Coimbra is one of the most important urban centres in Portugal after Lisbon and Porto. The city is better known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world.

According to the 2011 Census, the city of Coimbra had a population of 143,396 inhabitants. Nonnationals make up 4.6% of Coimbra’s total population, and the largest minority group – people from Brazil– represents 33% over foreign population. Other important nationalities in the city are people from Ukraine and Romania.