Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/334

* POBTTIGAIi. 282 POETXJGAL. between the Tagus and Douro about 60°, and in the Guadiana Valliv C5°. Lisbon has a mean tciiiperatiue in Januaiy of 50° and in July of ti!J.8°. The precipitation at Lisbon is about 40 inches a year, and Coimbra, the most popuhius town between 0])orto and Lisbon, is the rainiest phice in Kuropc. tlie clouds parting with their moisture against the sides of the surround- ing mountains, where as much as 102 inches of rain have fallen in a year. On the whole, the soils are not rich, for there are wide expanses of sandy and thin soils; some of the valleys and plains, however, are extremely fertile. FloBjV. The vegetation, which is that of Central and Southern Europe, is practically identical with the flora of iSpain. The kind of vegetation is denoted by the prevalent forest trees — in the nortli the oak, in the middle the chestnut, and in the south the cork tree. The culture of the orange is extended the entire length of the coast. Tlw olive is found everywhere, but the date palm is limited to a fringe along the south coast. Fauxa. The wild animals are those of Spain. Sardines and the tunny are most conspicuous in the coast fisheries, which are highly productive. Geology and Misebal Resoukces. Almost all the geologic formations are represented. Granite is predominant among the northern mountains, gneiss throughout the Douro Valley, mica schists occur irregularly here and there, and basalt i.s conspicuous in the surroundings of Lis- bon. The older fossiliferous formations are con- spicuous in the north and centre and cover most of South Portugal. Mesozoic formations occur along the coast between Lisbon and Aveiro, and several mountain chains in the central regions are formed of .Jurassic rocks. Portugal suffers occasionally from the seismic disturbances Nvhich afflict the peninsula. The great eartliquake of 1.5.31 did enormous damage, and that of 1755, in whii-li only one-quarter of Lisl)on escaped de- struction, was probably the most violent ever witnessed in Europe. The most important mines are in the copper region of Alem- tejo and among the iron ores of Moneorvo. Coal is worked at Cape ilondego and is .also found in the environs of Leiria. The mining industry, however, is in a worse condition even than that of Spain. Many mines in this richly metallif- erous country, which includes also lead, man- gani'sp ore, tin. zinc, and antimony among its resources, are idle, and those that are worked are for the most part in the hands of foreigners. Very large (|uantitics of salt, chiefly sea salt (at Setubal, 300,000 tons annually), are produced and much is exported. The Portuguese sea salt is regarded as the best in Europe. -A.GRICULTUKE. The surface of the country, ac- cording to the uses made of it, may be thus di- vided: agriculture and gardening. 22.4 per cent, of the total area: the vine, 2.2: pasturage and hay, 20.7: woodland, 2.!): unproductive, 45.8. The result is that the food requirements of the scanty population are not met. Fnrming also is in a low state of development and methods and implements are very primitive. The Portuguese plow has been described as "a crooked branch with a ten-penny nail tied to the end of it." There are three principal regions of cereal cul- ture: that of maize, chiefly north of the Tagus River, where the climate is more humid than in the south : that of wheat, on the wi<lc dry warm plains south of the Tagus; and that of rye, on the poorer dry soil and in the colder temperature of the eastern lands bordering Spain. Flax is ex- tensively grown in the north and citrus fruits and olives are produced in the south. V'ine-grow- ing, the most noted branch of Portuguese hus- bandry, is of great importance, partieularl}' on the Douro, where the costly port wine is pro- duced. Though the industry is carried on in somewhat antiquated fashion, Portugal is one of the leading wine countries, judged by the quality of its wine. The largest vineyard in the world, at Poceirao (50,30 acres), contains 6,000,- 000 vines, annuallj' producing about 2,650,000 gallons of red and white wine. Live-stock raising is an important branch of agriculture, the number of horses averaging 90,- OOO: mules and asses, 200.000; cattle, 600,000; sheej) and goats, 4,000,000; and swine, over LOOO.OOO. Cattle are raised in largest numbers in the valleys and on the plains of the north, while sheep and swine are found chiefly in the south. Silkworm culture is increasing, particu- larly in the north. M.VNUFACTUBES. The manufacturing indus- tries have only inferior development, but they are progressing, especially in Oporto and Lisbon. The cliief manufactures are textiles, particularly woolens, and also cotton, linen, and silk goods. The cottons are made chiefly for export to the colonies. In the neighborhood of Oporto there are 15 cotton mills. The chief seats of these manufactures are Lisbon, Ojiorto and the neigh- boring Braga, and Covilhao. Other products are hats, leather, spirits from sugar cane, porcelain, tobacco, shoes, ironware, brandy, and soap. Ship- building has been increasing in importance within the last few years. The population engaged in industries outside of agriculture in lOOO was 447,620. CoMMEBCE. The average annual foreign trade, in millions of dollars may be seen in the following table: 1881-86 1891-95 1399 1901 40.2 23.5 U.3 38.1 54.7 31.1 58.3 Exports 29.0 Great Britain is most important in the for- eign trade of the kingdom. In 1001 28 per cent, of the imports came from Great Britain, 15 per cent, from the Portuguese colonies, 13 per cent, from Germany, 10 per cent, from the United States, per cent, from Spain, and 8 per cent, from France. Great Britain took 20 per cent, of the exports; Spain, 13 per cent.; the Poi-tuguese colonies, 12 per cent.; and Brazil and Germany, 1 1 per cent. each. The imports largely exceed the exports, on account of the quantities of raw materials brought in from the colonies and for- eign countries, and the foreign food substances, textiles, eoal. and machinery, which are con- sumed by the people. The value of the leading imports, in million dollars, in 1001, was: eoal, 5.4; cotton goods. 4.1: raw cotton, 4.3; codfish, from Norway and British North America, 4.2; sugar, 2.8; iron and macliinery, 3.9; woolens and yarn, L4; rice, 1.4; hides and goat skins, 1.5. The leading exports in million dollars were : wine, 10.1; cork, the second lai-gest export, 3.5; copper ore, 1.4; olive oil, 1.2; sheep, 0.8. Wine represents from one-third to one-half of the exports. About one-half are common wines,