Provinces of Portugal

Divisão de Portugal em províncias, estabelecida no século XX. Fronteira não marcada no termo de Olivença.

The Estado Novo adopted, from his beginning, a policy of regionalisation of the country. This regionalisation was written into the 1933 Constitution, by dividing Portugal Continental into autarqu regions, called provinces. The provinces were created in 1936. The provincial division was based in studies of the geographer Amorim Girão, published between 1927 and 1930, which divided Continental Portugal in 13 "natural regions". Tere were created 11 provinces, corresponding each to one of the natural regions by Amorim Girão, with two exceptions: The natural region of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro and the natural region of Beira Alta and Beira Transmontana were united respectively into the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province amd the Beira Alta Province. Parallel to the division into provinces, the division into districts was maintained, cujos limites não coincidiam.^[1]

The provinces were:

• Minho Province
• Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province
• Douro Litoral Province
• Beira Litoral Province
• Beira Alta Province
• Beira Baixa Province
• Ribatejo Province
• Estremadura Province
• Alto Alentejo Province
• Baixo Alentejo Province
• Algarve Province

References

1. ^ José J. X. Sobral, As Divisões Administrativas de Portugal, ao Longo dos Tempos, AUDACES, 2008

v • d • e Historical provinces of Portugal (1936-1976) Açores · Algarve · Alto Alentejo · Baixo Alentejo · Beira Alta · Beira Baixa · Beira Litoral · Douro Litoral · Estremadura · Madeira · Minho · Ribatejo · Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro