Continental 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 archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira o continente – 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 metropolis was also used.
Context
The designation mainland Portugal is used to differentiate the continental territory of Portugal from its 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.
While in modern Portugal the difference between European continental and total territory is minor, 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 or 96.6% of the Portuguese national territory and 10,047,083 inhabitants.
Districts
| District | Province | EU Statistical region |
| 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 Douro |
| Aveiro | Beira Litoral Douro Litoral | Aveiro Coimbra Porto Tâmega e Sousa |
| Viseu | Beira Alta Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Douro Litoral | Viseu Dão Lafões Douro Beira Litoral Tâmega e Sousa |
| Guarda | Beira Alta Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | Beiras e Serra da Estrela Viseu Dão Lafões Douro |
| Coimbra | Beira Litoral 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 Beira Litoral Beira Baixa | Médio Tejo Lezíria do Tejo |
| Lisbon | Estremadura Ribatejo | Lisbon Oeste Lezíria do Tejo |
| Portalegre | Alto Alentejo Ribatejo | Alto Alentejo |
| Évora | Alto Alentejo | Alentejo Central |
| Setúbal | Estremadura Baixo Alentejo | Lisbon Alentejo Litoral |
| Beja | Baixo Alentejo | Baixo Alentejo Alentejo Litoral |
| Faro | Algarve | Algarve |
EU Statistical Regions (NUTS II)
| NUTS II | Districts |
| Norte Alto Minho Cávado Ave Porto Douro Tâmega e Sousa Alto Tâmega Trás-os-Montes | Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, Bragança |
| Centro Beira Baixa Beiras e Serra da Estrela Médio Tejo Oeste Região de Aveiro Região de Coimbra Região de Leiria Viseu Dão Lafões | Castelo Branco, Guarda, Santarém, Lisbon, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Viseu |
| Lisbon Metropolitan Region Lisbon | Lisbon, Setúbal |
| Alentejo Alentejo Litoral Alentejo Central Alto Alentejo Baixo Alentejo Lezíria do Tejo | Setúbal, Évora, Portalegre, Beja, Santarém, Lisbon |
| Algarve Algarve | Faro |