Map of Portugal
Portugal is a country in Europe with its capital at Lisbon, home to about 10.80 million people across 92,225 km². The interactive map below plots 24 cities and towns, 4 rivers, 1 mountain summits and 16 ports recorded for Portugal in YearMaps.
- Population
- 10.80 million
- Area
- 92,225 km²
- Capital
- Lisbon
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Portugal
Centred on Lisbon at 38.7247° N, 9.1468° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country in Southwestern Europe. Mainland Portugal is located on the southwestern portion of the Iberian Peninsula, and bordered by Spain to the north and east. Portugal also includes the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. The country has a population of 11.4 million, and Lisbon, its capital, is the largest city. Portugal's internal waters and territorial sea together account for two-fifths of its territory, and its exclusive economic zone is one of Europe's largest. The country's terrain contains a diverse range of landscapes and regional climates.
The western Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited since prehistory, with the earliest signs of settlement dating to between 5500 BC and 5300 BC. Muslims had occupied the Iberian Peninsula since 711. As a result of the Reconquista against them, Portugal was established as a county of the Kingdom of León in 868 and formally as a kingdom in 1179. During the Age of Discovery, the kingdom made several advancements in nautical science and maritime exploration to discover new territories and sea routes, which led to the establishment of the Portuguese Empire. The kingdom became a republic in 1910, before becoming a dictatorship in 1926, whose 1974 overthrow enabled democracy to be established in 1976.
Portugal is a unitary republic and multi-party representative democracy with four separate sovereignty organs: president, government, parliament, and judiciary. It has a unicameral national legislature known as the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República). Portugal is divided into seven mainland regions and two autonomous overseas regions, though it remains a highly centralised country.
A developed country, Portugal has an advanced economy that chiefly relies upon services, industry, and tourism. Shaped by the various civilisations that have inhabited its territory, such as the Carthaginians and the Romans, Portugal developed a culture with a worldwide influence. This allowed Portuguese to become the world's fifth-most spoken native language, with more than 250 million native speakers. With a stable foreign policy shaped by its colonial and diplomatic history and location, Portugal is a member of multiple international organisations and forums.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Portugal (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Portugal
A global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A revolution deposed the monarchy in 1910, and for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup ushered in broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
- Location
- Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain.
- Climate
- Maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south.
- Terrain
- The west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plains.
- Highest point
- Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 1,793 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 1,224 km; border countries: Spain 1,224 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 43.3% (2023 est.); arable land: 10.1% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 23.6% (2023 est.); forest: 36.6% (2023 est.); other: 5.7% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Azores subject to severe earthquakes volcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira.
- Geographic note
- Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; they are two of the four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Canary Islands (Spain) and Cabo Verde.
- Languages
- Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)
- Religions
- Catholic 68.1%, not applicable 12.9%, no religion 12.0%, no response 2.2%, Protestant 1.8%, other 1.0%; less than 1%: other Christians, Orthodox, Muslim (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Portuguese 95%; citizens from Portugal’s former colonies in Africa, Asia (Han Chinese), and South America (Brazilian) and other foreign born 5%.
- Economy
- High-income EU and eurozone economy; strong services sector led by tourism and banking; tight labor market; growth driven by private consumption, trade surplus, and public investment from EU funds; declining public debt.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Portugal in Numbers
- Population
- 10.80 million
- GDP
- US$346.6 billion
- GDP per person
- US$32,082
- Life expectancy
- 82.4 years
- Population growth
- 1.02% a year
- Population density
- 117 per km²
- Urban population
- 61.5%
- Surface area
- 92,230 km²
- Forest cover
- 36.6%
- Arable land
- 9.3%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 88.5%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Portugal in Depth
History
The region has been inhabited by humans since approximately 400,000 years ago. Neanderthals roamed the southwestern Iberian Peninsula until 37,000 years ago, and anatomically modern humans arrived in what is now Portugal around 40,000 years ago. The onset of the Neolithic in the area dates to between 5500 BC and 5300 BC. In southern Portugal, Iron Age inscribed stele have been found, representing early evidence of writing in the Iberian Peninsula. Pre-Celtic tribes originally from the Ukrainian steppes inhabited mainland Portugal and the Lusitanians occupied mostly central, inland regions in 1250 BC. Celts may have spread westwards in Iberia in the latter 1st millennium BC. Phoenicians colonised Portugal during the 7th and 8th centuries BC.
