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Portugal:
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Other pages in this profile of Portugal:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Definition 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. |
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Location |
Definition Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain |
Geographic coordinates |
Definition 39 30 N, 8 00 W |
Map references |
Definition Europe |
Area |
Definition - World rank and map total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands |
Area - comparative |
Definition slightly smaller than Indiana |
Land boundaries |
Definition total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km |
Coastline |
Definition 1,793 km |
Maritime claims |
Definition territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate |
Definition maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south |
Terrain |
Definition mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south |
Elevation extremes |
Definition 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 |
Natural resources |
Definition fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower |
Land use |
Definition - World rank and map arable land: 17.29% permanent crops: 7.84% other: 74.87% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
Definition 6,500 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources |
Definition 73.6 cu km (2005) |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) |
Definition total: 11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%) per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998) |
Natural hazards |
Definition Azores subject to severe earthquakes |
Environment - current issues |
Definition soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas |
Environment - international agreements |
Definition 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 |
Geography - note |
Definition Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |