The national religion is the Roman Catholic. The school system is inefficient, though measures tending toward improvement are being introduced. At the last census (1877) 60 per cent. of the adult population could not read. Number public schools, 1880, 29,828; number of pupils, 1,769,456. Number of universities, 10; students, 15,732.
Number miles railway, 1884, 5,157, with 1,747 miles under construction. Length of telegraph lines, 10,733 miles; number miles of wire, 26,160. Number of postoffices, 2,699.
The colonial possessions of Spain have an area of 163,876 square miles, and a population of 7,991,894. The most important are Cuba and the Philippine Islands. Area of Cuba, 43,220 square miles; pop., 1,521,684. Capital, Havana; pop., 25,000. Sugar, tobacco and cigars are principal products; average yearly sugar production, 520,000 tons.
Available home and colonial troops, 400,000.
PORTUGAL.
Name derived from Portus Cale, the ancient name of Oporto. A kingdom of Europe, occupying the western part of the Iberian peninsula.
Area, 36,510 square miles. Population, 4,306,554. Number of Provinces, 6. Length of coast line, 500 miles. Capital, Lisbon; pop., 246,343. Oporto, centre of port wine trade; pop., 105,838.
Climate healthful. Mean temperature at Lisbon, 61°. Rainfall averages 27 inches at Lisbon, and 118 at Coimbra.
About 51 per cent. of soil is productive, and less than 23 per cent. under tillage. Not sufficient grain raised for home consumption. Wine product for 1882, 125,000,000 gallons; value, $28,500,000.
State religion, Roman Catholic. The average amount spent on public education from 1875 to 1879 was $10,000; in 1884 the amount had risen to $966,000. There is one university, established at Coimbra in 1290.