Portugal

I

Transport

Portugal has about 78,470 km (48,759 mi) of paved roads and some 429 passenger cars per 1,000 people. The railway system has a total length of about 2,839 km (1,764 mi). Most of the tracks are wide gauge to accommodate shipments from Spain. The merchant navy comprises 347 vessels. Major seaports include Lisbon, Leixões, Setúbal, and Funchal (Madeira). Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (TAP), the national airline, provides domestic and international service. There are international airports at Portela (Lisbon), Pedras Rubras, Faro (Algarve), Santa Maria and Lages (Azores), and Funchal (Madeira).

J

Communications

In 2005 Portugal had about 401 telephones per 1,000 people, and an integrated network of telecommunications. Some 3 million radios and 6 million television receivers were in use in 1997. There are two state-owned and two independent TV channels. Daily newspapers number 27 (2004) and have a combined daily circulation of 315,677.

V

Government

Portugal is governed under a constitution set up in 1976 after the restoration of democracy, and revised in 1982. Although the constitution initially called for the creation of a “classless” state based on public ownership of land, natural resources, and the principal means of production, this socialist language was modified in 1989. The right to strike and the right of assembly are guaranteed, and censorship and the death penalty are proscribed.

A

Executive and Legislature

Portugal is a republic with a president, popularly elected to a five-year term, as head of state. The president of the republic appoints the prime minister, who is the country’s chief administrative official. The prime minister presides over a Cabinet of around 15 ministers.

Legislative power is vested in a unicameral parliament, the Assembly of the Republic. Members of the Assembly are elected under a system of proportional representation and serve four-year terms. The Assembly has a total of 230 seats.

B

Political Parties

The leading political parties in Portugal are the Socialist Party (PS; Partido Socialista) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD; Partido Social Democrata). In 1983 the PS swept into power in coalition with the PSD. The PSD led the vote in the parliamentary elections of 1985 and won clear majorities in 1987 and 1991; in 1995 the PS formed a minority government, but won most seats in the election of 1999. In 2002 the Social Democrats formed a coalition with the Popular Party (PP; Partido Popular). In 2005 the PS was returned to power with a greater margin of victory than ever before.