Douro (intermunicipal community)

Map showing the location of the Douro subregion

The Comunidade Intermunicipal do Douro is an administrative division in Portugal. It replaced the Comunidade Urbana do Douro, created in 2004.[1] It takes its name from the Douro River. The seat of the intermunicipal community is Vila Real. Douro comprises parts of the former districts of Bragança, Guarda, Vila Real and Viseu. The population in 2011 was 205,157,[2] in an area of 4,031.58 km².[3]

Douro is also a NUTS3 subregion of Norte Region. The subregion Douro covers the same area as the intermunicipal community, but including the municipalities Murça (Alto Trás-os-Montes intermunicipal community), and excluding the municipality Vila Flor. As of 2011, the subregion had a population of 205,902[2] and a total area of 4,108 km².[3]

Its economic activity is largely centered on the production of wine, particularly port, and also non-fortified Douro wine from the Douro DOC wine region. The entire region is mountainous and crossed by steep valleys.

Map showing the location of the Douro intermunicipal community (in yellow in the north)

Municipalities

The CIM Douro is composed of 19 municipalities:[4]

Municipality Population (2011)[2] Area (km²)[3] NUTS III region
Murça5,952 189.37 Alto Trás-os-Montes
Alijó11,942 297.60 Douro
Armamar6,297 117.24 Douro
Carrazeda de Ansiães6,373 279.24 Douro
Freixo de Espada à Cinta3,780 244.14 Douro
Lamego26,691 165.42 Douro
Mesão Frio4,433 26.65 Douro
Moimenta da Beira10,212 219.97 Douro
Penedono2,952 133.71 Douro
Peso da Régua17,131 94.86 Douro
Sabrosa6,361 156.92 Douro
Santa Marta de Penaguião7,356 69.28 Douro
São João da Pesqueira7,874 266.11 Douro
Sernancelhe5,671 228.61 Douro
Tabuaço6,350 133.86 Douro
Tarouca8,046 100.08 Douro
Torre de Moncorvo8,572 531.56 Douro
Vila Nova de Foz Côa7,312 398.15 Douro
Vila Real51,850 378.80 Douro
Total205,1574,031.58

Geography

The main rivers are Douro River, Corgo River, Tua River and Sabor River. There is an airport at Vila Real: Aerodromo de Vila Real/Douro [VRL]. The Douro railway line was completed in 1887. The narrow gauge branch lines in the area (such as the Corgo line) are now all closed.

The main monuments are the cathedral and Mateus Palace in Vila Real, and the Remedios and Sé/cathedral in Lamego. The Alto Douro Wine Region and the Prehistoric Rock-Art Site of the Côa Valley are both classified by UNESCO as heritage sites.

The grape vine terraces in the Douro valley

The University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro is situated in Vila Real.

References

External links

Coordinates: 41°18′N 7°45′W / 41.300°N 7.750°W / 41.300; -7.750

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