsory.
The major universities are in Lisbon, Coimbra, and Oporto. The oldest is Coimbra University, founded in 1290. There are also schools of art, music, education, commerce, and medicine, as well as a naval and a military academy.
Lisbon, cultural center of the nation, has numerous libraries, museums, and art galleries. The most important of these are the National Library, the Historical Archives, and the Military Museum.
SportsSoccer is Portugal's most popular sport. Another prominent spectator sport is bullfighting, which differs from the Spanish variety in that the bull is not killed.
Government
Under the constitution of 1976, revised in 1982, 1989, and 1997, Portugal is a democratic parliamentary republic. The constitution provides for a popularly elected parliament called the Assembly of the Republic which has 230 members. The president (head of state), also elected, appoints the prime minister (head of government) and cabinet from the strongest parties in the assembly. The Portuguese president, unlike the head of state in most parliamentary systems, is not a figurehead, but holds considerable power. The president can, for example, veto legislation and dissolve the parliament.