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Continental Portugal
Mainland Portugal
Mainland Portugal
Continental Portugal (, ) or mainland Portugal comprises the bulk of the Portuguese Republic, namely that part on the Iberian Peninsula and so in continental Europe, having approximately 95% of the total population and 96.6% of the country's land. Mainland Portugal is therefore commonly called by residents of the Portuguese archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira the continent () in all respects including minor elements of combined governance from Lisbon, the country's capital. Before 1975, when the Portuguese territory also stretched to several now-independent states in Africa, the designation metropole () was also used.
Context
The designation mainland Portugal is used to differentiate the continental territory of Portugal from its insular territory. The latter comprises the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. The Azores and Madeira are also commonly referred to as the autonomous regions (), insular Portugal () or, simply, the islands ().
Continental Portugal is divided into 18 districts. Outside of these the islands of Madeira and the Azores are the Autonomous Regions of Portugal.
The European Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics defines the geographic plurality of the mainland Portugal and the islands as the primary NUTS I territorial division (see administrative divisions of Portugal: NUTS for details).
While in modern Portugal the difference between European continental and total territory is minor (in terms of area), it mattered during the existence of the Portuguese Empire, when the distinction was more frequently made, such as in the colonisation of Brazil. Continental Portugal has an area of 89015 km2 or 96.6% of the Portuguese national territory (92145 km2) and 10,248,477 inhabitants (or 95.34% of the total population of 10,749,635).
Districts
Main article: Districts of Portugal
| District | Province(s) | EU Statistical region(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Viana do Castelo | Minho | Alto Minho |
| Braga | Minho | Ave |
| Cávado | ||
| Tâmega e Sousa | ||
| Porto | Douro Litoral | Porto |
| Tâmega e Sousa | ||
| Vila Real | Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | Douro |
| Alto Tâmega | ||
| Ave | ||
| Bragança | Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | Trás-os-Montes (majority) |
| Douro | ||
| Aveiro | Beira Litoral (majority) | |
| Douro Litoral | Aveiro (majority) | |
| Coimbra | ||
| Porto | ||
| Tâmega e Sousa | ||
| Viseu | Beira Alta (majority) | |
| Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | ||
| Douro Litoral | Viseu Dão Lafões (majority) | |
| Douro | ||
| Beira Litoral | ||
| Tâmega e Sousa | ||
| Guarda | Beira Alta (majority) | |
| Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | Beiras e Serra da Estrela (majority) | |
| Viseu Dão Lafões | ||
| Douro | ||
| Coimbra | Beira Litoral (majority) | |
| Beira Alta | ||
| Beira Baixa | Coimbra | |
| Castelo Branco | Beira Baixa | Beira Baixa |
| Beiras e Serra da Estrela | ||
| Médio Tejo | ||
| Leiria | Beira Litoral | |
| Estremadura | Leiria | |
| Oeste | ||
| Santarém | Ribatejo (majority) | |
| Beira Litoral | ||
| Beira Baixa | Médio Tejo | |
| Lezíria do Tejo | ||
| Lisbon | Estremadura (majority) | |
| Ribatejo | Lisbon (majority) | |
| Oeste | ||
| Lezíria do Tejo | ||
| Portalegre | Alto Alentejo (majority) | |
| Ribatejo | Alto Alentejo | |
| Évora | Alto Alentejo | Alentejo Central |
| Setúbal | Estremadura | |
| Baixo Alentejo | Lisbon | |
| Alentejo Litoral | ||
| Beja | Baixo Alentejo | Baixo Alentejo (majority) |
| Alentejo Litoral | ||
| Faro | Algarve | Algarve |
EU Statistical Regions (NUTS II)
Main article: NUTS statistical regions of Portugal
| NUTS II | Districts (entirely or partly included) |
|---|---|
| Norte | Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro (part), Guarda (part), |
| Centro | Castelo Branco, Guarda (majority) |
| Oeste e Vale do Tejo | Santarém District, |
| Lisbon Metropolitan Region | Lisbon (majority), Setúbal (part) |
| Alentejo | Setúbal (part), Évora, Portalegre, Beja |
| Algarve | Faro |
References
References
- (18 June 2025). "População residente (Série longa, início 1991 - N.º) por Local de residência (NUTS - 2013), Sexo e Idade; Anual". [[Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Portugal).
- "Official Journal L 87/2023".
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