The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998/Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso/P/Portugal/INFOTEXT

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Republic of (Republica Portuguesa) area
92,000 sq km/35,521 sq mi (including Azores
and Madeira) capital Lisbon towns Coimbra,
ports Porto, Setubal physical mountainous in
the north, plains in the south features
rivers Minho, Douro, Tagus, Guadiana; Serra
da Estrella head of state Mario Alberto Nobre
Lopes Soares from 1986 head of government
Cavaco Silva from 1985 government democratic
republic political parties Social Democratic
Party (PSD), moderate, left-of-centre;
Socialist Party (PS), progressive socialist;
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), centre-left;
Semocratic Social centre Party (CDS),
moderate, left-of-centre exports port wine,
olive oil, resin, cork, sardines, textiles,
pottery, pulpwood currency escudo (251.45 = 1
Feb 1990) population (1989) 10,240,000;
annual growth rate 0.7% life expectancy men
68, women 75 language Portuguese, one of the
Romance languages, ultimately derived from
Latin, but considerably influenced later by
Arabic religion Roman Catholic literacy 89%
male/80% female (1985) GDP $19.4 bn (1984);
$1,930 per head of population chronology
1928-68 Military dictatorship under Antonio
de Oliveira Salazar. 1968 Salazar succeeded
by Marcello Caetano. 1974 Caetano removed in
a military coup led by Gen Antonio Ribeiro de
Spinola. Spinola was then replaced by Gen
Fransisco da Costa Gomes. 1975 African
colonies became independent. 1976 New
constitution, providing for a gradual return
to civilian rule, adopted. Minority
government appointed, led by the Socialist
Party leader Mario Soares. 1978 Soares
resigned.
1980 Francisco Balsemao formed a centre-party
coalition after two and a half years of
political instability. 1982 Draft of new
constitution approved, reducing the powers of
the presidency. 1983 Centre-left coalition
government formed. 1985 Cavaco Silva became
prime minister. 1986 Mario Soares elected
first civilian president for 60 years.
Portugal joined European Community. 1987
Soares re-elected with large majority. 1988
Portugal joined the Western European Union.
1989 Constitution amended to allow state
undertakings to be denationalised.

2.
Country in SW Europe, on the Atlantic,
bounded to the N and E by Spain. government
The 1976 constitution, revised 1982, provides
for a president, elected by universal
suffrage for a five-year term, and a
single-chamber, 250-member assembly,
similarly elected and serving a four-year
term. The president, an active politician
rather than a figurehead, appoints a prime
minister who chooses the council of
ministers, responsible to the assembly. A
council of state, chaired by the president,
acts as a supreme national advisory body.
history Portugal originated in the 11th
century as a country subject to Leon, while
the south was ruled by the Moors. It became
an independent monarchy in the reign of
Alfonso I (1128-85), who captured Lisbon
1147. Alfonso III (1248-79) expelled the
Moors. During the 13th century the Cortes, an
assembly representing nobles, clergy, and
cities, began to meet and secured control of
taxation. A commercial treaty with England
was signed 1294 and an alliance established
1373. During the 15th century Portuguese
mariners explored the African coast, opened
the sea route to India, and reached Brazil,
and colonists followed in the 16th century.
In 1580 Philip II of Spain seized the crown.
The Portuguese rebelled against Spanish rule
1640, placed the house of Braganza on the
throne, and after a long war forced Spain to
recognize their independence 1668. Portugal
fought as the ally of Britain in the War of
the Spanish Succession. France invaded
Portugal 1807-11 (see Peninsular War). A
strong democratic movement developed and
after a civil war 1828-34, constitutional
government was established. Carlos I was
assassinated 1908; his son Manuel II was
driven from the country by a revolution 1910
and a republic was proclaimed. Portugal
remained economically weak and corrupt until
the start of the dictatorship of Dr Antonio
de Oliveira Salazar, prime minister from
1928. Social conditions were improved at the
cost of personal liberties. Salazar was
succeeded as prime minister 1968 by Dr
Marcello Caetano, who proved unable to
liberalize the political system or deal with
the costly wars in Portugal's colonies of
Angola and Mozambique. Criticisms of his
administration led to a military coup Apr
1974 to `save the nation from government'.
The Junta of National Salvation was set up,
headed by General Antonio Ribeiro de Spinola.
He became president a month later, with a
military colleague replacing the civilian
prime minister. The new president promised
liberal reforms, but after disagreements
within the Junta, Spinola resigned Sept 1974
and was replaced by General Francisco da
Costa Gomes. In 1975 there was a swing to the
left among the military and President Gomes
narrowly avoided a communist coup by
collaborating with the leader of the moderate
Socialist Party (PS), Mario Soares. In 1976
Portugal's first free assembly elections in
50 years were held. The PS won 36% of the
vote and Soares formed a minority government.
The army chief, General Antonio Ramalho
Eanes, won the presidency, with the support
of centre and left-of-centre parties. After
surviving precariously for over two years,
Soares resigned 1978. A period of political
instability followed, with five prime
ministers in two and a half years, until, in
Dec 1980, President Eanes invited Dr
Francisco Balsemao, a co-founder of the
Social Democratic Party (PSD), to form a
centre-party coalition. Dr Balsemao survived
many challenges to his leadership, and in Aug
1982 the assembly approved his draft of a new
constitution, which would reduce the powers
of the president and move the country to a
fully civilian government. In 1983 Soares
entered a coalition with the PSD, whose
leader was now the former finance minister,
Professor Anibal Cavaco Silva. In June 1985
the PS-PSD coalition broke up and a premature
general election was called. Cavaco Silva
formed a minority government, and was able to
form a majority government after a landslide
victory for the PSD July 1987. He has
increased economic growth and raised living
standards, and favours a free market and
privatization. In the 1986 presidential
election Soares won a surprising victory to
become Portugal's first civilian president
for 60 years. He promised a more open and
cooperative presidency. Portugal entered the
European Community 1986, and is a committed
member of NATO. In July 1987 the Social
Democrats won an absolute majority in
parliament, with the PRD and Communists both
losing seats.