Abstract

Some reflections on the urbanisation process in Portugal in the last few decades may be made from observations of the social and economic changes in Lisbon and the metropolitan area. Despite the fact that the city was founded over two thousand years ago, it grew very slowly and has only recently undergone rapid expansion. A great part of the Portuguese people live in urban centres today, a large proportion of them in the Lisbon and Oporto metropolitan areas. Even a tendency towards the formation of a "gigantic" urban agglomeration along the coast between the rivers Sado and Cávado can be seen. Unlike what has happened in some countries, the phenomenon of counterurbanisation has been insignificant in Portugal. It can even be said that new forms of urbanisation have appeared. It may also be said that the Lisbon Metropolitan Area is the main stage where the outcome of this Portuguese drama will be determined. It is for this reason that experts of different fields must concentrate their efforts on the study and reflection of the metropolitan phenomenon.