llowing 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 entered
the EC (now the EU)in 1985.

Geography Portugal

Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
west of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km note: includes Azores and
Madeira Islands water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier
in south

Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes: 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: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore,
marble, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 22% permanent crops: 8% other: 70% (1999 est.)

Irrigated land: 6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused
by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in
coastal areas

Environment - international agreements: 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 signed,
but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification,
Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations
alo