Municipalities of Portugal
Encyclopedia
In Portugal
, municipality (município) or concelho is the most stable subdivision of Portugal since the foundation of the country.
Portugal
has an entirely separate system of cities and towns. Cities and towns are located in municipalities, but often do not have the same boundaries, even if built-up is continuous. In total there are around twice as many cities and towns as there are municipalities.
As a general rule, each municipality is further subdivided into parishes
(freguesias); the municipalities in the north of the country usually have a higher number of parishes. Five municipalities are composed of only one parish, and Barcelos is the municipality with most parishes, with 89. Corvo is, by law, the only municipality with no parishes.
since the foundation of the country in the 12th century
. They have their origin in the foral
, a legal document, issued by the king, which assigned privileges to a town or a region. The present subdivisions have their origins in the 19th century
.
The concelhos probably formed after the expulsion of the Visigothic rulers by the Moors during the Umayyad conquest of Hispania
. Towns were thus left free to govern themselves, the population started to organize in councils (concelhos in Portuguese) in order to govern the town and surrounding lands. These were also a reminder of Roman municipalities.
Most municipalities have their origin in the foral
, a legal document, issued by the king, which assigned privileges to a town or a region. The present subdivisions have their origins in the 19th century
, after the administrative reforms conducted by the middle of 19th century
, by the governments of the Constitutional Monarchy
.
In 1910, the Republic
was instaured in Portugal. By the end of 19th century
, the republicans promised a federal organization for the Portuguese territory — that the country would become a municipal republic. However, when the Republic
was formed, they did not adopt what they promised for almost half a century.
Later in the end of the 20th century
, democracy
has granted some autonomy to municipalities. Since the creation of a democratic local administration, in 1976, the Portuguese municipalities have been ruled by a system composed by an executive body (the municipal chamber) and a deliberative body (the municipal assembly
).
The municipal chamber is the executive body, and is composed of the president of the municipality and a number of councillors proportional to the municipality's population. The municipal assembly
is composed of the presidents of all the parishes that compose the municipality, and by a number of directly elected deputies which is at least equal to the number of parish presidents plus one. Both bodies are elected to a 4-year term.
Traditionally, the north and the autonomous regions are politically more conservative, while the south and the region of Lisbon are dominated by the left.
In 1991, two áreas metropolitanas (meaning "metropolitan areas") were created for the two major cities of the country (Lisbon
and Porto
).
and Madeira
. The districts and autonomous regions are further sub-divided into 308 municipalities (Portuguese: municípios or concelhos). The municipality is, usually, much larger than the city or town after which it is named.
The biggest municipalities are those located in rural and inland areas where the dominating property type is the latifundia
, such as Beja
, Évora
or Portalegre in the south, and also in other less populated areas, such as Bragança or Castelo Branco.
The most populous municipalities are those located near the sea, and especially around the metropolitan area
s of Lisbon
, Porto
and Braga
, while the less populous municipalities are located in the inland regions of Alentejo and Trás-os-Montes
. The municipalities with the lowest population densities
are also found in these inland regions, with smaller populations distributed over a greater area.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, municipality (município) or concelho is the most stable subdivision of Portugal since the foundation of the country.
Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
has an entirely separate system of cities and towns. Cities and towns are located in municipalities, but often do not have the same boundaries, even if built-up is continuous. In total there are around twice as many cities and towns as there are municipalities.
As a general rule, each municipality is further subdivided into parishes
Freguesia
Freguesia is the Portuguese term for a secondary local administrative unit in Portugal and some of its former colonies, and a former secondary local administrative unit in Macau, roughly equivalent to an administrative parish. A freguesia is a subdivision of a concelho, the Portuguese synonym term...
(freguesias); the municipalities in the north of the country usually have a higher number of parishes. Five municipalities are composed of only one parish, and Barcelos is the municipality with most parishes, with 89. Corvo is, by law, the only municipality with no parishes.
History
The municipality has been the most stable subdivision of PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
since the foundation of the country in the 12th century
12th century
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century is the period from 1101 to 1200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era. In the history of European culture, this period is considered part of the High Middle Ages and is sometimes called the Age of the...
. They have their origin in the foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
, a legal document, issued by the king, which assigned privileges to a town or a region. The present subdivisions have their origins in the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
.
The concelhos probably formed after the expulsion of the Visigothic rulers by the Moors during the Umayyad conquest of Hispania
Umayyad conquest of Hispania
The Umayyad conquest of Hispania is the initial Islamic Ummayad Caliphate's conquest, between 711 and 718, of the Christian Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania, centered in the Iberian Peninsula, which was known to them under the Arabic name al-Andalus....
. Towns were thus left free to govern themselves, the population started to organize in councils (concelhos in Portuguese) in order to govern the town and surrounding lands. These were also a reminder of Roman municipalities.
Most municipalities have their origin in the foral
Foral
thumb|left|200px|Foral of Castro Verde - PortugalThe word foral derives from the Portuguese word foro, ultimately from Latin forum, equivalent to Spanish fuero, Galician foro, Catalan furs and Basque foru ....
