1 OVERVIEW ON HOUSING STOCK Portugal is constituted by the mainland and 2 Atlantic archipelagos (Azores and Madeira

Islands). The mainland is located in the south-western Europe bordering the North Atlantic Ocean at west and south and Spain at north and east (Fig. 1). The mean geographic coordinates of the mainland are: Latitude- 39º30 ’ N and Longitude- 8º00 ’ W. Climate in the mainland is classified as maritime temperate, being cool and rainy in north and warmer and drier in south. For statistical purposes, Portugal is divided in 7 territorial units. The mainland includes 5 territorial units (North, Centre, Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, Alentejo and Algarve) and the other 2 units correspond to the Azores and Madeira Islands (Fig. 2)