COMMfcRCfi
1158
should the quit-reiit te offered for sale. This system is very old — modifica- tions having been introduced by the civil code in 1868.
The chief cereal and animal produce of the country are: — In the north, maize and oxen ; in the mountainous region, rye and sheep and goats ; in the central region, wheat and maize ; and in the south, wheat and swine, which fatten in the vast acorn woods. Throughout Portugal wine is pro- duced in large and increasing quantities. Olive oil, figs, tomatoes are largely produced, as are oranges, onions, and potatoes.
Portugal possesses considerable mineral wealth, but coal is scarce, and, for ^\ ant of fuel and cheap transport, valuable mines remain unworked. In 1909, 4,086 persons worked underground and 3,667 (including 399 females) worked at the mines above ground.
The quantity and value of the mineral produce in 1911 was : —
Minerals
Metric Tons
Value at the Mines
Minerals
Metric Tons
Value at the Mines
Antimony ore
Arsenic
Coal (antlu'acite) .
Copper pyrites .
Copper
Copper precipitate
Lead ....
Iron . . . •
887 10,610 10,4-27
811 3,963
19,541
£
7,883 5,837 3,235 i 727 ! 10! t, 472 <
5,284
Gold ....
Lead ore
Silver ore .
Ore for Sulphur .
Tin ore
Uranium
Wolfram
3,667
272,052
85
814
002
£
538
21,432
137,879
12,959
6,053
97,484
Common salt, gypsum, lime, and marble are exported. In 1903 there were in force 490 concessions of mines, embracing an area of 75,528 acres. Of the concessions, 462 were of mines yielding metallic ores, 22 yielding •coal, 4 coal and iron, 2 asphalt and phosphorite. In 1903 several tin mines in Bragan(;a were transferred to a Belgian company.
The population engaged in industries of various kinds, exclusive of agriculture, in 1900 Avas 455,296.
Portugal has in 1910, 26,894 persons and .8,289 vessels of 39,408 tons engaged in fishing. The exports of sardines and tunny fish are considerable. The value of the fisheries in 1910 was 5,919,842 milreis, including sardines 2,943,778 milreis and tunny fish 322,696 milreis, besides whale fisheries in the Azores, 22,790 milreis, and cod fisheries, 440,018.
Commerce.
Imports for consumption and exports (exclusive of coin and bullion) for five years : —
Years
Imports
Exports
Milreis
Milreis
1907
61,453,143
30,409,964
1908
67,247,956
28,377,119
1909
64,761,864
30,970,088
1910
69,506,843
35,724,072
1911
68,126,841
34,065,250
4 E
