MOVING TO PORTUGAL

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KEY FACTS

Official Name: Portuguese Republic

Capital City: Lisbon

Type of Government: Parliamentary Democracy

Official Languages: Portuguese

Area: 91,640 sq. km/35,515 sq. mi

Population: 10.7 million

Religion: Roman Catholic 84%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9%

Currency: Euro (€)

Number of Time Zones: 1

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT); or Eastern Standard Time (EST) plus 5 hrs. Daylight Savings Time is observed from late March to late September.

Weights and Measures: Metric system

Country Domain: .pt

Country Tel Code: 351

AT A GLANCE

Portugal is not a large country – but as a result of its far-reaching explorations and a long history of international involvement – it has a global perspective.

Government

Based on the constitution of 1976, revised in 1982 and 1989, Portugal is now a parliamentary democracy with a president and a 230-member unicameral parliament, called the Assembleia da Republica. The president is Head of State and defender of the constitution, with limited political power. The president, on the basis of legislative elections and advice of the parliament, appoints the prime minister who, with the Council of Ministers, wields executive power. Legislative power rests with the popularly elected Assembly of the Republic. The Azores and Madeira are governed separately and autonomously.

Economics

Portugal joined the European Community in 1986. During the next decade state-owned firms were privatized, the deficit was cut, and inflation was reduced dramatically. Portugal qualified for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and starting using the euro as national currency in 2002, along with 11 other EU-member states.

The growing economy and continued privatization efforts have created an attractive market for exporters and opened up many investment opportunities. Portugal’s economy is now more diversified and service sector based, compared to its past dependence on agriculture. Foreign trade, tourism, and export-oriented manufacturing are also important areas for continued development.

Looking ahead, Portugal faces some challenges. These include the need to improve the local education system and the challenge of competing with Central European and Asian low-cost producers for foreign investment.

Portugal today

Portugal welcomes foreigners and offers them an opportunity to sample the best of several worlds: a growing economy; a relaxed life style; and a rich cultural heritage that includes a remarkable array of Rococo castles and basilicas, museums, and ancient market towns. The reasonable cost of living allows for a comfortable lifestyle.

Most expatriates choose to live in Lisbon, the business center of Portugal. There they find a sophisticated business environment, rich cultural tradition, and a lively community represented by people from all over the industrialized world. Not far from Roman ruins, gleaming new industrial complexes and revitalized waterfront area contrast sharply with the rich history and culture.

UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE

The Portuguese are generally traditional and conservative, resisting rapid change. Careful assessment precedes all decisions. Family and clan form the basis of Portuguese life, and religious faith and moral values are important.

Nearly two-thirds of the population live in rural areas and small towns, and those who do live in urban areas retain strong ties to their native regions and traditions. Despite the emergence of a growing business class, which is sophisticated, technologically up-to-date, well dressed and competitive in the international marketplace, Portuguese pride still prescribes Old World behaviors, courtesies and rituals.

This contrast between the rich, centuries-old tradition and the excitement of the modern world provides some conflicts for Portuguese families. They have become more mobile, and hold mores and customs in high regard.

Ethnic makeup

The Portuguese are actually a composite of the many peoples who have inhabited the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula since prehistoric times Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Germanic tribes, Arabs, and Africans. In general, the Portuguese are slightly shorter than the average European and have dark hair and dark eyes. Although there is very little immigration today, the population includes over half a million people from the former Portuguese colonies of Angola, Mozambique, Timor, Cape Verde, Goa, and Guinea.

The only statistically significant minority group in Portugal consists of people of African descent; they comprise less than one percent of the population.

Cultural traditions

The Portuguese culture is rich and diverse. The Romans, the Moors, and the Spanish have all left indelible marks on the culture, both emotional and physical. During the periods of active exploration, trade, and colonization, the Portuguese eagerly assimilated the unknown and exotic goods and arts of the new cultures.

Unique to Portugal is the tradition known as saudade, which is a pervasive and treasured melancholia and acceptance of fate. This nostalgic air is reflected in many cultural manifestations, especially the famous and haunting music of the fado, a song of homesick sailors. The traditional fado expresses the sad, romantic mood of the nation. Amália Rodrigues is the country’s most internationally known fado singer.

Roman ruins can still be seen, and the Roman influence is reflected in bridges, temples, castros/camps, and mosaics. More basic Roman contributions are the language, and the introduction of the staple crops of wheat, barley, olives, and grapes.

Moorish culture is evident in the country’s architecture: whitewashed houses with small windows and inner courtyards to make life more pleasant in a hot climate. Decorative use of azulejos, brilliantly-colored tiles, is also part of the Moorish legacy; the tiles are widely seen in churches, palaces, monuments, train stations, and private homes.

Great colonial riches in the form of gold and jewels were applied to religious, civic, and private buildings and decorative arts in an exuberant Baroque display of stunning wealth. A unique style of architectural decoration resulted from the Portuguese maritime and colonization experience. Known as the Manueline, the style incorporated common ship motifs, fantastic sea creatures, and emblems of conquest in highly ornamental carvings.

Portuguese literature is rich in lyric poetry and fiction. Portugal’s voyages of discovery and expansion abroad provided a wide range of subjects for its poets.

Ancient rivalries and struggles between Portugal and Spain are evident today in the national mood the Spanish are not held in high esteem by the Portuguese.

Religion

Most Portuguese are Roman Catholic and Roman Catholic traditions continue to exert a strong influence on the lives of the people. More than four-fifths of the population belong to the Roman Catholic Church. Religious dedication is particularly intense in the northern part of the country, where there are many small parishes, each with its resident clergy.

Freedom of religion and freedom of worship are guaranteed by the Portuguese Constitution.
Language

The national language is Portuguese, a Romance language, but English and French are widely spoken. English is the most common language for business and is spoken by most people in urban and tourist areas. Languages taught in the schools are English, French, and German.

Portugal has no native ethnic or linguistic minorities, and slight differences in the dialect do not prevent one Portuguese from understanding another.

Most Portuguese understand Spanish, but they prefer to speak English or French with foreigners who cannot converse in Portuguese.

Attitudes

Toward foreigners

Overall, Portugal is very receptive to foreigners and foreign investment. There is an active policy of encouraging foreign investment, welcoming international corporations and accepting products, companies, and working methods from abroad. Some regulations have been relaxed, bureaucratic delays have been reduced, and some tax and financial incentives are available.

The economic dependence on the tourist industry has also meant that the Portuguese people are accustomed to extending a warm welcome to foreigners.

Toward women

Many Portuguese women have entered the workplace to find new interests and challenges, yet retain the traditional responsibilities of the household and children.

Although there are many women in the workplace, there are few in the boardrooms and executive offices. Portuguese companies attribute this to the possibility that there are not enough qualified women. Women who are married to male Portuguese executives generally accompany them to business functions. Most speak English and French.

Women are treated with respect and politeness. A foreign woman executive should encounter no particular problems as long as she is professional in manner and dress and observes the local business protocol. Their preferred business style should be formal, courteous, and non confrontational; modesty is considered a virtue. Portuguese businessmen, especially older ones, will extend old-fashioned gallantry.

Toward work

Skilled workers are reported to have a high level of productivity. Most workers have adequate education, and the number of workers with university education is increasing. Many are multilingual in English and French.

Contractual agreements, whether indefinite or limited-term, are negotiated between employers and employee representatives and are the rule in almost all business sectors.

Union membership is not compulsory, but about 55 percent of the labor force is unionized. Strikes are legal for any cause; they are common in the public sector but rare in the private sector.

The working week is typically 40 hours, and the minimum age for employment is 16.

CITIES

Lisbon

Lisbon, known in Portugal as Lisboa, is the capital, cultural and commercial center, and main port of Portugal. With approximately one million inhabitants in the city proper and two million in the Greater Lisbon area, Lisbon is one of the smallest capitals in Europe, but one of the most immediately likable.

Lisbon is a contrast of the old and the new – old, narrow streets with Moorish architecture flanked by broad boulevards with new apartment buildings and shops. The many squares and parks in the city add to the unusual and pleasant environment.

Although entry into the European Union has increased both prices and the pace of daily life, Lisbon is still relatively relaxed for a capital city. However, this is changing. The coastal resort areas of Estoril and Cascais are now suburbs, adding commuters to the daily rush hour. Despite the growing suburban sprawl, the city proper is a compact capital, with many city areas within walking distance of major hotels.

Layout

The layout of Lisbon was carefully planned. Much of contemporary Lisbon dates from 1755 when a major earthquake destroyed two-thirds of the city.

The lower part of the city – the Baixa – was rebuilt in less than a decade in orderly, straight lines. During the years of the restoration the broad boulevards and the Praça do Comércio were created. To the north of the Praça do Comércio is the Praça Dom Pedro IV, more commonly known as the Rossio, surrounded by austere 18th-century facades. Rossio is the heart of the city and the northern edge of the commercial district. Just north of the Rossio is the Praça dos Resturadores from which Lisbon’s main boulevard, the Avenida da Liberdade, begins.

A broad, tree-lined boulevard laid out in the 1880s, Avenida da Liberdade is often compared with New York’s Fifth Avenue or Champs-Élysees of Paris. Many outdoor cafes, restaurants, airline offices, and shops are found along this avenue. At the north end of the avenue is the Praça Marques de Pombal and the attractive Parque Eduardo VII. Many major hotels are located in this area or on the Avenida da Liberdade.

Porto/Oporto

Increasingly important to the Portuguese business environment is the industrial city of Porto, or Oporto, as it is more commonly known by many North Americans.

Porto is approximately 320km/200mi north of Lisbon. It is also one of the oldest cities in Europe; Portugal’s second-largest city; and the second most-important business center in the country. The Portuguese say, “Coimbra sings, Braga prays, Lisbon shows off, and Porto works.”

Home to approximately 60 percent of Portugal’s manufacturing capacity, Porto’s major industries include textiles, rubber, footwear, fish canning and preserving, machinery, oil refining, and of course port wine, which gives the city its name. New firms are often attracted to its industrial park area and facilities.

Layout

Unscathed by the earthquake that devastated Lisbon, Porto is a combination of big city and oversized village. It is made up of a prosperous business core with modern buildings and pedestrian malls, smart suburbs and elegant villas, situated side-by-side with cramped streets and ancient alleys.

São Bento, Porto’s main train station, is considered the city’s center. Not far from the station is the Avenida dos Aliados, the main commercial thoroughfare with its concentration of banks.

The business district is in the southern part of the city, near the Rio Douro, which is spanned by three spectacular bridges, one of which, the Maria Pia railroad bridge, was designed by Gustave Eiffel. The ornate 19th-century Palácio da Bolsa or stock exchange, is in this area.

The streets off the avenue lead to the city’s shopping areas – busy Rua da Fábrica with its stationers and bookshops; elegant Praça Dom João I, and Rua Santa Catarina, where the city’s top clothing and shoe stores.

Coimbra

Located 120km/75mi south of Porto and 195km/121mi north of Lisbon and set on a hill next to the Mondego River, Coimbra is a key city in Portugal’s Centro region. Coimbra is renowned for its architecture, landmarks, museums, and parks. It is also home to the University of Coimbra, one of the oldest universities in Europe. Approximately one third of Coimbra’s population attends a local college or university.

Layout

Coimbra consists of an upper and lower town. The upper town includes the hilltop upon which the University of Coimbra sits, as well as many of the city’s architectural treasures. Coimbra’s nightlife is centered on and near the upper city’s major thoroughfare, the Praça do Republica. Coimbra’s downtown area is relatively compact; landmarks, cafes and shops are all within walking distance of each other.

CLIMATE

The weather in Portugal can best be described as gentle. It is a mild and temperate climate with an average annual temperature of 16C /61F. Rainfall can vary greatly from year to year, with years of relative drought followed by years of flooding.

The Tagus River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon, divides the country into two distinct zones. The northern part of the country experiences more rain and cooler temperatures, while the southern part has a drier and warmer, more Mediterranean climate. The northeastern part of the country has long, cold winters with considerable snow.

Lisbon’s winter temperature rarely drops below 4.4C/40F. From October to early June, winds blow from the southwest, and there is frequent and often heavy rainfall. Summers are sunny and breezy; it rarely rains during the summer and temperatures seldom exceed 30C/90F. The interior is hotter and drier than the coastal areas during the summer.

The two major cities in the country, Lisbon and Porto, have a similar climate, with more rain and slightly cooler weather in Porto.

Portugal observes daylight savings time from late March to late September.

Information provided in association with Living Abroad