Portugal Forest Information and Data

According to the U.N. FAO, 38.1% or about 3,456,000 ha of Portugal is forested, according to FAO. Of this 0.7% ( 24,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Portugal had 849,000 ha of planted forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Portugal lost an average of 6,450 ha or 0.19% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Portugal gained 3.9% of its forest cover, or around 129,000 ha.

Portugal's forests contain 102 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Portugal has some 664 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.2% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 4.7% are threatened. Portugal is home to at least 5050 species of vascular plants, of which 3.0% are endemic. 4.4% of Portugal is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

The following contains data relating to forest cover in Portugal

Previous version of this profile (2009)

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Forest Cover | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Deforestation | Primary forest | Planted forest | Forest designation | Forest ownership | Growing stock | Carbon stock | Disturbances affecting forest land | Removals | Removals Value | Employment | Forest policy | Human resources | Revenue | Agreements | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

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Portugal: Forest Cover, 2010 Total Land Area (1000 ha) 9068 Total Forest Area (1000 ha) 3456 Percent Forest Cover 38 Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) 24 Primary Forest, % total forest 1 Other wooded land (1000 ha) 155 Percent other wooded land 2 Portugal: Breakdown of forest types, 2010 Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 24 1 Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 2583 75 Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 849 25 Portugal: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010 TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 3327 3420 3437 3456 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 9 3 4 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0.28 0.10 0.11 Portugal: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010 FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 3327.00 2644.00 2625.00 2607.00 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -68 -68.00 -4.00 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -2.1 -2.05 -0.14 Portugal: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 - 24 24 24 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 - 0 0 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 - 0 0 Portugal: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 - 776 812 849 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 - 7 7 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 - 0.91 0.90 Portugal: Primary designated function (percent) Production Protection of soil and water Conservation of biodiversity Social services Multiple use Other None or unknown 59 7 5 0 30 0 0 Portugal: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent) OWNERSHIP PATTERN Public ownership Private ownership Other 2 98 0 PRIVATE OWNERSHIP Individuals Business entities and institutions Local, indigenous and tribal communities 89 5 5 HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS Public administration Individuals Business entities and Institutions Communities Other 100 0 0 0 0 Portugal: Growing stock in forest GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species 186 54 91 95 83 GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species 2 12 Portugal: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (million metric tons) 1990 2000 2005 2010 - - 102 102 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (per hectare in tons) 2000 30 ANNUAL CHANGE (1 000 t/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 - - n.s. ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE (t/ha/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 - - n.s. Portugal: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005 FOREST FIRE 1000 ha % wild fire (not managed burn) 104 100 EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE Insects Diseases Other biotic agents Abiotic factors Total (excluding fire) % of 2005 forest area 604 143 44 51 843 25 Portugal: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005 INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 12662 10958 12578 100 WOODFUEL Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 627 732 732 100 Portugal: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005 Value of removals (million US$) Value per ha forest (US$) Industrial roundwood Woodfuel NWFP Total 383 15 420 818 n.s. Portugal: Employment in forestry 1990-2005 TOTAL (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 16 11 8 IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - Portugal: Forest policy and legal framework 2008 National forest policy (year): Yes (2006) Sub-national forest policy: No National forest program (year) - status: Yes (1996) In implementation National forest law (year): Incorporated in other law (1996) Sub-national forest law: Yes Portugal: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008 2000 2005 2008 # % female # % female # % female 1992 18 2778 27 1623 36 Portugal: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005 Forest revenue Public expenditure (1000 US$) Domestic funding External funding Total (1000 US$) Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments 15539 57379 63847 880 34598 58260 98446 Portugal: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010 CbD: UNFCCC: Kyoto Protocol: UNCCD: ITTA: CITeS: Ramsar: World Heritage Convention: NlbI: [an error occurred while processing this directive] Portugal: Environment 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 Natural hazards Azores subject to severe earthquakes Portugal: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 21.75% permanent crops: 7.81% other: 70.44% (2001) Natural resources fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower Portugal: 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 2001-05. 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 - per capita $18,400 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 0.7% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, fish, dairy products GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 5.2%, industry: 28.9%, services: 65.9% (2005 est.) 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 Population below poverty line (%) NA Debt - external $298.7 billion (30 June 2005 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.) Portugal: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 10,566,212 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 0.39% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 114.9 Percent rural (2003) 45.4% Median age (years) total: 38.2 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 1.47 (2005 est.) 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 Largest Cities in Portugal Cities and urban areas in Portugal with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population Lisbon [Lisboa] Portugal 558100 2612300 Porto Portugal 263600 1210700 Amadora Portugal 175200 175200 Braga Portugal 114300 114300 Setubal Portugal 113800 113800 Coimbra Portugal 102900 102900 Funchal Portugal 102800 102800 Portugal: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 4,278,800 (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular 9,341,400 (2003) Roadways (km) total: 17,135 km paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,399 km (2002) Portugal: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 77.53 years male: 74.25 years female: 81.03 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 0.4% (2001 est.) Portugal : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com Select a Country or Region INDEX Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Caribbean Cayman Islands Central African Republic Central America Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Costa Rica Cote d�Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic DR Congo East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea Norway Oceania Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Lucia Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States of America United States Virgin Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Vietnam Virgin Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Tropical rainforest information  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports update soon  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest update soon  The Congo Rainforest update soon  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images   Web mongabay.com Mongabay Rainforests Mongabay News Mongabay Photos