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.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 The standard was developed by the European Union and extensively used by national governments, Eurostat and other EU bodies for statistical and policy matters.Instituto Nacional de Estatística (Portuguese language) – Nomenclatura das Unidades Territoriais para fins Estatísticos 2002, accessed May 2006de Informação Geográfica (Portuguese language) – Biblioteca de Mapas Administrativos, accessed May 2006 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.
SubdivisionNo.Description NUTS 1: National 3Continental Portugal, the Azores and Madeira NUTS 2: Regions 9 Regional Coordination Commissions and Autonomous Regions NUTS 3: Subregion 26 Administrative, Statistical and Autonomous Regions
Changes NUTS 2-3 (1986—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, Portugal is divided into seven regions, in continental Portugal, plus the two autonomous regions that are their own NUTS II regions.
NUTS III
The nine regions of Portugal are likewise subdivided into 26 subregions () that, from 2015, represent the 2 metropolitan areas, the 22 intermunicipal communities and the 2 autonomous regions. Therefore, since the 2013 revision (enforced in 2015), the Portuguese subregions have a statutory and administrative relevance.2013 Apresentação INE NUTS
The two autonomous regions () in the Atlantic, correspond to their own NUTS I, II and III categories.
NUTS Codes The regions, subregions and their NUTS codes are: CodeNUTS 1CodeNUTS 2CodeNUTS 3PT1Portugal ContinentalPT11NortePT111Alto MinhoPT112CávadoPT119AvePT11AÁrea Metropolitana do PortoPT11BAlto TâmegaPT11CTâmega e SousaPT11DDouroPT11ETerras de Trás-os-MontesPT15AlgarvePT150AlgarvePT19Centro PT191Região de AveiroPT192Região de CoimbraPT193Região de LeiriaPT194Viseu Dão-LafõesPT195Beira BaixaPT196Beiras e Serra da EstrelaPT1AGrande LisboaPT1A0Grande LisboaPT1BPenínsula de SetúbalPT1B0Península de SetúbalPT1CAlentejoPT1C1Alentejo LitoralPT1C2Baixo AlentejoPT1C3Alto AlentejoPT1C4Alentejo CentralPT1DOeste e Vale do TejoPT1D1OestePT1D2Médio TejoPT1D3Lezíria do TejoPT2Região Autónoma dos AçoresPT20Região Autónoma dos AçoresPT200Região Autónoma dos AçoresPT3Região Autónoma da MadeiraPT30Região Autónoma da MadeiraPT300Região Autónoma da Madeira
LAUs
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:
SudvisionNo.Description LAU 1 308Municipalities LAU 2 3259Civil Parishes
The LAU codes of Portugal can be downloaded at:
See also Administrative divisions of Portugal ISO 3166-2 codes of Portugal FIPS region codes of Portugal List of Portuguese regions by Human Development Index Subdivisions of Portugal
References
Sources Hierarchical list of the Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics - NUTS and the Statistical regions of Europe Overview map of EU Countries - NUTS level 1 PORTUGAL - NUTS level 2 PORTUGAL - NUTS level 3 Correspondence between the NUTS levels and the national administrative units List of current NUTS codes Download current NUTS codes (ODS format) Regions of Portugal, Statoids.com Municipalities of Portugal, Statoids.com Regiões de Portugal, LOCAL.PT