The term "provinces" (Portuguese: províncias) has been used throughout history to identify regions of continental Portugal. Current legal subdivisions of Portugal do not coincide with the provinces, but several provinces, in their 19th- and 20th-century versions, still correspond to culturally relevant, strongly self-identifying categories. They include:
- Alentejo (Alto Alentejo, Baixo Alentejo)
- Algarve
- Beira (Beira Alta, Beira Baixa, Beira Litoral)
- Douro Litoral
- Estremadura
- Minho
- Ribatejo
- Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
The islands of Azores and Madeira were never called "provinces".