For AP Human Geography we had to create a project reflecting issues occurring in a particular country we were assigned. I was assigned Portugal, which is located on the Iberian Peninsula in SW Europe, adjacent to Spain. Five issues I discuss in this presentation include Political, Religious, Environmental, Demographic, and Economic.

1. PORTUGAL
Nicholas Portugal
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AP Human Geography
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Period A3
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2. Where is Portugal?
Portugal is
located on the
Iberian Peninsula,
adjacent to Spain.
Absolute
Coordinates:
38.7138° N,
9.1394° W

3. What is Portugal known for?
• Real Estate
• Many rich investors from countries such as England, Spain, India,
China, and Brazil, have taken an interest in purchasing summer
homes in Portugal due to the institution of the Golden Visa Program.
• Birthplace of a Lingua Franca
• Portuguese is spoken in over 8 states, including: Portugal, Brazil,
Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, Macau, São Tomé
and Principe.
• Portuguese is considered the fifth most used language on the
internet, third on popular social networks such as Twitter & Facebook.
• Agriculture
• Main agricultural exports include: Grapes, wine (viticulture), cork,
olive oil, cream, and milk.

4. What are some of its issues?
1. Political
A. Austerity
B. Populist Discontent
2. Religious
A. Benedict’s Crisis
B. Battle With Secularism
3. Environmental
A. Viticulture Decline
B. Engineering Projects
4. Demographic
A. Population Pyramids
B. Plummeting Birth Rate
5. Economic
A. Entrepreneurship
B. Footwear Industry
Canopy of umbrellas spotted in Águeda,
Portugal, by photographer Patrícia Almeida
on August 1, 2012.

5. Political: Austerity
• What is austerity?
• Reduced spending à Reduced
expenditures à Reduced
budget deficits
• Affects other parts of
Western Europe
• Voters now associate both
leftist and rightist parties with
corruption, joblessness, and
‘stultifying’ bureaucracy.
• Led to Moreira’s election as
mayor of a major
Portuguese city without an
established political party.
Rui
Moreira

6. Political: Populist Discontent
• What is populism?
• Political theory that appeals
to the interests and
conceptions of the general
people, especially
contrasting the interests of
the elite.
• Rui Moreira’s statement:
• “The risk for Europe is that
difficult times help spread
populism, which in the
worst-case scenario can
then turn into
totalitarianism.”

7. Religious: Benedict’s Crisis
• Portugal is 88% Catholic,
however it is one of the few
places in the world where the
phrase “the crisis” does not
immediately summon images of
the sexual abuse church scandals
occurring in other parts of
Southern Europe.
• “The Crisis” = Economic turmoil
due to international investors
targeting the country’s debt.
• Pope Benedict XVI visits in May
2010 to shed light on the
situation by implementing his
vision of “Christian humanism” to
consider the revival of the ‘moral
architecture’ of the economy.

8. Religious: BattleWith Secularism
• As part of the Catholic
belt near the
Mediterranean, Portugal
is less secularized than
countries such as Sweden
or Great Britain.
• Catholicism in Portugal is
suffering from secularism
and from its profile under
the dictatorship of
António de Oliveira
Salazar, who ruled from
1932 until the “Carnation
Revolution” of 1974.
António de
Oliveira Salazar

9. Environmental:Viticulture Decline
• Portugal is world-renowned
for its wines:
• Port Wine from Douro Valley
• Vinho Verde from Minho region.
• Yearly revenue: €700 mil.
• Viticulture is sensitive to local
climatic conditions.
• Humidity index is dropping
due to global warming,
gradually causing vineyards to
become more vulnerable to
prolonged drought and pest
attacks.
• Suitability for wine decreases
as a result of projected
warmer and drier climate.

10. Environmental: Engineering Projects
• Aid from the European
Union is available to invest
in projects like hotels that
may address job shortages
in rural communities and
guest workers to Portugal,
such as the Al Queva Dam
and Sines Harbour in Beja.
• To protect magnificent
birds and other rare and
threatened wildlife, Antonio
Mónteiro and his wife Ana
Berliner created the Faia
Brava (“Wild Cliff”) natural
reserve.

11. Demographic: Population Pyramids
Most people are between
the ages 20-29.
Most people are between
the ages 45-54.
Most people are between
the ages 65-74.

12. Demographic: Plummeting Birth Rate
• 2012: 89,841 babies
• 2008: 102,418 babies
• 239 schools closed in 2013.
• Sales on everything from nappies
to children’s shampoos are
dropping significantly.
• Around Europe, there has been a
gradual decline of birthrates
since the 1960s.
• Birthrates continue to fall in
nations such as Portugal, Spain,
Greece, Ireland, and Cyprus.
• 2030: Retired population in
Portugal expected to surge by
27.4%, with those older than 65
to make up 1 out of every 4
residents.

13. Economic: Entrepreneurship
• Southern peripheral Europe is in
midst of serious economic crisis.
• Portugal is slowly making
progress to stabilize its economy
and get public debt under
control again.
• Its goal is to follow in the steps of
Ireland rather than Greece;
Greece represents an extremity.
• The best hope in Portugal is the
creation of new companies and
expansion of small ones.
• Increasing numbers of young,
aspiring Portuguese are flocking
towards opportunities in
Northern Europe.

14. Economic: Footwear Industry
• Footwear industry is
planning to double its
exports by 2025.
• Investing €20 mil. to market
its products abroad, in order
to establish itself as one of
“the most sophisticated in
the world,” running only
behind Italy.
• With 1696 companies and
41,295 jobs, this industry is
one of Portugal’s most
important, exporting 95% of
its output at an average price
of €23.45 (~$32) a pair.

15. Why should we care?
• There are strong similarities in Portugal’s issues to those
occurring in the United States, including:
• Crude birthrate stagnancy.
• Global warming’s impact to the environment & viticulture sector.
• Expanding secularism.
• Natural conservation efforts to protect forests, species, & vital
ecosystems.
Thankyouforyourtime.
Obrigadopeloseutempo.