Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.42 years
male: 72.02 years
female: 79.04 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.36 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese
Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediterranean stock in mainland, Azores,
Madeira Islands; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to
mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000
Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant denominations 1%, other 2%
Languages: Portuguese
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 89%
female: 82% (1990 est.)
@Portugal:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal
Data code: PO
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Lisbon
Administrative divisions: 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,
Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila
Real, Viseu
Dependent areas: Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative
Region of China on 20 December 1999)
Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)
Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, and
5 November 1992
Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews
the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Manuel de Oliviera GUTERRES
(since 28 October 1995)
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;
election last held 14 January 1996 (next to be held NA January 2001);
following assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO elected president; percent of vote -
Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 53.8%, Anibal CAVACO SILVA (Conservative)
46.2%
Legislative branch: 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 1 October 1995 (next to be held by NA October
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 34.0%, PS 43.8%, CDU
8.6%, CDS/PP 9.1%; seats by party - PSD 88, PS 112, CDU 15, CDS/PP 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica, judges
appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcelo
Rebelo DE SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Antonio GUTERRES];
Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Carlos CARVALHAS]; Popular Party or
PP [Manuel MONTEIRO], may have joined the CDS for the election;
National Solidarity Party or PSN [Manuel SERGIO]; Center Democratic
Party or CDS; United Democratic Coalition or CDU (communists)
International organization participation: AfDB, Australia Group, BIS,
CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAVEM III,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fernando Antonio de Lacerda ANDRESEN
GUIMARAES
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone : [1] (202) 328-8610
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
(Rhode Island), Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley BAGLEY
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon
mailing address : PSC 83, APO AE 09726
telephone: [351] (1) 7266600, 7266659, 7268670, 7268880
FAX: [351] (1) 7269109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Flag description: 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
Economy - overview: Portugal's short-term economic fundamentals remain
strong: the economy has grown by more than 2% during the past two
years, with similar growth expected in 1997. The Socialist
government's primary economic goal is to place Portugal in the first
group of countries adopting the single European currency, and it has
instituted a disciplined 1997 budget to bolster Lisbon's chances.
Portuguese government forecasts suggest that it is likely to meet
partially the Maastricht monetary convergence criteria by lowering its
budget deficit from 4% of GDP in 1996 to 2.9% in 1997, although the
government predicts that government debt will be cut only to 68% of
GDP, overshooting Maastricht's 60% target. Social programs - a
priority for the Socialists - will still grow slightly faster than GDP
in 1997, mandating strict budget discipline in other areas. As for the
long run, Portugal is increasing its infrastructure spending - much of
it in anticipation of hosting the world's International Exposition in
1998 - while working to modernize its capital plant and increase
competitiveness in hopes of increasing Portugal's GDP, which remains
below 65% of the EU's average GDP per capita.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $122.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 6%
industry: 36%
services: 58% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.4% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 4.53 million (1996 est.)
by occupation : services 54.5%, manufacturing 24.4%, agriculture,
forestry, fisheries 11.2%, construction 8.3%, utilities 1.0%, mining
0.5% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 7% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $48 billion
expenditures: $52 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.4
billion (1996 est.)
Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork;
metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 8.83 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 33.1 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,863 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep,
cattle, goats, poultry, meat, dairy products
Exports:
total value: $25.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, cork and paper
products, hides
partners : EU 80%, other developed countries 9% (US 4.5%)
Imports:
total value: $34.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products,
chemicals, petroleum, textiles
partners: EU 72%, other developed countries 8% (US 3%), less developed
countries 17%
Debt - external: $13.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $248 million (1993)
recipient : ODA, $70 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Portuguese escudo (Esc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Portuguese escudos (Esc) per US$1 - 160.35 (January
1997), 154.24 (1996), 151.11 (1995), 165.99 (1994), 160.80 (1993),
135.00 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Portugal:Communications
Telephones: 3,444,300 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: generally adequate integrated network of coaxial cables,
open wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth
stations
international: 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat;
tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean Region) is planned
Radio broadcast stations: AM 57, FM 66 (repeaters 22), shortwave 0
Radios: 2.2 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 66 (repeaters 23)
Televisions: 2,970,892 (1993 est.)