Geography
Portugal's territory comprises mainland Portugal and the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. The mainland, commonly referred to as Continental Portugal, is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe, while Madeira and the Azores lie in the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal's land area is 92,225 km2 (35,608 sq mi), although Portuguese law defines the country's size as 156,597 km2 (60,462 sq mi) which includes about 64,000 km2 (24,711 sq mi) of ocean waters. Portugal's exclusive economic zone extends 1,727,408 km2 (666,956 mi2), making it one of the largest in the European Union. The country is over two-thirds wilderness, almost one-fourth agricultural, and the remainder human settlements.
Economy
Portugal is a high-income country with an advanced economy that follows the Mediterranean model. The country's economic policy is framed by strategic guidelines called Major Options, which are subsequently implemented through the State Budget. Portugal has the EU's 14th-largest economy by nominal GDP and the 12th-largest economy by PPP-adjusted GDP. Its PPP-adjusted GDP per capita stood at to 81% of the EU average in 2025. As of 2024, Portugal's service sector contributed the most for its economic output followed the industrial sector and its primary sector. In 2025, Portugal unemployment rate was 5.8%. As of 2024, its poverty rate after social transfers was 15.4% of the population while in 2023, the at-risk-of-poverty rate before social transfers stood at 40.3%.
Demographics
In 2025, Portugal had a population of 11,424,031, of whom 9,826,492 were Portuguese nationals. The remainder were foreign residents at 1,597,539. Portugal is steadily ageing and has one of the world's highest proportion of elderly citizens, comprising nearly one-fourth of its entire population, together with a female share of the population at 51.1%.
In 2025, Portugal had a fertility rate of 1.4, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1 and is one of the world's lowest.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Portugal (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Portugal: Key Facts
| Official language | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Head of state | António José Seguro |
| Head of government | Luís Montenegro |
| Form of government | republic |
| Calling code | +351 |
| Internet domain | .pt |
| Highest point | Mount Pico |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Established | 25 July 1139 |
Facts from Wikidata Q45 (CC0).
History of Portugal: Empires and States
The atlas records 26 polities whose mapped territory included part of Portugal, from Roman Republic in 144 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Roman Republic | 144–32 BCE | Most |
| The Roman Empire | 31 BCE – 468 CE | Most |
| Western Roman Empire | 395–468 CE | Most |
| Alans | 414–438 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of the Suebi | 414–586 CE | Most |
| Visigothic Kingdom | 458–717 CE | Most |
| The Umayyad Caliphate | 718–756 CE | Most |
| Emirate of Córdoba | 757–935 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Asturias | 825–910 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of León | 911–1138 CE | A large part |
| Caliphate of Córdoba | 936–1009 CE | Most |
| Taifa of Badajoz | 1010–1093 CE | Most |
| Taifas of Iberia | 1010–1151 CE | Most |
| County of Ribagorza | 1034–1039 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Castile | 1046–1110 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Galicia | 1066–1125 CE | A large part |
| Almoravid Dynasty | 1094–1151 CE | A large part |
| County of Portugal | 1139–1146 CE | A large part |
| Almohad Caliphate | 1147–1240 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Portugal | 1147–1910 CE | Nearly all |
| The Portuguese Empire | 1415–1910 CE | Nearly all |
| Iberian Union | 1582–1639 CE | Most |
| The Spanish Empire | 1582–1639 CE | Most |
| Portuguese Republic | 1911–1925 CE | Nearly all |
| Estado Novo | 1926–1975 CE | Nearly all |
| Portugal | 1976–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Portugal
Portugal on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Portugal
Portugal is a modern country with strong links to its past and people of a friendly and hospitable nature. It has become an acclaimed international tourist and vacation destination due to its many beautiful beaches and long warm summers, a rich gastronomy, historical and cultural heritage. Its fabulous golf courses, giant surf waves at Nazaré, and religious pilgrimage to Fátima are very popular with visitors. Surprisingly, in winter several ski resorts are open for business in the Serra da Estrela region.
