Portuguese Educational Center
San Diego's Portuguese community today is made up of immigrants from the Azores, Madeira, and mainland Portugal going back five generations in some cases. As Portuguese, we have a natural pride in our traditions and in the global accomplishments of our ancestors in the spirit of devotion to the Espirito Santo, our community continues in faith and tradition, generation after generation.
Due to the community's faith and commitment, the U.P.S.E.S. Hall has advanced to its present status and continues to achieve its purposes which are to:
This religious practice originates with Queen Saint Isabel, daughter of the King of Aragon, who was married to young monarch, Diniz, in Portugal. She was known for her religiosity and compassionate heart, constantly serving the poor in their circumstantial need. Often times, it is said that the Queen saved bread from her own table to give to the hungry. Legend has it that the King tried to stop her from mingling with the poor and was once caught hiding something in her cloak. When he demanded that she open her cloak to show the concealed food, she said a prayer, threw open her cloak. Instead of bread, red roses tumbled out. It is for this reason, that the statue of Queen St. Isabel is depicted with the mantle of flowers.
At one time during Queen St. Isabel’s reign there was a terrible famine in Portugal. The Queen depleted all her funds while seeking food for her people; she had no financial resources left, only her crown the symbol of her royalty state. One morning, at Mass, she promised the Holy Spirit, “I will give my crown to the Church if you will send me a miracle, so my people will be relieved of their hunger.”
 1965 Queen, Cathy Silva Dellenbach - “Youngest Festa Queen” at 11 years old |
As she left the church, she saw ships coming into the harbor, loaded with wheat and corn! For over 700 years Portuguese people have celebrated this event in the Festa do Espirito Santo or Feast of the Holy Spirit to intercede in time of danger or calamities.
In San Diego, the Festa is the oldest ethnic religious celebration, dating back to the time when the first families settled here in 1884 and was formally organized in 1910.
The Crown, “Coroa” , consists of three individual pieces. The
Scepter of the Crown is accented by a dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit
whose love was so manifested in Queen St. Isabel’s life. The Crown has a
double significance: first, it represents the supreme dominion of the Holy
Spirit and second, the Crown represents the royalty of Queen St. Isabel. The
Plate, serving as a stand for the Crown and the Scepter, represents the
people. If we are to be true followers of Jesus Christ, we must serve others.
As a plate holds food which is given to the hungry, we are called to actively
serve, like Queen St. Isabel. Not only to be touched by God’s Holy Spirit, but
to see that divine
transformation into the visible reality of serving others in their spiritual,
physical and emotional needs.
With limited means, the Portuguese community of San Diego, succeeded in purchasing a Crown, “Coroa”, which still to this day, adorns our annual Festa. Mr. Frank Silva, a native of Cabo Verde, took the initiative for the acquisition of the Crown.
From 1910 to 1922 there was no definite place where the Festa
could be celebrated. Thanks to the energetic efforts of the Portuguese
residents, led by Mr. M.O. Medina and his committee, in 1922 the first United
Portuguese Sociedade do Espirito Santo (U.P.S.E.S.) Hall and Chapel were
inaugurated. This was not an easy task for they had no money to finance the
building. With limited funds borrowed from individuals,
Mr. M. O. Medina, with a crew member from each Portuguese fishing vessel,
started the Chapel construction. The Chapel was built under the direction of
three brother-in-laws:
John Lucas, a mason, Joseph Athaide, a carpenter and Frank Brown, a painter.
Later, with that ardent desire to pay for the Hall, they went as far as to
donate one day of fishing from each Portuguese fishing vessel.
As time went on, the need for a larger hall became apparent and in 1928 a separate unit was added to the Hall and later joined to the larger Hall in 1941. The U.P.S.E.S. Board of Directors resolved to erect the present main building, which was completed in 1949. The Hall continues to grow with additions and remodeling.
Many people have faithfully worked for the benefit of this organization however it hardly seems possible to mention the United Portuguese S.E.S. Hall’s history without justly associating it to a man who devoted more time and energy to the organization than nay other person, Mr. M.O. Medina. At the request of the Portuguese community in 1921, Mr. Medina assumed the responsibility of President of the United Portuguese S.E.S. Hall, a position which he held from 1921-1932 and 1938 -1977.
In speaking of the men, the women also played an important part in all of these accomplishments. They not only had to toil behind the stoves to cook the celebrated dish of ”Sopas” for the Festas but they also helped maintain the Faith so admirably rooted in their convictions.
The names of many women who headed our kitchen crews throughout the years are as follows: Conceicao Athaide, Maria Cabral, Angie Goulart, Margaret Madruga Maria Emilia Monise, Maria Rita Monise, Florinda Neto, Etelvina Neves, Maria Alice Oliveria, Evelyn Medina Silva, Maria Virginia Silva, and Conceicao Virissimo
For the past few years the kitchen has been under the direction of Mr. Gabe Leal.
An important part of the
celebration of the Festa is the existence of a Chapel to house the Crown
during the festivities. The U.P.S.E.S. Chapel was completed in 1922 and
inaugurated together with the first hall that stood on the same site of the
present hall.
The design of the Chapel is a facsimile of those that exist on the island of Terceira, Azores. It follows the design of the chapels of that era with a center door and a window to either side. There were some modifications made to the original concept including the placing of a cross on the center cupola. The original design called for the Crown and Scepter as the focal points of the Festa. Leading to the front door are steps which traditionally are shaped like a pyramid. The interior of the Chapel reflects the design of the chapels that were found in the tuna vessels of that era.
Today, as it was intended in 1922, the Chapel is used to house the Crown of the Holy Spirit during the Festa. On Pentecost Sunday, devotees of the Holy Spirit visit the Chapel to pray and offer a donation of monies or Portuguese Sweet Bread-which is sold to raise monies- to assure the continuation of this unique ethnic religious celebration.
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TOURING
Sure. Just about every San Diegan knows this city was discovered by a Portuguese, Juan Cabrilho. Or that Cabrilho National Monument is a superb place to soak up history, sun and spectacular views. But relatively few know about ethnic treasures tucked away on a quiet street in Point Loma, a tiny chapel typical of those found in the Azores, or the Portuguese Historical Center, which tells the saga of five generations of Portuguese in San Diego. A two-story apartment house and a mammoth community social hall dwarf the chapel, built in 1922 with clapboard walls, stained-glass windows and pyramidal roof ornaments. Perhaps 18 people can sit in the 16-by-20 building, designed, like in the Old Country, more for quiet contemplation than congregational meetings. The chapel's most-celebrated purpose is to house the crown of the Holy Spirit during the annual Pentecostal Festa of the Holy Spirit, a three-day event. Across the street is the historical center, a 1920s-era small house, probably built elsewhere and hauled to its present bay-fill site. Display cases and exhibits suggest this community's proud history:
The show-stopper at the center is the elaborate queen's gown worn for last year's Holy Spirit Festa parade and procession. Thousands of children parade in costumes along Point Loma streets for the annual festa, the placing of the crowns and a meal for thousands at the United Portuguese Association social hall. An egalitarian, family sign-up basis is used to select each year's queen. Currently, proud families are signing up not a newborn daughter but her daughter to come for the year 2052. Within a two-block walk of these Portuguese landmarks are a half-dozen ethnic restaurants. But they serve Italian or Mediterranean ethnic foods. For authentic Portuguese food and beverages, the closest restaurant is Portugalia, on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. – DON SEVRENS |
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Articles of interest:
Portugal may defer to Brazil on
standardizing language
Ex-colonial master takes blow to pride
By Barry Hatton
ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 27, 2008
LISBON, Portugal – Portugal's former empire is striking back – through language.
As Brazil rises on the international stage and its one-time colonial master
wanes, a proposed standardization of the Portuguese language would require
hundreds of words to be spelled the Brazilian way.
“There is no need for us to take a back seat to Brazil,” protested Vasco Graca
Moura, a respected poet who is among those leading the charge against the
changes.
For a once-mighty power whose language is an official one for 230 million people
worldwide, it's a blow to pride comparable to making the British adopt American
spelling – “honor,” for instance, instead of “honour.”
But advocates say the benefits include easier Internet searches in Portuguese
and uniform legalese for international contracts.
Portuguese officials hope it can advance an old ambition of getting Portuguese
adopted as an official language at the United Nations, which currently has six.
The government has asked Parliament to ratify an agreement with the world's
seven other Portuguese-speaking countries – Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, East
Timor, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe.
The changes would match spelling more closely to the way words are pronounced by
removing silent consonants, as Brazilians do. Thus “optimo” (great) would become
“otimo,” and “accao” (action) would become “acao.”
The alphabet would expand to 26 letters by adding k, w and y, to accommodate
words such as “kilometro” and “kwanza,” the Angolan currency. New rules on
hyphens and accents would change “auto-estrada” (highway) to “autoestrada.”
Only about 2,000 words out of the 110,000-word Portuguese vocabulary are
affected and modifications are to be adopted by all seven countries, but
three-quarters of the changes fall on Portugal.
In Brazil, independent of Portugal since 1822, some sympathize with the mother
country's wounded pride.
“It's natural there is resistance,” said Ottaviano de Fiore, an academic adviser
at the Museum of the Portuguese Language in Sao Paulo. “We used to be the
colony, and all of a sudden we are the ones colonizing them. That is going to be
strange.”
But there is no escaping reality: Brazil is bigger and more populous. It has 190
million Portuguese speakers and an economy big enough for the European Union to
be offering it a political and economic alliance, granting it the same status as
China, India and Russia.
Portugal, on the other hand, is one of the least influential of the EU's 27
member states. Its population of 10.6 million accounts for about 1 percent of
the bloc's GDP.
Brazilian culture abounds here. Portuguese have embraced Brazilian restaurants
and caipirinha, a distilled sugarcane drink. Brazilian TV soap operas are
prime-time staples.
This month, Parliament invited proponents and dissenters to a debate about
spelling, and it ran a passionate nine hours.
Graca Moura saw a capitulation to Brazilian economic and diplomatic influence,
while literature professor Carlos Reis chided the holdouts for clinging to
unnecessary orthodoxies. “Should Portugal remain bound to a conservative view of
spelling, as if it were the last bulwark of Portuguese identity?” Reis asked.
Parliament is to vote on the changes on May 15.
Spain and France have had little trouble settling similar linguistic differences
with their former colonies.
Proportions: 2:3 Portuguese
Flag Description:
The flag of Portugal consists of two vertical stripes - the left stripe is green
and the right one is a shade of red. The stripes are uneven as the green stripe
takes up two fifths of the flag's length and the red stripe takes up the
remaining three fifths. A coat of arms with the country's traditional shield is
centered on the Portuguese flag where the two colors meet.
Portuguese Flag Meaning:
The red section represents the Portuguese revolution of 1910 and the green
represents hope. The white shield consists of five blue shields with five white
dots. The blue shields represent the first king of Portugal, Alfonso Henriques
I, victory over five Moorish kings and the divine assistance he received to do
so is represented by the five dots, which symbolize the five wounds of Christ.
Arranged in a cross the shields represent Christianity. The red border featuring
seven castles symbolizes the extension of Portugal's territory to include the
Algarve. Behind the arms there is a navigational instrument, an armillary
sphere. It celebrates Prince Henry the Navigator, who initiated the maritime
exploration that led to Portugal's one time colonial empire.
| By Zé Duarte | Portugal |
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| Introduction | Portugal |
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Background:
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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. |
| Geography | Portugal |
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Location:
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Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain |
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Geographic coordinates:
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39 30 N, 8 00 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Indiana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km |
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Coastline:
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1,793 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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Climate:
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maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south |
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Terrain:
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mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south |
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Elevation extremes:
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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 |
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Natural resources:
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fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 17.29%
permanent crops: 7.84% other: 74.87% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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6,500 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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73.6 cu km (2005) |
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 11.09 cu km/yr
(10%/12%/78%) per capita: 1,056 cu m/yr (1998) |
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Natural hazards:
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Azores subject to severe earthquakes |
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar |
| People | Portugal |
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Population:
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10,676,910 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.4%
(male 912,995/female 835,715) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 3,514,905/female 3,555,097) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 764,443/female 1,093,755) (2008 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 39.1 years male: 37 years female: 41.3 years (2008 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.305% (2008 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
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Death rate:
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10.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.85
deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
78.04 years male: 74.78 years female: 81.53 years (2008 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.49 children born/woman (2008 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.4% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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22,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 1,000 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Portuguese
(singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese |
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Ethnic groups:
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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 |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and
over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 95.5% female: 91.3% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Portugal |
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Country name:
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conventional long form:
Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal |
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Government type:
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republic; parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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name: Lisbon geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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Administrative divisions:
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18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu |
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Independence:
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1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed) |
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National holiday:
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Portugal Day (Day of Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died |
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Constitution:
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adopted 2 April 1976; note - subsequent revisions of the Constitution placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; as well, they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and the government-owned communications media |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Assembly of the
Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held in Fall 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, CDS/PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%, other 4.9%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, CDS/PP 12, BE 8 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Green Ecologist Party (The Greens) or PEV [leadership commission elected by members]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Filipe MENEZES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and PEV) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas F. STEPHENSON embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
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Flag description:
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two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line |
| Economy | Portugal |
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Economy - overview:
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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 2001-07. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 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 the government reduced the deficit to 2.6% in 2007 - a year ahead of Portugal's targeted schedule. Nonetheless, 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$230.5 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$223.3 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.9% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$21,700 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 8.1% industry: 25.4% services: 66.5% (2007 est.) |
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Labor force:
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5.62 million (2007 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2007 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.7% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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18% (2006) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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38.5 (2007) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.4% (2007) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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21.7% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $92.35
billion expenditures: $98 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt:
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63.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish |
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Industries:
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textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.5% (2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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49.04 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4.1% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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48.55 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - exports:
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3.138 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - imports:
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8.624 billion kWh (2006) |
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Oil - production:
