NUTS statistical regions of Portugal

The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) is developed by Eurostat, and employed in both Portugal and the entire European Union for statistical purposes. The NUTS branch extends from NUTS1, NUTS2 and NUTS3 regions, with the complementary LAU (Local Administrative Units) sub-categorization being used to differentiate the local areas, of trans-national importance.

Developed by Eurostat and implemented in 1998, the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) regions, which comprises three levels of the Portuguese territory, are instrumental in European Union's Structural Fund delivery mechanisms.^[1]^[2] The standard was developed by the European Union and extensively used by national governments, Eurostat and other EU bodies for statistical and policy matters.^[3]^[4] Until 4 November 2002, the Sistema Estatístico Nacional (SEN) used a NUTS codification system that was distinct from the Eurostat system. With the enactment of Decree Law 244/2002 (5 November 2002), published in the Diário da República, this system was abandoned in order to harmonize the national system with that of Eurostat.

Subdivisions

The NUTS system subdivides the nation into three levels: NUTS I, NUTS II and NUTS III. In some European partners, as is the case with Portugal, a complementary hierarchy, respectively LAU I and LAU II (posteriorly referred to as NUTS IV and NUTS V) is employed. The LAU, or Local Administrative Units, in the Portuguese context pertains to the 308 municipalities (LAU I) and 3092 civil parishes (LAU II) respectively. In the broadest sense, the NUTS hierarchy, while they may follow some of the borders (municipal or parish) diverge in their delineation.

Subdivision	No.	Description
NUTS 1: National	3	Continental Portugal, the Azores and Madeira
NUTS 2: Regions	8	Regional Coordination Commissions and Autonomous Regions
NUTS 3: Subregion	25	Administrative, Statistical and Autonomous Regions

Changes NUTS 2-3 (1986—2024)

1986
1989
1999
2002
2010
2013
2024

NUTS I

The first and broadest subdivision of Portugal is between continental Portugal and the two autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira.

NUTS II

Although the districts are still the most socially relevant subdivision, their function is being phased in favour of locally oriented regional units, and regions are growing in importance. Since the creation of Oeste e Vale do Tejo in 2024,^[5] Portugal is divided into six regions, in continental Portugal, plus the two autonomous regions that are their own NUTS II regions.

NUTS III

The eight regions of Portugal are likewise subdivided into 25 subregions (Portuguese: subregiões) that, from 2015, represent the 2 metropolitan areas, the 21 intermunicipal communities and the 2 autonomous regions. Therefore, since the 2013 revision (enforced in 2015), the Portuguese subregions have a statutory and administrative relevance.^[6]

The two autonomous regions (Portuguese: regiões autónomas) in the Atlantic, correspond to their own NUTS I, II and III categories.

NUTS Codes

The regions, subregions and their NUTS codes are:^[5]

Code	NUTS 1	Code	NUTS 2	Code	NUTS 3
PT1	Portugal Continental	PT11	Norte	PT111	Alto Minho
				PT112	Cávado
				PT119	Ave
				PT11A	Área Metropolitana do Porto
				PT11B	Alto Tâmega
				PT11C	Tâmega e Sousa
				PT11D	Douro
				PT11E	Terras de Trás-os-Montes
		PT15	Algarve	PT150	Algarve
		PT19	Centro	PT191	Região de Aveiro
				PT192	Região de Coimbra
				PT193	Região de Leiria
				PT194	Viseu Dão-Lafões
				PT195	Beira Baixa
				PT196	Beiras e Serra da Estrela
		PT1A	Grande Lisboa	PT1A0	Grande Lisboa
		PT1B	Península de Setúbal	PT1B0	Península de Setúbal
		PT1C	Alentejo	PT1C1	Alentejo Litoral
				PT1C2	Baixo Alentejo
				PT1C3	Alto Alentejo
				PT1C4	Alentejo Central
		PT1D	Oeste e Vale do Tejo	PT1D1	Oeste
				PT1D2	Médio Tejo
				PT1D3	Lezíria do Tejo
PT2	Região Autónoma dos Açores	PT20	Região Autónoma dos Açores	PT200	Região Autónoma dos Açores
PT3	Região Autónoma da Madeira	PT30	Região Autónoma da Madeira	PT300	Região Autónoma da Madeira

LAUs

The LAU1 designated municipalities of Portugal

Municipalities and civil parishes were at NUTS IV and V levels, but these nomenclature units have been abolished and substituted by LAUs: the municipality is classified as LAU 1, while the civil parish is LAU level 2. Below the NUTS levels, the two LAU (Local Administrative Unit) levels are:

Sudvision	No.	Description
LAU 1	308	Municipalities
LAU 2	3092	Civil Parishes

The LAU codes of Portugal can be downloaded at: Eurostat^{[dead link‍]}

References

^ The NUTS system was approved by Community Legislation in 1998, but only entered into function in 2003 through enacting regulations.
^ University of Coimbra (2010), p.2
^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Portuguese language) Archived 2007-03-16 at the Wayback Machine – Nomenclatura das Unidades Territoriais para fins Estatísticos 2002, accessed May 2006
^ de Informação Geográfica (Portuguese language)^{[permanent dead link‍]} – Biblioteca de Mapas Administrativos, accessed May 2006
^ ^a ^b Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/674 of 26 December 2022 amending the Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)
^ 2013 Apresentação INE NUTS (in Portuguese)

Sources

[1] The NUTS system was approved by Community Legislation in 1998, but only entered into function in 2003 through enacting regulations.

[2] University of Coimbra (2010), p.2

[3] Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Portuguese language) Archived 2007-03-16 at the Wayback Machine – Nomenclatura das Unidades Territoriais para fins Estatísticos 2002, accessed May 2006

[4] Informação Geográfica (Portuguese language)^{[permanent dead link‍]} – Biblioteca de Mapas Administrativos, accessed May 2006

[offjrn2023-5] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/674 of 26 December 2022 amending the Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)

[6] 2013 Apresentação INE NUTS (in Portuguese)

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