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General Information
Area: 92,345 sq km (35,655 sq miles).
Population: 10,066,253 (2001).
Population Density: 109.0 per sq km.
Capital: Lisbon. Population: 3,319,900 (1997).
GEOGRAPHY: Portugal occupies the southwest part of the Iberian Peninsula and shares borders in the north and the east with Spain, while to the south and west lies the Atlantic Ocean. The country is divided into various provinces, including the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores; the latter lying some 1220km (760 miles) due west of Lisbon. The Douro, Tagus and Guadiana rivers flow across the border from Spain. North Portugal is mountainous, the highest part being the Serra da Estrela, a popular area for skiing. South of Lisbon stretch the vast plains of the Alentejo region. A range of mountains divides the Alentejo from the Algarve, which runs along the south coast, and is one of the most popular resort areas with wide sandy beaches and attractive bays.
Government: Republic since 1910. Head of State: President Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio since 1996. Head of Government: Prime Minister José Manuel Durao Barroso since 2002.
Language: Portuguese. English is widely spoken within the business community.
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Time: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. 110 volts in some areas and 220 DC in parts of the south. Continental two-pin plugs are in use.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 351. Outgoing international code: 00. There are call boxes in most villages and all towns; there are also public telephones in many cafes and bars, from which international calls may be made.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900/1800 networks. Operators include Optimus (website: www.optimus.pt), Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.pt) and TMN (website: www.tmn.pt). Coverage exists across the whole country.
Fax
Available at fax bureaux and large hotels in major cities.
Internet
ISPs include Esoterica, which operates an Internet Access Center, and Telepac, Comnexo and Sonet. Internet cafes exist in all urban areas, and some post offices offer Internet facilities.
Telegram
There are telegram facilities at most major hotels. The public office at Praça dos Restauradores, Lisbon is open daily 0900-1800.
Post
Post offices (correios) are usually open Mon-Fri 0800-2200, Sat-Sun 0900-1800. The post office at Lisbon Airport is open 24 hours a day. Airmail to European destinations from continental Portugal and the Azores takes three days; from Madeira, up to five days. There are poste restante facilities at post offices throughout the country.
Press
Each region has its own Portuguese-language dailies. The English-language newspapers published in Portugal include: Anglo Portuguese News (Lisbon), and The News (Algarve).
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
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