The Regions of Portugal
√ Portugal’s territory is divided into 7 NUT II* which is equivalent to “regions” –
North, Centre, Lisbon, Alentejo, Algarve, the Autonomous Region of Madeira and
the Autonomous Region of the Azores. These 7 NUT II, in turn, are divided into 30
NUT III units, equivalent to “sub-regions” (28 are on the mainland).
*Classification of Territorial Units for statistical purposes
√ For administrative purposes mainland Portugal is also divided into 18 Districts:
Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Guarda,
Leiria, Lisboa, Portalegre, Porto, Santarém, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo, Vila
Real and Viseu.
√ The Alentejo and the Centre regions are the largest territories in the country, with
34% and 31% of the total respectively; the Autonomous Region of Madeira is the
smallest area.
|
Regions |
Resident Population (31.12.2009) |
Active Population (2009) |
GDP (2009) |
GDP per capita (2009) |
|
Thousands |
Thousands |
Million € |
Thousands € |
Portugal=100 |
|
Portugal |
10,638 |
5583 |
168,046 |
15.80 |
100.00 |
|
North |
3,746 |
1,971 |
47,762 |
12.80 |
80.25 |
|
Centre |
2,381 |
1,348 |
31,422 |
13.20 |
85.35 |
|
Lisbon |
2,831 |
1,425 |
61,486 |
21.80 |
137.58 |
|
Alentejo |
753 |
368 |
11,092 |
14.70 |
93.63 |
|
Algarve |
434 |
223 |
7,380 |
17.10 |
103.18 |
|
Azores |
245 |
120 |
3,706 |
15.10 |
88.54 |
|
Madeira |
247 |
128 |
5,134 |
20.80 |
127.39 |
Source: INE– Instituto Nacional de Estatística
√ More than four-fifths of the Portuguese population is concentrated in the North,
Centre and Lisbon regions.
√ Between 1988 and 2009 the number of working population who completed
Primary or Secondary education increased in all regions. Alentejo, Algarve and
Madeira were the regions where this increase was more pronounced (over 20%).
√ Lisbon, North and the Centre regions have more than 90% of the enrolled
students and graduates in higher education.
√ The regions of Lisbon, Madeira and Algarve exceed the GDP per capita national
average (€ 15,800).
√ More than 80% of total Portuguese companies are located in the North, Centre
and Lisbon regions and they are responsible for almost 85% of total Portuguese
exports**.
**Declared Values
√
Regarding labour productivity (GDP / Employment), only the North and Centre
regions are below the national average (29.6 thousand Euros).
√ Lisbon and Madeira are the only two regions where the investment share on GVA
did not exceed the national average (25.5%).
|
Regions |
Nr.
Companies
2008 |
Labour
Productivity
(GVA/Employment) 2009 |
GFCF1
on
Total GVA
(2008) |
Exports (2010) |
Imports (2010) |
|
|
Thousands |
Thousands € |
% |
Thousands € |
% |
Thousands € |
% |
|
Portugal |
1,096 |
29.63 |
25.5 |
36,768,509 |
100.00 |
56,782,601 |
100.00 |
|
North |
356 |
25.28 |
26.1 |
12,882,997 |
35.04 |
10,456,858 |
18.42 |
|
Centre |
238 |
24.30 |
28.8 |
7,318,278 |
19.90 |
5,819,205 |
10.25 |
|
Lisbon |
334 |
37.11 |
21.6 |
10,987,890 |
29.88 |
31,208,163 |
54.96 |
|
Alentejo |
68 |
32.26 |
27.0 |
2,151,029 |
5.85 |
1,944,728 |
3.42 |
|
Algarve |
60 |
31.67 |
37.9 |
77,823 |
0.21 |
182,357 |
0.32 |
|
Azores |
20 |
30.96 |
34.7 |
71,013 |
0.19 |
146,269 |
0.26 |
|
Madeira |
22 |
38.14 |
21.4 |
54,471 |
0.15 |
128,278 |
0.23 |
(1) Gross Fixed Capital Formation
Source: INE– Instituto Nacional de Estatística
√
In 2010, Alentejo and Lisbon’s total exports registered the highest growth, when
compared to the previous year (28% and 16%, respectively).