List of cities in Portugal

This is a list of cities in Portugal. In Portugal, a city (Portuguese: cidade) is an honorific term given to locations that meet several criteria, such as having a minimum number of inhabitants, good infrastructure (schools, medical care, cultural and sports facilities), or have a major historical importance. The country's demographic expansion of the 1980s prompted the elevation of several towns to city status and, as of 2006, 151 locations in Portugal are considered a city.

In Portugal, the city is not an administrative division, therefore a city generally does not necessarily correspond to a municipality, with the exception of the entirely urban municipalities, such as Lisbon, Porto, Funchal, Amadora, Entroncamento e São João da Madeira.

The municipality with the most cities is Paredes Municipality which contains four cities.

Until 1910, a location was proclaimed city by royal charter, which happened 25 times to current Portuguese cities (royal charters were also granted to cities of the Portuguese Empire; for example, São Paulo in 1711). During the Portuguese First Republic, the process was transferred to the Parliament, which elevated three towns to the category of city. The dictatorial Estado Novo regime proclaimed seven cities on the Portuguese mainland (as well as some more in the colonies), this time by government decree. After the Carnation revolution, proclamation of cities returned to Parliament and now, Portugal has 156 cities, one of the consequences being that the title no longer holds the prestige it once had.

Eight locations have been always considered cities since Portugal became an independent kingdom (de facto 1128): Braga, Coimbra, Lamego, Porto and Viseu, as well as Évora, Lisbon and Silves, which were annexed at a later date. Guarda was the first city proclaimed as part of the independent kingdom, in 1199.

The most recent cities were proclaimed on 12 June 2009: Valença, Senhora da Hora, São Pedro do Sul, Samora Correia, and Borba

The most populous cities are: Lisbon (Lisboa), Oporto (Porto), Braga, Amadora, Gaia, Queluz, Funchal, Coimbra, Setubal, Agualva-Cacem and Almada.