Portugal has plenty of prehistoric sites along with remnants from the Roman Empire and the Age of Discovery, when Portuguese explorers found the Cape Route around Africa, and completed the world's first circumnavigation. While Portugal is modern and developed, it maintains much traditional culture with handicrafts, cuisine, music, and dance. Portugal is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Portugal (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Portugal
24 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon | 2.81 million | Lisboa | National capital |
| 2 | Porto | 1.34 million | Porto | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Braga | 826,833 | Braga | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Funchal | 204,767 | Madeira | Admin-0 region capital |
| 5 | Setúbal | 117,974 | Lisboa | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Coimbra | 106,582 | Coimbra | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Ponta Delgada | 61,526 | Azores | Admin-0 region capital |
| 8 | Portimão | 61,226 | Faro | Populated place |
| 9 | Évora | 55,620 | Évora | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Aveiro | 54,162 | Aveiro | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Leiria | 45,112 | Leiria | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Faro | 41,355 | Faro | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Beja | 35,854 | Beja | Admin-1 capital |
| 14 | Bragança | 34,375 | Bragança | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Castelo Branco | 33,479 | Castelo Branco | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Guarda | 32,111 | Guarda | Admin-1 capital |
| 17 | Santarém | 29,385 | Santarém | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Viseu | 26,364 | Viseu | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Covilhã | 24,828 | Castelo Branco | Populated place |
| 20 | Vila Real | 17,001 | Vila Real | Admin-1 capital |
| 21 | Portalegre | 15,581 | Portalegre | Admin-1 capital |
| 22 | Viana Do Castelo | 15,555 | Viana do Castelo | Admin-1 capital |
| 23 | Angra do Heroísmo | 12,045 | Azores | Populated place |
| 24 | Horta | 6,611 | Azores | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Portugal
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico Alto | 2,351 m | 7,713 ft | Seven seas (open ocean) |
Rivers in Portugal
4 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Portugal
16 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lajes | 56.7 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Vila Real de S Antonio | 53 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | point_of_interest |
| 3 | Oporto | 53 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 4 | Faro | 49.4 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 5 | Figueira da Foz | 45.7 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 6 | Aveiro | 45.7 m | Minor | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 7 | Ponta Delgada | 42.1 m | Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 8 | Viana Do Castelo | 42.1 m | Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | large vessels |
| 9 | Setubal | 34.7 m | Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | large vessels |
| 10 | Vila Do Porto | 31.1 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | large vessels |
The other 6 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Funchal · 31.1 m · Major · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Angra Do Heroismo · 31.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Horta · 31.1 m · Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Praia de Vitoria · 20.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Sines · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Lagos · unknown · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · point_of_interest
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Portugal
17 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batalha Monastery | 1983 | Cultural | (i) (ii) |
| 2 | Centro Histórico de Angra do Heroísmo | 1983 | Cultural | (iv) (vi) |
| 3 | Convent of Christ | 1983 | Cultural | (i) (vi) |
| 4 | Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon | 1983 | Cultural | (iii) (vi) |
| 5 | Centro Histórico de Évora | 1986 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 6 | Alcobaça Monastery | 1989 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iv) |
| 7 | Cultural Landscape of Sintra | 1995 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) (v) |
| 8 | Historic Centre of Porto | 1996 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 9 | Laurisilva of Madeira | 1999 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 10 | Alto Douro Wine Region | 2001 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) (v) |
Largest Islands of Portugal
7 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AçOres | 200,619 km² | Island group |
| 2 | São Miguel | 822 km² | Island |
| 3 | Madeira | 753 km² | Island |
| 4 | Pico | 469 km² | Island |
| 5 | Terceira | 453 km² | Island |
| 6 | Flores | 189 km² | Island |
| 7 | Santa Maria | 120 km² | Island |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Portugal
1 landform recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PeníNsula IbéRica | 581,401 km² | Plateau | Europe |
Countries Bordering Portugal
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Portugal: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Portugal?
- The capital of Portugal is Lisbon.
- What is the population of Portugal?
- Portugal has a population of about 10.80 million, the #90 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Portugal?
- Portugal covers 92,225 km², ranking #112 by area, with about 117 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Portugal in?
- Portugal is in Europe.
- Which countries border Portugal?
- Portugal shares a land or maritime border with Spain.
- What is the largest city in Portugal?
- Lisbon is the largest city in Portugal, with a metropolitan population of about 2.81 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Portugal?
- The highest summit recorded for Portugal in YearMaps is Pico Alto at 2,351 m (7,713 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.