Districts of Portugal
Encyclopedia
Portugal
is divided into 18 districts in mainland Portugal, plus two autonomous regions
(Açores and Madeira
).
The Portuguese Constitution of 1976
specifies that Portugal have only, as first level divisions, the autonomous regions
(Azores
and Madeira
) and the administrative regions (to be created in mainland Portugal). According to Constitution
, the districts shall be disestablished in the territories where it has been created an autonomous or administrative region.
So, the districts were abolished in Azores
and Madeira
when these autonomous regions
were created, in 1976. In 1998, it was submitted to referendum a proposal to create 8 administrative regions in mainland Portugal, and, therefore, to extinguish the districts. This proposal was rejected in the ballot, and therefore, currently, the districts continue to be the administrative division of most importance in mainland Portugal.
However, the importance of the districts had been decreasing. In the last years, some administrative, financial and politics competencies had been deliver to CCDR's and to the municipalities, in detriment of the districts. In 2003, the Portuguese municipalities were allowed to organize themselves into intermunicipal communities (comunidades intermunicipais) and metropolitan areas (áreas metropolitanas), what it allowed to diminish the importance of the districts as form of association of municipalities.
Besides, the abolition of the districts is a subject that came back to be discussed in the society. In 2009, during the campaign to the legislative election of 2009
, the leader of Socialist Party
, José Sócrates
, promised a new referendum to the administrative regions and therefore, the abolition of districts, if he gained the election. Other personalities, support the creation of administrative regions and therefore the abolition of districts.
Nowadays, despite being in the process of being phased out due to the decentralisation policies of the government, the districts still remains the most relevant subdivision of the country, serving as a basis for a series of administrative divisions such as electoral constituencies and district football associations
.
Azores
Madeira
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
is divided into 18 districts in mainland Portugal, plus two autonomous regions
Autonomous regions of Portugal
The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal are the Azores and Madeira...
(Açores and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
).
The Portuguese Constitution of 1976
Constitution of Portugal
The first Portuguese Constitution was drafted in 1822. Several revolutions led to the constitutions of 1826 , 1838 , 1911 , 1933 , and 1976 ....
specifies that Portugal have only, as first level divisions, the autonomous regions
Autonomous regions of Portugal
The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal are the Azores and Madeira...
(Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
) and the administrative regions (to be created in mainland Portugal). According to Constitution
Constitution of Portugal
The first Portuguese Constitution was drafted in 1822. Several revolutions led to the constitutions of 1826 , 1838 , 1911 , 1933 , and 1976 ....
, the districts shall be disestablished in the territories where it has been created an autonomous or administrative region.
So, the districts were abolished in Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
and Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
when these autonomous regions
Autonomous regions of Portugal
The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal are the Azores and Madeira...
were created, in 1976. In 1998, it was submitted to referendum a proposal to create 8 administrative regions in mainland Portugal, and, therefore, to extinguish the districts. This proposal was rejected in the ballot, and therefore, currently, the districts continue to be the administrative division of most importance in mainland Portugal.
However, the importance of the districts had been decreasing. In the last years, some administrative, financial and politics competencies had been deliver to CCDR's and to the municipalities, in detriment of the districts. In 2003, the Portuguese municipalities were allowed to organize themselves into intermunicipal communities (comunidades intermunicipais) and metropolitan areas (áreas metropolitanas), what it allowed to diminish the importance of the districts as form of association of municipalities.
Besides, the abolition of the districts is a subject that came back to be discussed in the society. In 2009, during the campaign to the legislative election of 2009
Portuguese legislative election, 2009
Legislative elections in Portugal were held on 27 September 2009 to renew all 230 members of the Assembly of the Republic. The Socialist Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister José Sócrates, won the largest number of seats, but didn't repeat the overall majority they gained in 2005.The Socialist...
, the leader of Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Portugal)
The Socialist Party , abbreviated to PS, is a social-democratic political party in Portugal. It was founded on 19 April 1973 in the German city of Bad Münstereifel, by militants from Portuguese Socialist Action ....
, José Sócrates
José Sócrates
José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known by José Sócrates , is a Portuguese politician who was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 12 March 2005 to 21 June 2011....
, promised a new referendum to the administrative regions and therefore, the abolition of districts, if he gained the election. Other personalities, support the creation of administrative regions and therefore the abolition of districts.
Nowadays, despite being in the process of being phased out due to the decentralisation policies of the government, the districts still remains the most relevant subdivision of the country, serving as a basis for a series of administrative divisions such as electoral constituencies and district football associations
Portuguese District Football Associations
There are 22 district Football Associations in Portugal. These organizations are the governing bodies of football in each Portuguese district....
.
List
| District | Municipalities | Parishes | Province of 1936 | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aveiro | |
Beira Litoral Province Beira Litoral Province Beira Litoral is a former province of Portugal, formally instituted in an administrative reform of 1936. The territory corresponds mainly to the Douro Province from the 19th century... + Douro Litoral Province |
Norte, Centro | |
| Beja | |
Baixo Alentejo Baixo Alentejo Province Baixo Alentejo was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.- Subregions :The area is equal to the area covered by Baixo Alentejo Subregion and Alentejo Litoral Subregion.-Municipalities:... |
Alentejo Alentejo Region Alentejo Region is one of the NUTS 2 regions of Portugal. It covers all of the historical Alentejo Province, but the Lezíria do Tejo Subregion also covers areas of the Estremadura Province.-Subregions:* Alto Alentejo Subregion... |
|
| Braga | |
Minho | Norte | |
| Bragança | |
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province | Norte | |
| Castelo Branco | |
Beira Baixa Province Beira Baixa Province Beira Baixa was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.-Municipalities:The 13 municipalities in the province:*Belmonte - Castelo Branco District - Cova da Beira Subregion... |
Centro | |
| Coimbra | |
Beira Baixa Province Beira Baixa Province Beira Baixa was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.-Municipalities:The 13 municipalities in the province:*Belmonte - Castelo Branco District - Cova da Beira Subregion... , Beira Litoral Beira Litoral Province Beira Litoral is a former province of Portugal, formally instituted in an administrative reform of 1936. The territory corresponds mainly to the Douro Province from the 19th century... |
Centro | |
| Évora | |
Alto Alentejo Alto Alentejo Province Alto Alentejo was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.The area is now covered by Alto Alentejo Subregion and Alentejo Central Subregion.-Municipalities:*Alandroal Municipality*Alter do Chão Municipality... |
Alentejo | |
| Faro | |
Algarve Province | Algarve | |
| Guarda | |
Beira Alta Province (partly Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro) | Centro (partly Norte,only Foz Coa) | |
| Leiria | |
Beira Litoral Province Beira Litoral Province Beira Litoral is a former province of Portugal, formally instituted in an administrative reform of 1936. The territory corresponds mainly to the Douro Province from the 19th century... , Estremadura |
Centro | |
| Lisbon | |
Estremadura (partly Ribatejo) | Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... (partly Alentejo) |
|
| Portalegre | |
Alto Alentejo Province Alto Alentejo Province Alto Alentejo was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.The area is now covered by Alto Alentejo Subregion and Alentejo Central Subregion.-Municipalities:*Alandroal Municipality*Alter do Chão Municipality... (partly Ribatejo) |
Alentejo | |
| Porto Porto District The District of Porto , sometimes Oporto in English, is located on the north-west coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Porto, the second largest city in the country... |
|
Douro Litoral Province | Norte | |
| Santarém | |
Ribatejo Province (partly Beira Baixa and Beira Litoral) | Centro, Alentejo | |
| Setúbal | |
Estremadura Province, Baixo Alentejo Province Baixo Alentejo Province Baixo Alentejo was a Portuguese province. It was abolished with the Constitution of 1976.- Subregions :The area is equal to the area covered by Baixo Alentejo Subregion and Alentejo Litoral Subregion.-Municipalities:... |
Lisbon, Alentejo | |
| Viana do Castelo | |
Minho | Norte | |
| Vila Real | |
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro | Norte | |
| Viseu | |
Beira Alta, (partly Douro Litoral) | Centro, Norte |
Former districts
- Lamego District
Azores
- Angra do Heroísmo District
- Horta District
- Ponta Delgada District
Madeira
- Funchal District