Crest	City	Municipality	Population[1]	A city since
	Abrantes	Abrantes	18,600	1916-06-14
	Agualva-Cacém	Sintra	121,000	2001-07-12
	Águeda	Águeda	11,357	1985-08-14
	Albufeira	Albufeira	16,237	1986-08-20
	Alcácer do Sal	Alcácer do Sal	9,118	1997-07-12
	Alcobaça	Alcobaça	15,800	1995-08-30
	Almada	Almada	101,500	1973-06-16
	Almeirim	Almeirim	11,607	1991-08-16
	Alverca do Ribatejo	Vila Franca de Xira	29,086	1990-08-09
	Amadora	Amadora	151,500	1979-09-17
	Amarante	Amarante	11,000	1985-08-14
	Amora	Seixal	53,638	1993-07-02
	Anadia	Anadia	3,533	2004-12-09
	Angra do Heroísmo	Angra do Heroísmo	21,200	1534-08-21
	Aveiro	Aveiro	67,003	1759-04-11
	Barcelos	Barcelos	20,000	1928-09-06
	Barreiro	Barreiro	50,232	1984-06-28
	Beja	Beja	23,475	1521-04-10
	Braga	Braga	181,819	From time immemorial
	Bragança	Bragança	19,998	1464-02-23
	Caldas da Rainha	Caldas da Rainha	30,006	1927-08-26
	Câmara de Lobos	Câmara de Lobos	16,842	1996-08-02
	Caniço	Santa Cruz	11,586	2005-06-09
	Cantanhede	Cantanhede	7,066	1991-08-16
	Cartaxo	Cartaxo	10,115	1995-08-30
	Castelo Branco	Castelo Branco	34,525	1771-03-20
	Chaves	Chaves	19,307	1929-03-18
	Coimbra	Coimbra	138,540	From time immemorial
	Costa da Caparica	Almada	14,100	2004-12-09
	Covilhã	Covilhã	36,147	1870-10-20
	Elvas	Elvas	28,106	1513-04-03
	Entroncamento	Entroncamento	20,065	1991-08-16
	Ermesinde	Valongo	40,139	1990-08-10
	Esmoriz	Ovar	11,200	1993-07-02
	Espinho	Espinho	10,500	1973-06-16
	Esposende	Esposende	9,148	1993-07-02
	Estarreja	Estarreja	7,000	2004-12-09
	Estremoz	Estremoz	9,011	1926-08-31
	Évora	Évora	46,417	From time immemorial
	Fafe	Fafe	15,323	1986-08-23
	Faro	Faro	43,757	1540-09-07
	Fátima	Ourém	10,302	1997-07-12
	Felgueiras	Felgueiras	15,100	1990-08-10
	Figueira da Foz	Figueira da Foz	36,500	1882-09-20
	Fiães	Santa Maria da Feira	13,100	2001-07-12
	Freamunde	Paços de Ferreira	7,452	2001-07-12
	Funchal	Funchal	100,526	1508-08-21
	Fundão	Fundão	8,957	1988-04-19
	Gafanha da Nazaré	Ílhavo	14,021	2001-07-21
	Gandra	Paredes	5,200	2003-08-26
	Gondomar	Gondomar	25,000	1991-08-16
	Gouveia	Gouveia	3,500	1988-02-01
	Guarda	Guarda	32,274	1199-11-27
	Guimarães	Guimarães	52,181	1853-06-23
	Horta	Horta	9,000	1833-07-04
	Lagoa	Lagoa	5,000	2001-07-12
	Lagos	Lagos	20,000	1573-01-27
	Lamego	Lamego	12,000	From time immemorial
	Leiria	Leiria	50,264	1545-06-13
	Lisbon	Lisbon	545,245	From time immemorial
	Lixa	Felgueiras	5,500	1995-08-30
	Loulé	Loulé	24,000	1988-02-01
	Loures	Loures	26,000	1990-08-09
	Lourosa	Santa Maria da Feira	11,300	2001-07-12
	Macedo de Cavaleiros	Macedo de Cavaleiros	7,800	1999-06-24
	Maia	Maia	40,000	1986-08-23
	Mangualde	Mangualde	8,107	2001-07-12
	Marco de Canaveses	Marco de Canaveses	9,000	1993-07-02
	Marinha Grande	Marinha Grande	29,100	1988-04-19
	Matosinhos	Matosinhos	47,703	1984-06-28
	Mealhada	Mealhada	5,500	2003-08-26
	Mêda	Mêda	2,004	2004-12-09
	Miranda do Douro	Miranda do Douro	2,000	1545-07-10
	Mirandela	Mirandela	11,000	1984-06-28
	Montemor-o-Novo	Montemor-o-Novo	14,000	1988-04-18
	Montijo	Montijo	30,486	1985-08-14
	Moura	Moura	10,000	1988-02-01
	Odivelas	Odivelas	54,500	1990-08-10
	Olhão da Restauração	Olhão	31,100	1985-08-14
	Oliveira de Azeméis	Oliveira de Azeméis	15,000	1984-05-16
	Oliveira do Bairro	Oliveira do Bairro	5,005	2003-08-26
	Oliveira do Hospital	Oliveira do Hospital	4,400	1993-07-02
	Ourém	Ourém	11,100	1991-08-16
	Ovar	Ovar	18,900	1984-06-28
	Paços de Ferreira	Paços de Ferreira	9,000	1993-07-02
	Paredes	Paredes	12,500	1991-08-16
	Penafiel	Penafiel	10,000	1770-03-03
	Peniche	Peniche	17,500	1988-02-01
	Peso da Régua	Peso da Régua	10,000	1985-08-14
	Pinhel	Pinhel	3,500	1770-08-25