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9,500 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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305,800 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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43,070 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports:
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361,300 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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NA bbl |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2007 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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3.86 billion cu m (2006) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2007 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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4.082 billion cu m (2006) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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-$20.89 billion (2007 est.) |
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Exports:
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$51.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision |
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Exports - partners:
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Spain 26.5%, Germany 12.9%, France 12%, UK 6.7%, US 6.1% (2006) |
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Imports:
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$75.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products |
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Imports - partners:
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Spain 29%, Germany 13.1%, France 8.1%, Italy 5.6%, Netherlands 4.4% (2006) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $396 million (2006) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$11.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$389.5 billion (31 December 2007) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$89.2 billion (2007 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|
$54.85 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares:
|
$66.98 billion (2005) |
|
Currency (code):
|
euro (EUR) |
|
Currency code:
|
EUR |
|
Exchange rates:
|
euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
| Communications | Portugal |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
4.231 million (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
12.226 million (2006) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment:
Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with
broadband, high-speed capabilities domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (1998) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
3.02 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
62 (plus 166 repeaters; includes Azores and Madeira Islands) (1995) |
|
Televisions:
|
3.31 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.pt |
|
Internet hosts:
|
836,616 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
16 (2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
3.213 million (2006) |
| Transportation | Portugal |
|
Airports:
|
66 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 44 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 12 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 21 (2007) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2007) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 2,786 km broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified) narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
total: 78,470 km paved: 67,484 km (includes 2,002 km of expressways) unpaved: 10,986 km (2004) |
|
Waterways:
|
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2006) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 117 ships (1000
GRT or over) 1,022,783 GRT/1,287,951 DWT by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 37, carrier 1, chemical tanker 16, container 6, liquefied gas 9, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 10 foreign-owned: 80 (Belgium 9, Denmark 3, Germany 22, Greece 4, Italy 11, Japan 10, Malta 1, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, Spain 10, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2, US 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, Malta 3, Panama 9, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines |
| Military | Portugal |
|
Military branches:
|
Portuguese Army (Exercito Portugues), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2008) |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties (2005) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 16-49:
2,573,913 females age 16-49: 2,498,262 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49:
2,099,647 females age 16-49: 2,060,559 (2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
|
males age 16-49:
64,910 females age 16-49: 58,599 (2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2.3% (2005 est.) |
| Transnational Issues | Portugal |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin |
|
This page was last updated on 19 June, 2008 |
Exercises
Practice at your own pace:
Article - definite: o - the
Nouns: places in the city
Adjectives:
Sentences:
Article - definite: a - the
Nouns: places in the city
Verb: é - is
Adjectives:
Sentences:
Article - definite: a - the
Nouns: places in the city
Verb: é - is
Adjectives:
Sentences:
Article - definite: o - the
Nouns: places in the city
Verb: está - is
Adjectives:
Sentences:
Article - definite, plural: os - the
Nouns: transportation
| Singular: | Plural: |
| carro - car avião - plane barco - boat navio - ship |
carros - cars aviões - planes barcos - boats navios - ships |
Verb, plural: são - are
Adjectives:
| Singular: | Plural: | |
| caro barato |
caros baratos |
expensive inexpensive |
Sentences:
Article - definite, singular: a, o - the
Nouns: the kitchen
Verb- singular: é - is
Adjectives: singular
| Masculine: | Feminine: | |
| novo velho |
nova velha |
new old |
Sentences:
Article - definite,
plural:
os, as - the
Nouns: the kitchen
| Singular: | Plural: |
| colher - spoon garfo - fork faca - knife guardanapo - napkin |
colheres - spoons garfos - forks facas - knives guardanapos - napkins |
Verb:
plural
são - are
Adjectives: review
| Singular: | Plural: |
| barato caro novo velho |
baratos caros novos velhos |
Sentences:
Article - definite: the
Nouns: professions
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| professor - teacher médico - medical doctor enfermeira - nurse dentista - dentist |
professores - teachers médicos - medical doctors enfermeiras- nurses dentistas - dentists |
Verb:
Adjectives:
| Singular, masculine | Singular, feminine | Plural, masculine |
Plural, feminine | |
| alto baixo |
alta baixa |
altos baixos |
altas baixas |
tall short |
Sentences:
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| O professor é alto. A enfermeira é alta. O médico é alto. O dentista é alto. |
Os professores são baixos. As enfermeiras são baixas. Os médicos são baixos. Os dentistas são baixos. |
Article - definite: the
Nouns: bed linens
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| a cama - bed o colchão - mattress a colcha - bed spread a almofada - pillow o lençol - sheet o cobertor - blanket |
as camas - beds os colchões - mattresses as colchas - bed spreads as almofadas - pillows os lençóis - sheets os cobertores - blankets |
Verb:
Adjectives - review:
| Singular | Plural |
| grande caro, cara velho, velha pequeno, pequena barato, barata bonito, bonita |
grandes caros, caras velhos, velhas pequenos, pequenas baratos, baratas bonitos, bonitas |
Sentences:
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| A cama é grande. O colchão é caro. A colcha é velha. A almofada é pequena. O lençol é barato. O cobertor é bonito. |
As camas são grandes. Os colchões são caros. As colchas são velhas. As almofadas são pequenas. Os lençóis são baratos. Os cobertores são bonitos. |
Article - definite: the
Nouns: the bathroom
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| a toalha - towel o espelho - mirror o sabonete - soap o perfume - perfume
|
as toalhas - towels os espelhos - mirrors os sabonetes - soap os perfumes - perfumes |
Verb:
Adjectives:
| Singular, masculine | Singular, feminine | Plural, masculine |
Plural, feminine | |
| caro barato feio bonito |
cara barata feia bonita |
caros baratos feios bonitos |
caras baratas feias bonitas |
expensive inexpensive ugly pretty |
Sentences:
|
Singular:
|
Plural:
|
| A toalha é bonita. O espelho é pequeno. O sabonete é feio. O perfume e caro. |
As tolhas são bonitas. Os espelhos são pequenos. Os sabonetes são feios. Os perfumes são caros. |
The first immigrants arrived in 1884 for whaling
and later tuna fishing. The Portuguese arrivals built colonies in the La
Playa and Roseville sections of Point Loma when Old Town was still a
four-hour buggy ride away. 