# Continental Portugal

Continental Portugal (Portuguese: Portugal continental, IPA:) 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 (Portuguese: o continente) 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 metropolis (Portuguese: metrópole) 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 (Portuguese: as regiões autónomas), insular Portugal (Portuguese: Portugal Insular) or, simply, the islands (Portuguese: as ilhas).
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 89,015 square kilometres (34,369 sq mi) or 96.6% of the Portuguese national territory (92,145 square kilometres (35,577 sq mi)) and 10,142,079 inhabitants (or 95.3% of the total population of 10,639,726).

## Districts

| 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)

| NUTS II | Districts (entirely or partly included) |
| Norte Alto Minho Cávado Ave Porto Douro Tâmega e Sousa Alto Tâmega Trás-os-Montes | Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro (part), Guarda (part), Viseu (part), Vila Real, Bragança |
| Centro Beira Baixa Beiras e Serra da Estrela Região de Aveiro Região de Coimbra Região de Leiria Viseu Dão Lafões | Castelo Branco, Guarda (majority) Aveiro (majority), Coimbra, Leiria (part), Viseu (majority) |
| Oeste e Vale do Tejo Oeste Médio Tejo Lezíria do Tejo | Santarém District, Leiria District (part) |
| Lisbon Metropolitan Region Lisbon | Lisbon (majority), Setúbal (part) |
| Alentejo Alentejo Litoral Alentejo Central Alto Alentejo Baixo Alentejo | Setúbal (part), Évora, Portalegre, Beja |
| Algarve Algarve | Faro |