@Portugal:Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,068 km
broad gauge: 2,761 km 1.668-m gauge (464 km electrified; 426 km double
track)
narrow gauge: 307 km 1.000-m gauge
note : in 1994, Portugal had 3,520 km of track of which 464 km were
electrified
Highways:
total: 68,732 km
paved: 59,110 km (including 587 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,622 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 820 km navigable; relatively unimportant to national
economy, used by shallow-draft craft limited to 300 metric-ton cargo
capacity
Pipelines: crude oil 22 km; petroleum products 58 km
note: there is a 700 km natural gas pipeline which connects with one
in Spain carrying Algerian natural gas which is to open in 1997; the
secondary lines that will be 300 km long have not yet been built
Ports and harbors: Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores),
Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria
(Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo
Merchant marine:
total: 84 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 556,069 GRT/906,790 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 47, chemical tanker 6, container 5,
liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 7, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 2
note: Portugal has created a captive register on Madeira for
Portuguese-owned ships; ships on the Madeira Register (MAR) will have
taxation and crewing benefits of a flag of convenience; Portugal owns
an additional 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 322,887 DWT
operating under the registries of Cyprus, Liberia, and Panama (1996
est.)
Airports: 67 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 66
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 32 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National
Republican Guard, Fiscal Guard, Public Security Police
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,543,502 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 2,049,806 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 80,494 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.07 billion (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: sovereignty over Timor Timur (East Timor
province) disputed with Indonesia and not recognized by the UN
Illicit drugs: important gateway country for Latin American cocaine
entering the European market; transshipment point for hashish from
North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin
______________________________________________________________________
PUERTO RICO
(commonwealth associated with the US)
@Puerto Rico:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
water: 145 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode
Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
areas
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resources: some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and
offshore oil
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops : 5%
permanent pastures: 26%
forests and woodland: 16%
other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: the recent drought has caused water
levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more
than one-half of the population
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: important location along the Mona Passage - a key
shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and
best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high
central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively
dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
@Puerto Rico:People
Population: 3,828,506 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25% (male 485,782; female 463,226)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,192,306; female 1,298,256)
65 years and over : 10% (male 170,170; female 218,766) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.93% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 17.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.49 years
male : 70.04 years
female: 79.22 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups: Hispanic
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
@Puerto Rico:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Data code: RQ
Dependency status: commonwealth associated with the US
Government type: commonwealth
National capital: San Juan
Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July
1952; effective 25 July 1952
Legal system: based on Spanish civil code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government : Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections : governor of Puerto Rico elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA
November 2000)
election results: Pedro ROSSELLO reelected governor of Puerto Rico;
percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the
Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (54 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections : Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7
November 2000); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996
(next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PNP 19, PPD 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 37, PPD 16, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of
Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held
7 November 2000); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed by
the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts,
justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Party of Puerto
Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO; New
Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Independence
Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party
(PCP), leader(s) unknown
Political pressure groups and leaders: Armed Forces for National
Liberation (FALN); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution; Boricua
Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of Popular
Resistance
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL,
WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth associated
with the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth associated
with the US)
Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based
on the US flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies
in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed
agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum
wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3.9
million tourists in 1993.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $31.6 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.1% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.3 million (1996)
by occupation: government 22%, manufacturing 17%, trade 20%,
construction 6%, communications and transportation 5%, other 30%
(1993)
Unemployment rate: 14% (FY95/96 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $5.1 billion
expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY94/95)
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products;
tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1994 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 4.47 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 16.82 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,231 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: livestock products, chickens; sugarcane,
coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas
Exports:
total value : $22.9 billion (f.o.b. 1996)
commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
beverage concentrates, medical equipment
partners: US 88% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $19.1 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners : US 62% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Puerto Rico:Communications
Telephones: 1,166,231 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: modern system, integrated with that of the US by
high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system with about 1 million lines (1990
est.); cellular telephone service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable
to US
Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 63, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.565 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 9
note: cable television available with US programs (1990 est.)
Televisions: 952,000 (1992 est.)
@Puerto Rico:Transportation
Railways:
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for
hauling sugarcane; no passenger service
Highways:
total: 14,100 km
paved : 14,100 km
unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.
Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San
Juan
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 22 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m : 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
QATAR
@Qatar:Geography
Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline: 563 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
gravel
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Aba al Bawl 103 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops : NA%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 94% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 80 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near
major petroleum deposits
@Qatar:People
Population: 670,274 (July 1997 est.)
note : includes 516,508 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 95,145; female 91,338)
15-64 years : 70% (male 339,892; female 131,429)
65 years and over: 2% (male 8,567; female 3,903) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.04% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 17.26 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 3.5 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 26.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 2.59 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.2 male(s)/female
total population: 1.96 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.56 years
male: 71.06 years
female: 76.18 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari
Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other
14%
Religions: Muslim 95%