Status: Free
Legal Environment: 2
Political Influences: 5
Economic Pressures: 7
Total Score: 14
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 77
Religious Groups: Roman Catholic (94 percent), other [including Protestant] (6 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Portuguese, African minority
Capital: Lisbon
Freedom of the press is protected under the Portuguese constitution. Laws prohibiting insults against the government and the military are rarely enforced. Last year Portugal registered the largest increase in newspaper circulation in the European Union (EU), but it still has the smallest number of newspaper purchases among the EU member states. In addition to state broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa (RTP), two private commercial channels operate in the country. There are two cable and one digital satellite operator. Of the more than 300 radio stations, only 7 transmit nationally. Use of the Internet is well below the EU average, with only 20 percent of the population regularly accessing it.
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