A method for providing a UI in a portable terminal shows background images corresponding to physical states, such as the temperature, or of a physical layout of buildings, roads, etc. The method for providing a UI in a portable terminal, includes: collecting environmental information around the portable terminal; extracting an image set corresponding to the collected environmental information, and image change information; sensing a tilted state of the portable terminal; and changing and displaying the extracted image according to the sensed tilted state of the portable and the extracted image change information.