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District of Vila Real
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| District of Vila Real | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Administration | |
| Country |  Portugal |
| Type | District |
| Provincial capital | Vila Real |
| Geography | |
| Area | 4 308.29 km 2 |
| Population | |
| Population | 221 519 inhabitants. (2004) |
| Density | 51.4 inhab. / Km 2 |
Its area is 308.29 km ² 4, making it the 11th country in terms of area. Its population is 221,519 inhabitants (2004).
Its capital is the eponymous town of Vila Real .
Geography and location
With an area of 4239 square kilometers, the district is located east of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro (Douro river, meaning golden in Portuguese). Vila Real has always been tied to the history of the province of Tras-os-Montes . The population has declined in recent years due to emigration. Many small villages have lost population, because of rural migration to cities, and emigration to the rest of the European Union, mainly France and Germany .
The district of Vila Real is a rugged land, with low mountains (hence the name of the province of "Tras-os-Montes," meaning "behind the mountains" in Portuguese) and narrow valleys. The lack of fertility, agriculture has always been difficult, and although the grapes needed to Porto occurred over the valleys of the Douro. The area is naturally forested, although recent fires are reducing forests. Granite Manufacturing & pumping water (water Vidago and Pedras Salgadas) are recognized nationally (aguas Alto Douro).
There is a small line of railroad and a highway between Peso da Regua to Porto.
[ edit ] History
The region of Vila Real has been inhabited since the Paleolithic (-3000000 -8000 à). There are remains of as the sanctuary of rock Panóias, and a sanctuary near Alijó, like a dolmen.
The region belonged to the Roman provinces of Lusitania and Tarraconnaise (the two Iberian provinces), which remains a bridge in Chaves, and suffered barbarian invasions and Muslim.
In the twelfth century, in 1096, Count Don Henrique asked Constantim Panóias to promote the settlement of the area. Only in 1289, by order of King Dinis I the Liberal (1261-1325), the town of Vila Real de Panóias is based.
Its privileged location (crossroads Porto-Viseu and Bragança, Chaves) has enabled rapid growth. From the presence of the seventeenth century, the Casa dos Marqueses ("house of Marquis "In Portuguese), a fact that many nobles of the court of King settled there.
With increasing population, Vila Real has obtained, in the twentieth century, the status of district capital. Was created in 1922 the diocese of Vila Real.
Countries like France or Germany, which lacked manpower asked workers in Portugal, which led to the depopulation of rural areas like around Vila Real.
[ edit ] Population
The largest cities are all very small, compared to the provincial capitals of Spain. Large municipalities are Vila Real, Chaves, Peso da Régua.
The district's population is sparse (just over 51 inhab. / Km ²). The majority of the population lives in municipalities in the south (Vila Real, Santa Marta, Régua, Sabrosa and Alijó. territories near the capital district and bordering the Douro are much denser: Régua (bordering the Douro) has a density of 212 inhab. / km ², and Sta Marta with 128 inhab. / km ².
About 75% of the population lives in villages, many houses are inhabited year-round and some are uninhabited.
[ edit ] Cities District
[ edit ] Vila Real
Vila Real means royal city in Portuguese. Vila Real has won a lot of people through the rural exodus. In the center is Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro, nationally recognized. There is also a small airport with flights to Lisbon.
[ edit ] Chaves
Chaves (key in Portuguese) is the second largest city in the district. It is located 60 kilometers from Vila Real and 15 kilometers from the Spanish border. She is particularly known for its castle, its hot springs and Roman bridge over the Tâmega (rio Tâmega).
[ edit ] Sources
A portion of this article comes from Article Vila Real , it was moved October 5, 2006. Consult the history of this section for the author.
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This post has been edited by Ian Williams: 04 March 2012 - 22:25
