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Portugal, a country with a rich history of seafaring and discovery, looks out from the Iberian peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean. When it handed over its last overseas territory, Macau, to Chinese administration in 1999, it brought to an end a long and sometimes turbulent era as a colonial power.
Overview
The roots of that era stretch back to the 15th century when Portuguese explorers such as Vasco da Gama put to sea in search of a passage to India. By the 16th century these sailors had helped build a huge empire embracing Brazil as well as swathes of Africa and Asia. There are still some 200 million Portuguese speakers around the world today.
Lisbon's Rossio Square, a popular meeting place
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Portugal's history has had a lasting impact on the culture of the country with Moorish and Oriental influences in architecture and the arts. Traditional folk dance and music, particularly the melancholy fado, remain vibrant. For almost half of the 20th century Portugal was a dictatorship in which for decades Antonio de Oliveira Salazar was the key figure. The dictatorship's stubborn refusal to relinquish its grip on the former colonies as demands for independence gained momentum there resulted in expensive wars in Africa. This period was brought to an end in 1974 in a bloodless coup, picturesquely known as the Revolution of the Carnations, which ushered in a new democracy. By the end of 1975 all of Portugal's former colonies in Africa were independent of Lisbon.
Facts
- Full name: Portuguese Republic
- Population: 10.7 million (UN, 2008)
- Capital: Lisbon
- Area: 92,345 sq km (35,655 sq miles)
- Major language: Portuguese
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 81 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 euro = 100 cents
- Main exports: Textiles and clothing, wood products, electrical equipment
- GNI per capita: US $18,950 (World Bank, 2007)
- Internet domain: .pt
- International dialling code: +351
Leaders
President: Anibal Cavaco Silva
Anibal Cavaco Silva, centre-right president
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Anibal Cavaco Silva won the January 2006 presidential poll, becoming the first centre-right president since the coup of 1974. He defeated two Socialist candidates to win a first round election victory. The president's role is mainly ceremonial, but incumbents can appoint prime ministers, dissolve parliament and call elections. Prime minister: Jose Socrates Victory in February 2005 elections went to the Socialist Party led by Jose Socrates. The Socialists gained their first absolute majority in parliament since democracy returned to Portugal in 1974.
Jose Socrates: His Socialist Party regained power in 2005
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On taking office, Mr Socrates said his priority would be to revive the economy - which has been near the bottom of the European league tables for years - and to stem rising unemployment. His government has since sharply cut spending, by reducing pensions, raising the retirement age and withdrawing civil service benefits in an attempt to reduce one of Europe's biggest budget deficits. The reforms - which some claim are destroying social rights - have prompted repeated protests mostly among public sector workers. Mr Socrates was 47 when the elections took place. He served as environment minister in the last Socialist government and became the party's leader in 2004. President Sampaio had called the elections early amidst growing discontent over the failure of the previous centre-right government led by Pedro Santana Lopes to tackle the country's mounting economic problems.
Media
Portugal's commercial TV stations command a lion's share of the viewing audience, and provide tough competition for the cash-strapped public broadcaster. Public TV services are operated by RTP, which enjoyed a monopoly on the airwaves until the launch of commercial channel SIC in 1992. Multichannel TV - via cable, satellite and recently-introduced digital terrestrial - reaches more than two million homes. Cable is the dominant platform. Public radio networks are operated by RDP. The Roman Catholic Church owns the widely-listened-to Radio Renascenca. There are some 300 local and regional commercial radio stations. The press
Television
- RTP - public, operates two domestic channels and external services RTP Africa and RTP Internacional
- SIC - commercial, channels include cable news station SIC Noticias
- TVI - commercial
- TV Cabo - main pay-TV operator
Radio
News agency
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