Moving to Portugal Forums

Exchange Rate "disaster" !

Jamesie — Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:21 pm

Author: Jamesie

Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:21 pm

I recently heard an ex-pat say the exchange rate is a "disaster" !
Well, it may not be as good as it used to be but, as I said at the time, my opinion is :
Portugal is still a cheap place to live compared with England.
Where in England can you buy a 4 bed, 2 bath, detached house with 1,000m2 of land and a swimming pool for less than €200,000 ?
Also, day to day living is far cheaper ;
Bread, eggs, vegetables, salads, wine, beer all at a fraction of UK prices.
A meal of starter, main course, wine and coffee at €5 has to be a bargain !

And as a bonus you get to live in one of the most unspoilt, under-populated gems in Europe ! Even a flight back to blighty (if you feel the need) is a fiver !

I know that one-offs like white goods and cars are more but all in all I think it's the best "deal" I've ever done !

Central Portugal Network

Jamesie — Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:38 pm

Author: Jamesie

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:38 pm

Hi John
Will you be arranging any networking sessions in the future ?

Regards
Jim.

very short skirts in Portugal ...good or bad ?

Jamesie — Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:02 am

Author: Jamesie

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:02 am

Any attire which makes women look more feminine gets my vote !
I hate this move towards low cut trousers and short tops young ladies seem to go for. On the majority this results in a "belly hanging over the trousers look" which I used to see a lot on men in East London pubs !!!

Getting Networked

jjnorty — Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:27 am

Author: jjnorty

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:27 am

I wrote a brief note in May to ask if any people were interested in central Portugal to come to a networking event to socialise and network if you have a business and want to meet new people or contacts. As I provide this service to my network I thought it might be nice to include as many new people as possible.

I have had no replies so I can only assume that there is no current interest or we are all too busy , which is good too.

Let me know if there are any new voices out in central Portugal feeling isolated or would like some regular contact to stimulate the mind and perhaps get the creative juices working!

Happy holidays

John

Samoiedo dog found, anyone?

Gosia22 — Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:33 pm

Author: Gosia22

Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:33 pm

We found on the road 3 months ago a samoiedo dog, very dirty and hungry but gentle and friendly. Three months later and many ads all over the Internet and the vets in the area, noone claimed him. He did not have a chip, of course. It is quite obvious that he had been abandoned and spent already some time on the street.

To see him, I can sedn you the photos by email or you van look for Bianca Sesimbra on google, then adult dogs and then Sam. (I cannot post the link to the site here)

SAM is now for adoption at a shelter in Sesimbra, if you would like to give him a home, please call 964423018 (Ana), you can speak English or I can send you the email because it seems I cannot post it yet on this forum.

Dog Boarding in Central Portugal

omostra06 — Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:29 pm

Author: omostra06

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:29 pm

we have some good info on bringing dogs to Portugal on our website
www gekkoportugal com

PORTUGAL COUNTRY PROFILE

Portugal Info — Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:38 am

Author: Portugal Info

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:38 am

PORTUGAL COUNTRY PROFILE

Introduction

Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.

Geography

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 21.75%
permanent crops: 7.81%
other: 70.44% (2001)
Irrigated land: 6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People

Population: 10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.2 years
male: 36.06 years
female: 40.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.39% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 10.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.25 years
female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal

Government type: parliamentary democracy

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

Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Constitution: 25 April 1976; revised many times

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 Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked confidence in the four-month center-right government
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San Francisco
consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne S. O'NEAL
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE 09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

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

Economy

Economy - overview:
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the past decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $188.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 30.2%
services: 63.9% (2004 est.)

Labour force: 5.48 million (2004 est.)

Labour force - by occupation: agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $74.38 billion
expenditures: $79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt: 61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries:
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production: 43.28 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption: 42.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 3.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports: 28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: 357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption: 2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance: $-8.12 billion (2004 est.)

Exports: $37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides
Exports - partners:
Spain 24.8%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)

Imports: $52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles, agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.4%, France 9.7%, Italy 6.1%, Netherlands 4.6%, UK 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external: $274.7 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency (code): euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 4,278,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,341,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters)
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Internet country code: .pt

Internet hosts: 346,078 (2004)

Internet users: 3.6 million (2002)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 17,135 km
paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,399 km (2002)

Waterways: 210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Pipelines: gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Ports and harbours:
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Merchant marine:
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: 97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18, Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway 4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4)
registered in other countries: 28 (2005)

Airports: 65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military

Military branches:
Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 67,189 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs:
gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil); transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

Used Postage Stamp Appeal for Charity

Terri1968 — Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:36 pm

Author: Terri1968

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:36 pm

Dear Friends

I am not an expat but wondered if you could help us at the Royal National Institute of the Blind in the UK. We provide over sixty services for blind and partially sighted children and adults and can only do this with help from people like yourself. For more information on the RNIB please visit our website at www.rnib.org.uk

I am appealing to you to send us any used postage stamps that you would normally dispose of. We are deperate for stamps from anywhere in the world so any amount at anytime would be great. We still need stamps from the UK as well. Please could you also tell your friends and family.

If you can help please can stamps be left on the envelope, but have the back of the envelope removed. This will make it cheaper for stamps to be sent as well as saving us a job. There should be approximately1/2 - 1cm of paper surrounding the stamp, but do not worry if this is not possible. Stamps then should be sent to RNIB Stamp Recycling, PO Box 185, Benfleet, England, SS7 9BH. I can be emailed at Puddenhead@blueyonder.co.uk

I thank you for your time.

Terri Bush
RNIB

Every day one hundred people start to lose their sight.