Number of vehicles: cars 2,837,732 (1989), trucks and buses 189,822 (1987)
Road information: total: 68,732 km; paved: 59,110 km (including 797 km of expressways); unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)
Portuguese number plates do not contain a regional identifier and use
an incremental numbering system. The current system
is 00-AA-00, which was preceded by 00-00-AA and AA-10-00.
When the current series ends, the new series will begin
AA-00-AA.
As of 1992, all number plates are issued in black text on a white background,
with the European strip being added with the country
identifier 'P'. A yellow stripe was added to the right-hand-side
of the number plate in 1998 showing the month and year
of the car's registration. Other countries, such as
Germany, use a similar tag, but instead show the next
time the vehicle has to be checked.
Historic cars in Portugal are permitted to use white on black number
plates.