, a legal document, issued by the king, which assigned privileges to a town or a region. The present subdivisions have their origins in the 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, after the administrative reforms conducted by the middle of 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, by the governments of the Constitutional Monarchy
History of Portugal (1834-1910)
The history of Portugal from the end of the Liberal Civil War in 1834 to the republican revolution of 1910 was marked by several events that made way for the proclamation of the Portuguese Republic in the 5 October 1910 revolution....
.
In 1910, the Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
was instaured in Portugal. By the end of 19th century
19th century
The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
, the republicans promised a federal organization for the Portuguese territory — that the country would become a municipal republic. However, when the Republic
Portuguese First Republic
The Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
was formed, they did not adopt what they promised for almost half a century.
Later in the end of the 20th century
20th century
Many people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
, democracy
Portuguese Third Republic
The Third Portuguese Republic is a period in the history of Portugal corresponding to the current democratic regime installed after the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974, that put an end to the paternal autocratic regime of Estado Novo of António de Oliveira Salazar and Marcello Caetano...
has granted some autonomy to municipalities. Since the creation of a democratic local administration, in 1976, the Portuguese municipalities have been ruled by a system composed by an executive body (the municipal chamber) and a deliberative body (the municipal assembly
Municipal assembly
Municipal assembly may refer to:* Assembleia Municipal in Portugal* Municipal assembly * People's Municipal Assembly in Algeria* Town meeting in the United States...
).
The municipal chamber is the executive body, and is composed of the president of the municipality and a number of councillors proportional to the municipality's population. The municipal assembly
Municipal assembly
Municipal assembly may refer to:* Assembleia Municipal in Portugal* Municipal assembly * People's Municipal Assembly in Algeria* Town meeting in the United States...
is composed of the presidents of all the parishes that compose the municipality, and by a number of directly elected deputies which is at least equal to the number of parish presidents plus one. Both bodies are elected to a 4-year term.
Traditionally, the north and the autonomous regions are politically more conservative, while the south and the region of Lisbon are dominated by the left.
In 1991, two áreas metropolitanas (meaning "metropolitan areas") were created for the two major cities of the country (Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
).
Geography
Portugal is divided into 18 districts and 2 autonomous regions (Portuguese: regiões autónomas), AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
. The districts and autonomous regions are further sub-divided into 308 municipalities (Portuguese: municípios or concelhos). The municipality is, usually, much larger than the city or town after which it is named.
| District / Autonomous region | Municipalities |
|---|---|
| 1. Aveiro | |
| 2. Beja | |
| 3. Braga | |
| 4. Bragança | |
| 5. Castelo Branco | |
| 6. Coimbra | |
| 7. Évora | |
| 8. Faro | |
| 9. Guarda | |
| 10. Leiria | |
| 11. Lisbon | |
| 12. Portalegre | |
| 13. Porto Porto District The District of Porto , sometimes Oporto in English, is located on the north-west coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Porto, the second largest city in the country... |
|
| 14. Santarém | |
| 15. Setúbal | |
| 16. Viana do Castelo | |
| 17. Vila Real | |
| 18. Viseu | |
| 19. Açores | |
| 20. Madeira Madeira Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union... |
The biggest municipalities are those located in rural and inland areas where the dominating property type is the latifundia
Latifundia
Latifundia are pieces of property covering very large land areas. The latifundia of Roman history were great landed estates, specializing in agriculture destined for export: grain, olive oil, or wine...
, such as Beja
Beja Municipality
Beja Municipality is located Beja District. The city of Beja is located in the municipality.-Parishes:* Albernoa* Baleizão* Salvador* Santa Maria da Feira* Beja Santiago Maio* São João Baptista* Beringel* Cabeça Gorda* Mombeja...
, Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
or Portalegre in the south, and also in other less populated areas, such as Bragança or Castelo Branco.
The most populous municipalities are those located near the sea, and especially around the metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
s of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
and Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
, while the less populous municipalities are located in the inland regions of Alentejo and Trás-os-Montes
Trás-os-Montes (region)
Trás-os-Montes was one of the 13 regions of continental Portugal identified by geographer Amorim Girão, in a study published between 1927 and 1930.Together with Alto Douro it formed Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province.- See also :...
. The municipalities with the lowest population densities
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
are also found in these inland regions, with smaller populations distributed over a greater area.
Demographics
Denotes the number of inhabitants in the municipality area; area is in km2; only for populations of over 100,000 inhabitants.| Rank | Municipality | Population | Land Area | Density | Metropolitan area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... |
545,245 | 84.8 | 6,430 | Greater Lisbon |
| 2 | Sintra Sintra Sintra is a town within the municipality of Sintra in the Grande Lisboa subregion of Portugal. Owing to its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes, becoming a major tourist centre, visited by many day-trippers who travel from the urbanized suburbs and capital of Lisbon.In addition to... |
377,249 | 319.2 | 1,182 | Greater Lisbon |
| 3 | Vila Nova de Gaia Vila Nova de Gaia Municipality Vila Nova de Gaia Municipality is located in Porto District in Norte Region in Portugal. It contains the city of Vila Nova de Gaia.The municipality contains 24 parishes with a total population of 288,749 inhabitants, and is the most populous municipality in Norte Region.-Parishes:There are 24... |
302,092 | 170.8 | 1,769 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 4 | Porto Porto Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes... |
237,559 | 41.3 | 5,752 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 5 | Loures Loures Loures Municipality is a municipality to the north of Lisbon. Created on 26 July 1886 by a royal decree, the municipality currently occupies an area of 169 km² and has about 200,000 inhabitants . It borders the municipalities of Odivelas, Sintra, Mafra, Arruda dos Vinhos, Vila Franca de Xira... |
205,577 | 169.3 | 1,214 | Greater Lisbon |
| 6 | Cascais Cascais Municipality Cascais Municipality is located in Lisbon District. It contains the town of Cascais. It has 205 117 inhabitants, according to 2011 census, in 2001 it had 170 683 inhabitants... |
205,117 | 97.4 | 2,106 | Greater Lisbon |
| 7 | Braga Braga Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World... |
181,819 | 183.2 | 992 | |
| 8 | Amadora Amadora Amadora is a city and a municipality in Portugal, in the northwest of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The city and municipality population is 175,872 in eleven freguesias . With an area of 23.77 km², it is the most densely populated municipality of Portugal... |
175,558 | 23.8 | 7,376 | Greater Lisbon |
| 9 | Matosinhos Matosinhos Matosinhos Municipality is located in Porto District, Portugal. The main city is Matosinhos. It is bordered to the south by the city of Porto and lies within the Greater Porto subregion. The municipality has a population of 168,451 in 10 parishes. Many people have recently moved from the... |
174,931 | 62.2 | 2,812 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 10 | Almada Almada Almada is a municipality in Portugal, covering an area of 70.2 km² located on the southern margin of the Tagus River. Its municipal population in 2008 was 164,844 inhabitants; the urbanized center had a population of 102,357.The seat is the city of Almada.... |
173,298 | 70.0 | 2,476 | Greater Lisbon |
| 11 | Oeiras | 172,063 | 45.7 | 3,765 | Greater Lisbon |
| 12 | Gondomar | 168,205 | 133.26 | 1,262 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 13 | Guimarães Guimarães Guimarães Municipality is located in northwestern Portugal in the province of Minho and in the Braga District. It contains the city of Guimarães.The present Mayor is António Magalhães Silva, elected by the Socialist Party.-Parishes:-Economy:... |
158,108 | 241.3 | 655 | |
| 14 | Seixal | 157,981 | 95.5 | 1,654 | Greater Lisbon |
| 15 | Odivelas Odivelas Odivelas is a civil parish in Odivelas Municipality in Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal.. The city has a population of 50,846. The municipality is composed of 7 parishes, and is located in the District of Lisbon.... |
143,755 | 26.4 | 5,445 | Greater Lisbon |
| 16 | Coimbra Coimbra Municipality Coimbra is a municipality in central Portugal, whose core is the city of Coimbra. It is in the district of Coimbra, being the principal centre in the Centro region, the seat of the Baixo Mondego subregion and former capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages... |
143,052 | 319.0 | 448 | |
| 17 | Santa Maria da Feira | 139,393 | 215.1 | 648 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 18 | Vila Franca de Xira Vila Franca de Xira Vila Franca de Xira is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 317.7 km² and a total population of 133,224 inhabitants. Situated on the west bank of the Tagus River, just 32 km north-east of the Portuguese capital Lisbon, Vila Franca de Xira is said to have been founded by French... |
136,510 | 317.7 | 430 | Greater Lisbon |
| 19 | Maia | 135,049 | 83.70 | 1,613 | Greater Porto Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 16 municipalities, including the City of Porto, making up the second biggest urban area in the country... |
| 20 | Vila Nova de Famalicão | 133,804 | 201.7 | 663 | |
| 21 | Leiria Leiria Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000... |
127,468 | 564.7 | 226 | |
| 22 | Setúbal Setúbal Municipality Setúbal Municipality is located in Setúbal District. The main city is Setúbal.The municipality of Setúbal is composed of 8 parishes, and is the seat of the Setúbal District on the subregion of Península de Setúbal... |
120,791 | 171.9 | 703 | Greater Lisbon |
| 23 | Barcelos | 120,492 | 378.9 | 318 | |
| 24 | Funchal Funchal Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:... |
112,015 | 76.25 | 1,469 |
See also
- MunicipalityMunicipalityA municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
- List of municipalities of Portugal
- Subdivisions of PortugalSubdivisions of PortugalSubdivisions of Portugal. For an overview of the administrative subdivisions see: administrative divisions of Portugal.-List of ambiguous subdivision names:* Minho: Province / Subregion* Alto Alentejo: Province / Subregion...