	Pombal	Pombal	18,500	1991-08-16
	Ponta Delgada	Ponta Delgada	46,102	1546-04-02
	Ponte de Sor	Ponte de Sor	11,000	1985-08-14
	Portalegre	Portalegre	15,700	1550-05-23
	Portimão	Portimão	40,700	1924-12-11
	Porto	Porto	237,559	From time immemorial
	Vila Baleira (a.k.a. Porto Santo)	Porto Santo	4,475	1996-08-02
	Póvoa de Santa Iria	Vila Franca de Xira	28,000	1999-06-24
	Póvoa de Varzim	Póvoa de Varzim	38,257	1973-06-16
	Praia da Vitória	Praia da Vitória	6,500	1981-06-20
	Quarteira	Loulé	21,000	1999-06-24
	Queluz	Sintra	116,124	1997-07-24
	Rebordosa	Paredes	12,100	2003-08-26
	Reguengos de Monsaraz	Reguengos de Monsaraz	7,900	2004-12-09
	Ribeira Grande	Ribeira Grande	6,350	1981-06-29
	Rio Maior	Rio Maior	11,102	1985-08-14
	Rio Tinto	Gondomar	61,227	1995-08-30
	Sabugal	Sabugal	2,300	2004-12-09
	Sacavém	Loures	17,000	1997-06-04
	Santa Comba Dão	Santa Comba Dão	3,200	1999-06-24
	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	6,500	1996-08-02
	Santa Maria da Feira	Santa Maria da Feira	16,900	1985-08-14
	Santana	Santana	3,300	2001-01-01
	Santarém	Santarém	30,100	1868-12-24
	Santiago do Cacém	Santiago do Cacém	7,753	1991-08-16
	Santo Tirso	Santo Tirso	14,100	1985-08-14
	São João da Madeira	São João da Madeira	21,102	1984-06-28
	São Mamede de Infesta	Matosinhos	27,000	2001-07-12
	São Salvador de Lordelo	Paredes	11,000	2003-08-26
	Seia	Seia	7,000	1986-08-23
	Seixal	Seixal	31,101	1993-07-02
	Serpa	Serpa	9,990	2003-08-26
	Setúbal	Setúbal	120,636	1860-04-19
	Silves	Silves	11,000	From time immemorial
	Sines	Sines	15,555	1997-07-12
	Tarouca	Tarouca	3,200	2004-12-09
	Tavira	Tavira	13,300	1520-03-16
	Tomar	Tomar	20,000	1844-02-12
	Tondela	Tondela	10,120	1988-02-01
	Torres Novas	Torres Novas	14,900	1985-08-14
	Torres Vedras	Torres Vedras	27,200	1979-02-03
	Trancoso	Trancoso	3,350	2004-12-09
	Trofa	Trofa	22,000	1993-07-02
	Valbom	Gondomar	14,100	2004-12-09
	Vale de Cambra	Vale de Cambra	4,200	1993-07-02
	Valongo	Valongo	27,900	1990-08-10
	Valpaços	Valpaços	4,102	1999-06-24
	Vendas Novas	Vendas Novas	10,103	1993-07-02
	Viana do Castelo	Viana do Castelo	36,750	1848-01-20
	Vila do Conde	Vila do Conde	32,257	1988-02-01
	Vila Franca de Xira	Vila Franca de Xira	19,000	1984-06-28
	Vila Nova de Famalicão	Vila Nova de Famalicão	30,100	1985-08-14
	Vila Nova de Foz Côa	Vila Nova de Foz Côa	3,303	1997-07-12
	Vila Nova de Gaia	Vila Nova de Gaia	178,526	1984-06-28
	Vila Nova de Santo André	Santiago do Cacém	12,123	2003-08-26
	Vila Real	Vila Real	27,250	1925-07-20
	Vila Real de Santo António	Vila Real de Santo António	11,000	1988-04-19
	Viseu	Viseu	50,583	From time immemorial
	Vizela	Vizela	10,100	1998-09-01

Notes

1. ^ Although the cities list doesn't indicate the cities' population, it indicates the parishes that compose them, therefore, this number is the sum of the population of the parishes. The population data was taken from the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities and is from 2004.

• Except the city of Figueira da Foz

See also

• Subdivisions of Portugal
• List of towns in Portugal
• List of municipalities of Portugal
• List of parishes of Portugal
• Regions in Portugal
• List of cities in Europe
• List of municipalities of Portugal by population

References

1. "Cidades Portuguesas". Instituto Nacional de Estatística. http://www.ine.pt/prodserv/nomenclaturas/refter/cid-vil/cidades_ano.asp?ano=200212&anoD=2002. Retrieved 2006-07-08. 
2. "Municípios Portugueses". Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses. http://www.anmp.pt/. Retrieved 2006-03-27. 

External links

• National Association of Portuguese Municipalities