PORTUGAL

Country Name: Portuguese Republic

Year Founded: October 5, 1910

Population: 10, 707, 924

Primary Language: Portuguese

Ethnic make-up: Homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent; East Eurpeans.

Political System: Republic; parlamentary democracy.

Year Entered the EU: 1986

Representation of the EU (include party):

Type of Economy: based on services and industry, such as software and automotive.

Currency: euro

Current Exchange rate for American Currency: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

GDP: 245 billions in PPP; 255.5 billions official exchange rate; .9% real growth rate;

Percentage of trade within the EU: EXPORTS: Spain 27.1%, Germany 12.9%, France 12.3%, UK 5.9%, US 4.8%, Angola 4.5%, Italy 4% (2007) IMPORTS: Spain 29.5%, Germany 12.9%, France 8.4%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands 4.6% (2007)

Unemployment rate: 7.6 %

Chief Exports: agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision

Key Imports: agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products

Major Religions: Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9%

Surrounding Countries: the West of Spain.

Literacy Rate: Year 15 and over can read and write: 93.3 % of population.

One Interesting Fact: seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin