Portugal

The Country and the Town

Portugal is one of the world's oldest countries . It became an independent nation in 1143, and has maintained its independence and national boundaries from the 13th century to this day, except for a brief period under Spanish domination between 1580 and 1640. Portugal became a republic on 5th October 1910 and is an established democracy today.

Portugal 's geographic location at the Southwest corner of Continental Europe assures quick and easy access not only to the European market, but also to the eastern shore of the United States and to the African Continent.

Nearly half of its 10 million population is economically active. Population density is highest in the Lisbon area, in the northern city of Porto and in other coastal cities. Portugal 's territory is approximately twice the size of Switzerland .

Official Name: Republic of Portugal

Area: 91 831 square kilometres including Madeira and the Azores.
Location: Portugal is the westernmost country in Continental Europe. It is bounded by Spain on the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west.
Highest Elevation: On the Continent, Serra da Estrela (1,993m); In Azores, Pico (2,351m).
Time Zone: GMT; EST+5 hours
Population: Approximately 9.979million in 1998, of which 9.474 million live in Continental Portugal, 260,000 in Madeira and 244,900 in the Azores .

• Population density: 108 inhabitants per square km.
• Population growth rate: 0.1%.
• Life Expectancy: 75 years: Men 71.4, Women 78.7.

Language: Portuguese is Latin in origin and the third most widely spoken European language in the world. It is the mother tongue of about 200 million people. Portuguese is the official language in several countries: Angola, Cape Verde , Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé e Príncipe in África, and Brasil in South America. In Portugal itself a considerable number of people can understand and communicate in foreign languages.

Telecommunications: From October 31st 1999, Portugal has new area codes. In order to make a call to Lisboa, you now need to dial +351 followed by the telephone or fax number.

Electricity: Voltage: 220/380 volts at a frequency of 50 Hertz. All sockets follow European standards. To use American type plugs, a 220volt transformer should be used together with an adapter plug.

Currency: Portugal is, together, with fifteen members of the European Union a member of the Euro.

Schedules: Portugal is in the same time zone as Britain (Greenwich Mean Time). Opening hours in Portugal are similar to those in the rest of Europe. The visitor has access to all normal services at any time of the day and on all days of the week. Pharmacies keep the same opening hours as the rest of the shops but, in order to guarantee 24hour service, some stay open after 7 p.m. Generally speaking, restaurants are open for lunch from 12 noon to 3.p.m and for dinner from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cinema showings begin at around lunchtime, and at some cinemas there are sessions until 2 a .m. Theatres and other shows usually start between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Telecommunications: In terms of telecommunications, Portugal offers state-of-the-art technology and can supply a large number of phone lines and other communication equipment in the shortest possible time. Portugal Telecom, the Portuguese telecommunications group, operates with a wide range of technological networks for telephone services, data communications, international and satellite connections, mobile communications and cable TV, thus ensuring ease of contact with the rest of the world.

Concerning the Mobile Communications Portugal offers: TMN, VODAFONE, and OPTIMUS.

Religion: Portuguese people are mostly roman catholic (97%), but Portuguese Constitution allows freedom of religion, so different kinds of cult are present.                                                                                                                        

Informação sobre Portugal
http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/

http://www.visitportugal.com/

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Fire Department

Regimento de Sapadores de Bombeiros
http://rsb.cm-lisboa.pt
http://rsb.cm-lisboa.pt.contactos

In case of fire you should dial immediately 112.
Telephone numbers in case of Emergency:

• 213 422 222
• 213 906 060
• 213 906 105
• 213 906 664
• 213 924 700
• 213 924 701

Police Station

Polícia de Segurança Pública |www.psp.pt
The PSP - Public Security Police Service it's a security force with a public service domain, endowed with administrative autonomy, which has as principal function to defend the democratic legality, to assure the internal security and the citizen's rights in terms of the legal dispositions of the law and the Constitution.

Polícia Judiciária www.pj.pt | Rua Gomes Freire, 174, 1169-007 Lisboa | Tel: 213533131
The increase in the sophistication of crime has made it necessary to set up a modern and specially structured police force, particularly designed to carry out criminal investigations. In 1945, the Decree-Law no. 35.042, of 20 October, established the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária (Portuguese Criminal Police).

The origin of the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária lies in the Polícia Cívica (Civic Police), founded by the Portuguese king Dom Luís, on 2 July 1867. This police force was accountable to the Justice Services of the Kingdom. As long as justice police officers, their primary object was “to detect crimes, offences or contraventions, as well as collect evidence and take criminals to court”.

During the period of time in which Sidónio Pais was in office, this police force was restructured and, as a result of such restructuring, the Criminal Investigation Police was set up. Later on, in 1922, an Act by the, at that time, Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. António José de Almeida, the PSP - Polícia de Segurança Pública (Public Security Police Service), the Investigation Police Service, the Administrative Police Service, as well as the Prevention Police Service were formed.

In 1927, the Decree-Law no.657 of 5 December made the Investigation Police Service accountable to the Minister of Justice and Religious Services. This still applies now, due to the fact that the task assigned to the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária is one of co-operating with and assisting the judiciary authorities, the Magistrates, as well as the Prosecution Service.

The Polícia Judiciária is a police force highly specialised, both at the technical and scientific level. Being technically autonomous as well as from the tactical and investigation point of view, this police force is assigned with the task of collecting evidence, which is to be, later on, factually and from the jurisdiction point of view, supported.