World Factbook
Portugal
Republica Portuguesa
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: two vertical bands of green (left side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths), with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and national shield) centered on the dividing line meaning: explanations for the color meanings are ambiguous, but a popular interpretation says that green symbolizes hope and red the blood of those defending the nation
Capital
name
Lisbon
etymology
the origin of the name is unclear; some trace it back to the legendary Greek hero Ulysses; others claim a derivation from the Phoenician alis-ubbo , or "joyful bay"
time zone note
Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1)
time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
38 43 N, 9 08 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Portugal
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years; 6 years if from a Portuguese-speaking country
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976
amendment process
proposed by the Assembly of the Republic; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members
Country name
etymology
name derives from the Roman designation "Portus Cale," meaning "Port of Cale;" Cale was located in present-day northern Portugal, and its name is said to come from the Latin word calere (to be warm) because the harbor never iced over
local long form
Republica Portuguesa
local short form
Portugal
conventional long form
Portuguese Republic
conventional short form
Portugal
Independence
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 1 December 1640 (independence reestablished after 60 years of Spanish rule); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
Legal system
civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 12 justices); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)
subordinate courts
Supreme Administrative Court (Supremo Tribunal Administrativo); Audit Court (Tribunal de Contas); appellate, district, and municipal courts
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court justices nominated by the president and appointed by the Assembly of the Republic; judges can serve for life; Constitutional Court judges - 10 elected by the Assembly and 3 elected by the other Constitutional Court judges; judges elected for 6-year nonrenewable terms
Executive branch
note
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
chief of state
President Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (since 9 March 2016)
election results
2021: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 60.7%, Ana GOMES (ran as an independent but is a member of PS) 13%, Andre VENTURA (CH) 11.9%, João FERREIRA (PCP-PEV) 4.3%, other 10.1% 2016: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 52%, António SAMPAIO DA NOVOA (independent) 22.9%, Marisa MATIAS (BE) 10.1%, Maria DE BELEM ROSEIRA (PS) 4.2%, other 10.8%
head of government
Prime Minister Antonio Luis MONTENEGRO (since 2 April 2024)
most recent election date
24 January 2021
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
expected date of next election
January 2026
National holiday
Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580)
note: also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis DE CAMOES (1524-80) died
National color(s)
red, green
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Historic Évora (c); Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores (c); Cultural Landscape of Sintra (c); Laurisilva of Madeira (n); Historic Guimarães (c); Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (c); Convent of Christ in Tomar (c); Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde (c); University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga (c)
Political parties
Democratic Alliance or AD (2024 electoral alliance in the Azores, includes PSD, CDS-PP, PPM) Democratic and Social Center/People's Party (Partido do Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular) or CDS-PP Ecologist Party "The Greens" or "Os Verdes" (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV Enough (Chega) Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal) or IL LIVRE or L People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN People's Monarchist Party or PPM Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD (formerly the Partido Popular Democratico or PPD) Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU (includes PCP and PEV) (2024)
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
230 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
5/18/2025
expected date of next election
September 2029
percentage of women in chamber
35.7%
parties elected and seats per party
Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) - Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party (CDS-PP) (88); Chega (CH) (60); Socialist Party (PS) (58); Other (24)
National anthem(s)
title
"A Portugesa" (The Song of the Portuguese)
history
adopted 1911; originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa
lyrics/music
Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL
National symbol(s)
armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe for modeling objects in the sky)
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 (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 462-3726
chancery
2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 350-5400
consulate(s)
New Bedford (MA), Providence (RI)
chief of mission
Ambassador Francisco Antonio DUARTE LOPES (since 7 June 2022)
consulate(s) general
Boston, Newark (NJ), New York, San Francisco
email address and website
info.washington@mne.pt https://washingtondc.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[351] (21) 726-9109
embassy
Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisboa
telephone
[351] (21) 727-3300
consulate(s)
Ponta Delgada (Azores)
mailing address
5320 Lisbon Place, Washington DC 20521-5320
chief of mission
Ambassador John Joseph ARRIGO (since 30 September 2025)
email address and website
conslisbon@state.gov https://pt.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction