List of cities in Portugal

This is a list of cities in Portugal. In Portugal, a city (Portuguese: cidade) is a 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, currently(2006), 151 locations in Portugal are considered a city(cidade).

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, Entroncamento e São João da Madeira. Some municipalities may even contain more than one city (example: the municipality of Paredes includes four cities) and, on the other hand, the least populated municipalities contain no cities. Equally, a city does not necessarily correspond to a parish, the lowest level administrative division in Portugal and several cities are composed by more than one parish, however smaller cities may be composed of just one parish. The seat—for example, the municipal offices and services of a municipality—are usually located in its most important city (cidade) or town (vila).

One particular case is Sintra, which—despite being currently one of the largest urban areas of the country, and containing two cities in its municipality (Agualva-Cacem and Queluz)—still holds the rank of vila, by wish of its elected officials, who refuse to let it become a city. Also, the towns of Cascais and Oeiras, densely populated, are officially towns, not cities. Also interesting to note is that some cities have fewer than 2,000 inhabitants—such as the case of Meda and Miranda do Douro ,while the towns (vilas) of Algueirão-Mem Martins,Rio de Mouro ,Cascais,Oeiras,Sesimbra,Aguas SantasSenhora da Hora,Corroios,Sintra have over 20,000 inhabitants.Even the village of Estoril has over 20.000 residents.

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 151 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 promoted to city in the XII century(not counting the immemorial cities),afer the Kingom of Portucale,was renamed Portugal. The newest city is Caniço,recently promoted in 2005.

List

Crest	City	Municipality	Population[1]	Since
	Abrantes	Abrantes	14,775	14 June , 1916
	Agualva-Cacém	Sintra	121,000	12 July , 2001
	Águeda	Águeda	11,357	14 August , 1985
	Albufeira	Albufeira	16,237	20 August , 1986
	Alcácer do Sal	Alcácer do Sal	9,118	12 July , 1997
	Alcobaça	Alcobaça	9,775	30 August , 1995
	Almada	Almada	101,500	16 June , 1973
	Almeirim	Almeirim	11,607	16 August , 1991
	Alverca do Ribatejo	Vila Franca de Xira	29,086	9 August , 1990
	Amadora	Amadora	151,500	17 September , 1979
	Amarante	Amarante	11,000	14 August , 1985
	Amora	Seixal	53,638	2 July , 1993
	Anadia	Anadia	3,533	9 December , 2004
	Angra do Heroísmo	Angra do Heroísmo	21,200	21 August , 1534
	Aveiro	Aveiro	67,003	11 April , 1759
	Barcelos	Barcelos	20,000	6 September , 1928
	Barreiro	Barreiro	50,232	28 June , 1984
	Beja	Beja	23,475	10 April , 1521
	Braga	Braga	170,250	From time immemorial
	Bragança	Bragança	19,998	23 February , 1464
	Caldas da Rainha	Caldas da Rainha	30,006	26 August , 1927
	Câmara de Lobos	Câmara de Lobos	16,842	2 August , 1996
	Caniço	Santa Cruz	11,586	9 June , 2005
	Cantanhede	Cantanhede	7,066	16 August , 1991
	Cartaxo	Cartaxo	10,115	30 August , 1995
	Castelo Branco	Castelo Branco	34,525	20 March , 1771
	Chaves	Chaves	19,307	18 March , 1929
	Coimbra	Coimbra	150,000	From time immemorial
	Costa da Caparica	Almada	14,100	9 December , 2004
	Covilhã	Covilhã	36,147	20 October , 1870
	Elvas	Elvas	15,505	3 April , 1513
	Entroncamento	Entroncamento	20,065	16 August , 1991
	Ermesinde	Valongo	40,139	10 August , 1990
	Esmoriz	Ovar	11,200	2 July , 1993
	Espinho	Espinho	10,500	16 June , 1973
	Esposende	Esposende	9,148	2 July , 1993
	Estarreja	Estarreja	7,000	9 December , 2004
	Estremoz	Estremoz	9,011	31 August , 1926
	Évora	Évora	46,417	From time immemorial
	Fafe	Fafe	15,323	23 August , 1986
	Faro	Faro	43,757	7 September 1540
	Fátima	Ourém	10,302	12 July , 1997
	Felgueiras	Felgueiras	15,100	10 August , 1990
	Figueira da Foz	Figueira da Foz	36,500	20 September , 1882
	Fiães	Santa Maria da Feira	13,100	12 July , 2001
	Freamunde	Paços de Ferreira	7,452	12 July , 2001
	Funchal	Funchal	100,526	21 August , 1508
	Fundão	Fundão	8,957	19 April , 1988
	Gafanha da Nazaré	Ílhavo	14,021	21 July , 2001
	Gandra	Paredes	5,200	26 August , 2003
	Gondomar	Gondomar	25,000	16 August , 1991
	Gouveia	Gouveia	3,500	1 February , 1988
	Guarda	Guarda	32,274	27 November , 1199
	Guimarães	Guimarães	52,181	23 June , 1853
	Horta	Horta	9,000	4 July , 1833
	Lagoa	Lagoa	5,000	12 July , 2001
	Lagos	Lagos	20,000	27 January , 1573
	Lamego	Lamego	12,000	From time immemorial
	Leiria	Leiria	50,264	13 June , 1545
	Lisbon	Lisbon	508,209	From time immemorial
	Lixa	Felgueiras	15,500	30 August , 1995
	Loulé	Loulé	24,000	1 February , 1988
	Loures	Loures	26,000	9 August , 1990
	Lourosa	Santa Maria da Feira	11,300	12 July , 2001
	Macedo de Cavaleiros	Macedo de Cavaleiros	7,800	24 June , 1999
	Maia	Maia	40,000	23 August , 1986
	Mangualde	Mangualde	8,107	12 July , 2001
	Marco de Canaveses	Marco de Canaveses	9,000	2 July, 1993
	Marinha Grande	Marinha Grande	29,100	19 April, 1988
	Matosinhos	Matosinhos	47,703	28 June , 1984
	Mealhada	Mealhada	5,500	26 August , 2003
	Mêda	Mêda	2,004	9 December , 2,000
	Miranda do Douro	Miranda do Douro	2,000	10 July , 1545
	Mirandela	Mirandela	11,000	28 June , 1984
	Montemor-o-Novo	Montemor-o-Novo	14,000	18 April , 1988
	Montijo	Montijo	30,486	14 August , 1985
	Moura	Moura	10,000	1 February , 1988
	Odivelas	Odivelas	54,500	10 August , 1990
	Olhão	Olhão	31,100	14 August , 1985
	Oliveira de Azeméis	Oliveira de Azeméis	15,000	16 May , 1984
	Oliveira do Bairro	Oliveira do Bairro	5,005	26 August , 2003
	Oliveira do Hospital	Oliveira do Hospital	4,000	2 July , 1993
	Ourém	Ourém	11,100	16 August , 1991
	Ovar	Ovar	18,900	28 June , 1984
	Paços de Ferreira	Paços de Ferreira	9,000	2 July , 1993
	Paredes	Paredes	12,500	16 August , 1991
	Penafiel	Penafiel	10,000	3 March , 1770
	Peniche	Peniche	15,500	1 February , 1988
	Peso da Régua	Peso da Régua	10,000	14 August , 1985
	Pinhel	Pinhel	3,500	25 August , 1770
	Pombal	Pombal	18,500	16 August , 1991
	Ponta Delgada	Ponta Delgada	46,102	2 April , 1546
	Ponte de Sor	Ponte de Sor	11,000	14 August , 1985
	Portalegre	Portalegre	15,700	23 May , 1550
	Portimão	Portimão	40,700	11 December , 1924
	Porto	Porto	240,227	From time immemorial
	Porto Santo	Vila Baleira/Porto Santo	4,475	2 August , 1996
	Póvoa de Santa Iria	Vila Franca de Xira	28,000	24 June , 1999
	Póvoa de Varzim	Póvoa de Varzim	38,257	16 June , 1973
	Praia da Vitória	Praia da Vitória	6,500	20 June , 1981
	Quarteira	Loulé	21,000	24 June , 1999
	Queluz	Sintra	116,124	24 July , 1997
	Rebordosa	Paredes	12,100	26 August , 2003
	Reguengos de Monsaraz	Reguengos de Monsaraz	7,900	9 December , 2004
	Ribeira Grande	Ribeira Grande	6,350	29 June , 1981
	Rio Maior	Rio Maior	11,102	14 August , 1985
	Rio Tinto	Gondomar	61,227	30 August , 1995
	Sabugal	Sabugal	2,300	9 December , 2004
	Sacavém	Loures	17,000	4 June , 1997
	Santa Comba Dão	Santa Comba Dão	3,200	24 June , 1999
	Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	6,500	2 August , 1996
	Santa Maria da Feira	Santa Maria da Feira	16,100	14 August , 1985
	Santana	Santana	3,300	1 January , 2001
	Santarém	Santarém	30,100 </ref>	24 December , 1868
	Santiago do Cacém	Santiago do Cacém	7,753	16 August , 1991
	Santo Tirso	Santo Tirso	14,100	14 August , 1985
	São João da Madeira	São João da Madeira	21,102	28 June , 1984
	São Mamede de Infesta	Matosinhos	27,000	12 July , 2001
	São Salvador de Lordelo	Paredes	11,000	26 August , 2003
	Seia	Seia	7,000	23 August , 1986
	Seixal	Seixal	31,101	2 July , 1993
	Serpa	Serpa	9,990	26 August , 2003
	Setúbal	Setúbal	120,150	19 April , 1860
	Silves	Silves	11,000	From time immemorial
	Sines	Sines	15,555	12 July , 1997
	Tarouca	Tarouca	3,200	9 December , 2004
	Tavira	Tavira	13,300	16 March , 1520
	Tomar	Tomar	20,000	12 February , 1844
	Tondela	Tondela	10,120	1 February , 1988
	Torres Novas	Torres Novas	14,900	14 August , 1985
	Torres Vedras	Torres Vedras	27,200	3 February , 1979
	Trancoso	Trancoso	3,350	9 December , 2004
	Trofa	Trofa	22,000	2 July , 1993
	Valbom	Gondomar	14,100	9 December , 2004
	Vale de Cambra	Vale de Cambra	4,200	2 July , 1993
	Valongo	Valongo	27,900	10 August , 1990
	Valpaços	Valpaços	4,102	24 June , 1999
	Vendas Novas	Vendas Novas	10,103	2 July , 1993
	Viana do Castelo	Viana do Castelo	36,750	20 January , 1848
	Vila do Conde	Vila do Conde	32,257	1 February , 1988
	Vila Franca de Xira	Vila Franca de Xira	19,000	28 June , 1984
	Vila Nova de Famalicão	Vila Nova de Famalicão	30,100	14 August , 1985
	Vila Nova de Foz Côa	Vila Nova de Foz Côa	3,303	12 July , 1997
	Vila Nova de Gaia	Vila Nova de Gaia	178,526	28 June , 1984
	Vila Nova de Santo André	Santiago do Cacém	12,123	26 August , 2003
	Vila Real	Vila Real	27,250	20 July , 1925
	Vila Real de Santo António	Vila Real de Santo António	11,000	19 April , 1988
	Viseu	Viseu	50,250	From time immemorial
	Vizela	Vizela	10,100	1 September , 1998

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

References

1. "Cidades Portuguesas". Instituto Nacional de Estatística. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.
2. "Municípios Portugueses". Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses. Retrieved on 2006-03-27.

See also

• Subdivisions of Portugal
• List of towns in Portugal
• List of municipalities of Portugal
• List of parishes of Portugal

External links

• National Association of Portuguese Municipalities

Administrative divisions of Portugal Districts Aveiro · Beja · Braga · Bragança · Castelo Branco · Coimbra · Évora · Faro · Guarda · Leiria · Lisboa · Portalegre · Porto · Santarém · Setúbal · Viana do Castelo · Vila Real · Viseu Autonomous regions Azores · Madeira