Portugal becomes one of poorest countries in EU

During 2009 and for the third consecutive year, Portugal had an inferior purchase power to the average of the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), the Eurostat said on Tuesday.

According to the Eurostat, the statistics office of the EU, the purchase power in Portugal is equal to 78 percent of the average, which places the country at the same level as Malta and behind countries like Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

Portugal is located at the place 18 of the 27 countries of the EU on the purchase power.

According to experts, most of the countries lost purchase power in 2009, due to the global financial crisis. Only Britain, Austria, Malta and Switzerland registered improvements.

Though Luxemburg suffered the crisis, it was the country with the biggest income per capita of the EU, with a richness of 268 percent superior to the European average.

According to the Eurostat, the second place is Ireland with 131 percent

superior to the European average, followed by Holland with 130 percent.

In the case of Spain, which was one of the most affected countries by the crisis, is located in front of Italy.

The poorest countries are Bulgaria with 41 percent equal to the European average and Rumania with 45 percent.

Source:Xinhua