Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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2
3
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9
10
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14
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18
19
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M
onitoring Agricultural Drought
in
Mainland Portugal
F
ATIMA ESPIRITO SANTO, RITA GUERREIRO,
A
ND ISABEL M. GOMES
[181
Line
——
3.8
——
Norm
PgEn
Mainland Portugal (37°-42° N latitude) is located in the transitional region
between the subtropical anticyclone and the subpolar depression zones. In
addition to latitude, its orography and the effect of the Atlantic Ocean are
the major factors affecting the climate of the mainland Portugal.
The highest altitudes vary from 1000 m to 1500 m, with the exception
of the Serra da Estrela range (figure 14.1), whose peak is just below 2000
m. The regions farthest from the Atlantic Ocean are around 220 km away.
Portugal has a total area of 9.2 million ha, 41% of which is devoted
to cropland. Although agricultural practices in some regions are still tradi-
tional and not competitive, they are slowly becoming more and more indus-
trialized and employ about 20% of the active population, which includes
employment in agricultural industries as well. The inclusion of Portugal
to the European Community in 1986, on the one hand, provided financial
resources, but, on the other hand, caused agricultural policy to become
more dependent on community policies. Farm size has doubled since the
1970s with increased mechanization.
Wine production is the most important agricultural activity, which con-
tributes significantly to Portugal's economy (GPPAA, 1999). Among fruit
trees, apples and citrus fruit have the highest productions, about 250,000
tons and 230,000 tons per year, respectively. Olive trees produce about
40,000 tons of olive oil per year (GPPAA, 1999). Food grain production is
relatively low and not enough for domestic use. This is mainly due to the
prevailing climate.
[181
In
fluence of Climate Agriculture
The Portuguese climate is classified as Mediterranean, with some variations
depending on orography and latitude. The annual cycles of monthly mean
181
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