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Caldas da Rainha
Economy

Industry:

Caldas da Rainha presents an accentuated specialization in traditional pottery (hand-painted and glazed ceramics).

However, this sector has diversified itself. Other important areas of industry are footwear, textiles, cutlery, wood/furniture, drinks, food industry and graphic arts.

The industrialization index is of 25,1%. Construction and public works occupy over 2200 people.

Dimension of the industrial units:

Small to medium industrial units (average of 38 employees per industry).

Destiny of production:

The main destiny of the industrial production is largely exportation due to the large volume of sales to the foreign market of ceramics.


Percentage of industrial units by type of activity:

- pottery and porcelain - 32%
- food industry - 18%
- non-electrical machinery -12%
- chemical products - 9%
- wood/furniture industry - 7%
- others - 21%

Agriculture:

The municipality of Caldas da Rainha has exceptional conditions for the practice of agriculture. The climate is mixed: temperated mediterranean and temperatured atlantic and conjugated with good soils gather good conditions to make agriculture an important component of the municipality's economy.

It's an area of intensive agriculture, with policulture (more than one culture). The wine and cereals were dominant in the past but have been replaced by other cultures, more profitable. Horticulture and fruit production (pears and apples) are now more rentable,

Services:

The municipality presents a high tertiary index. This sector of activity represents 39% of employment.

Caldas da Rainha has got in commerce the most important activity of this sector, especially retail.

Another activity of importance is the tourism, linked to the thermal waters of the spa, to the coming of tourists that come into the beaches and also to the tour travels headed for Fátima (65 km distant of Caldas da Rainha).

Caldas has got 25% of the lodging capacity is the West Region.