Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble
Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 36% other: 20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,300 sq km (1993 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94
Geography-note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar
@Portugal:People
Population: 9,927,556 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 881,091; female 834,775) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,283,273; female 3,429,233) 65 years and over: 15% (male 612,221; female 886,963) (July 1998 est.)