In this paper we analyse the long term evolution of the Portuguese urban system using an urban place data base. Urban places are defined as agglomerations with 10 000 inhabitants or more. Our data base is constructed from the 1890 to 1981 population censuses data and INE unpublished data for the 1991 and 2001 censuses.

We apply the rank-size model and use rank-size estimates to describe the evolution of urban hierarchy in the long run. Non paretian behaviour of the rank-size distribution will be analysed using the same methodology as in Delgado and Godinho (2004). The dynamics of the Portuguese urban system will be analysed through a Markov chain process, as in Delgado and Godinho (2005).