Capital: Lisbon
Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Dependent areas: Macau (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 20 December 1999)

Independence: 1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
National holiday: Day of Portugal, 10 June (1580)

Constitution: 25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982 and 1 June 1989

Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Dr. Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES (since 9 March 1986); election last held 13 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996); results - Dr. Mario Lopes SOARES 70%, Basilio HORTA 14%, Carlos CARVALHAS 13%, Carlos MARQUES 3%
head of government: Prime Minister Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 6 November 1985)
Council of State: acts as a consultative body to the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica): elections last held 6 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - PSD 50.4%, PS 29.3%, CDU 8.8%, Center Democrats 4.4%, National Solidarity Party 1.7%, PRD 0.6%, other 4.8%; seats - (230 total) PSD 136, PS 71, CDU 17, Center Democrats 5, National Solidarity Party 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justica)

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (PSD), Anibal CAVACO Silva; Portuguese Socialist Party (PS), Antonio GUTERRES; Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Pedro CANAVARRO; Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Carlos CARVALHAS; Social Democratic Center (CDS), Manuel MONTEIRO; National Solidarity Party (PSN), Manuel SERGIO; Center Democratic Party (CDS); United Democratic Coalition (CDU; Communists)
Member of: AfDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Jose Laco Treichler KNOPFLI
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 328-8610
FAX: (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), and Providence (Rhode Island)
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600 Lisbon
mailing address: PSC 83, Lisbon; APO AE 09726
telephone: [351] (1) 726-6600 or 6659, 8670, 8880
FAX: [351] (1) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line

NOTE: The information regarding Portugal on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Portugal Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Portugal Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.