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Bragança (district)
Encyclopedia
Bragança District is a traditional political division of Portugal
, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain
, covering 7.4% of the nations continental landmass. The capital of the district, Bragança, is 217 kilometres from Porto
, the second largest town in Portugal, and 107 kilometres and 169 kilometres from the Spanish towns of Zamora
and Salamanca
respectively. Bragança is administratively divided in twelve municipalities and 299 parishes located in the north-eastern part of Trás-os-Montes
, where (according to the 2001 census) the total resident population is approximately 148,808 inhabitants.
, dependent administratively on Astorga and the gold, iron and silver trade route. Although names similar to Bragança appeared around 666 B.C. (Wamba) or 569 A.D. (Council of Lugo), a territory identifiable as Bragança only appeared after the Celt
s who baptised one of their main settlements Brigantia, in the second century, which was later Latinized to Bragança. But this settlement was limited.
The region's name was derived from the traditional feudal history of the northern region: the Bragançãos family of Castro de Avelãs
were the basis of this lineage that included Fernão Mendes, who later married the Infanta Sancha (daughter of Afonso Henriques), inheriting the region on the death of the King. The Bragançãos would maintain their hold on the region until 1258, when Afonso III
transferred the title to Nuno Martins, but the name Braganção would continue to influence the region. Eventually, the King Afonso V
established the Dukedom
of the Duchy of Braganza
for his uncle, Afonso, Count of Barcelos to strengthen the ties of the crown to the land. When the royal House of Braganza
ascended to the throne of Portugal (through John IV
), the significance of Bragança, as the hereditary seat of the Kings and Emperors of Portugal was sealed.
The district of Bragança was constituted upon the creation of the district system on 25 April 1835; a creation of the Liberal government, it was inspired by the French
départements, with the objective to "facilitate the action of government...and permit access to the authorities". The establishment of the districts was primarily done to counteract the centralizing tendencies of the governmental authority.
, where the landscape is dominated gentler slopes of the plateau; and the southern areas, the Terra Quente Trasmontana (Hot Lands), where the climate is milder, marked by the valleys of the Douro River and its tributaries. Its area allows a wide diversity of landscapes, and the district is known for its climatic differences (nine months of winter and three of heat), its rugged geomorphology, an aging population and urban to rural migration of its residents over time.
It is the Douro River that characterizes the geography, dividing the borders within the district, its southern frontier and extreme northeast borders with Spain. Its in the Douro valley that the lowlands of the district are primarily located, although almost all are 400 metres above sea level, with the exception of the municipality of Mirandela
and its rivers. In addition to the Douro, the rivers of the district run north to south (or northeast to southwest) within the Douro watershed. The principal rivers are the Tua River, which springs from the mountains of Mirandela, at the confluence of Tuela and Rabaçal Rivers, and the Sabor River, which springs in Spain, and crosses the eastern part of the district. Both rivers have a network of tributaries, such as the Baceiro River (feeding the Tuela), the Mente River (serving the Rabaçal), and the Azibo River (supporting the Sabor).
The mountain ranges divide these water courses: the Serra da Nogueira (approximately 1320 metres) separates the Tuela and Sabor valleys; more to the south, the Serra de Bornes (1199 metres), in the municipalities of Macedo de Cavaleiros and Alfândega da Fé separate the Tua and Sabor Rivers; to the east, the columns of the Serra do Mogadouro (997 metres) separate the Sabor and Douro; and in the north, at the border with Spain, the largest mountains in the region the Serra da Coroa (1274 metres), north of Vinhais, and the Serra de Montesinho (1400 metres) at the frontier, shield the Spanish autonomous communities from Portugal. A major part of the dams in the district are located along the Douro; the Valeira, Pocinho, Saucelle, Aldeadávila, Bemposta, Picote and Miranda Dams, along the main river, and the Azibo, Nuzedo de Baixo and Rebordelo, along its tributaries.
, the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional, and the Paisagem Protegida da Albufeira do Azibo, oasises in the northwest part of the peninsula
.
|- class="unsortable"
!rowspan=2|Parties!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S
|- class="unsortable" align="center"
!colspan=2 | 1976
!colspan=2 | 1979
!colspan=2 | 1980
!colspan=2 | 1983
!colspan=2 | 1985
!colspan=2 | 1987
!colspan=2 | 1991
!colspan=2 | 1995
!colspan=2 | 1999
!colspan=2 | 2002
!colspan=2 | 2005
!colspan=2 | 2009
!colspan=2 | 2011
|-
| align="left"| PS
|| 22.6 || 1 || 22.2 || 1 || 21.3 || 1 || 30.4 || 1 || 22.7 || 1 || 19.2 || 1 || 25.7 || 1 || 40.3 || 2 || 39.7 || 2 || 30.0 || 1 || style="background:#FF66FF;"|42.1 || style="background:#FF66FF;"|2 || 33.0 || 1 || 26.1 || 1
|-
| align="left"| PSD
|| style="background:#FF9900;"|33.3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || || || || || style="background:#FF9900;"|35.8 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|39.2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|60.8 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|57.9 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|44.8|| style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|45.1 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|53.2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || 39.0 || 2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|40.6 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|52.1 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2
|-
| align="left"| CDS-PP || 28.3 || 2 || || || || || 20.9 || 1 || 17.1 || 1 || 7.6 || || 8.2 || || 9.3 || || 8.6 || || 10.9 || || 9.7 || || 12.6 || || 11.1 ||
|-
| align="left"| PCP/APU/CDU
|| 2.7 || || 5.8 || || 4.8 || || 4.8 || || 5.3 || || 3.2 || || 2.1 || || 1.9 || || 2.6 || || 1.9 || || 2.0 || || 2.4 || || 2.6 ||
|-
| align="left"| BE || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 0.8 || || 0.9 || || 2.5 || || 6.2 || || 2.3 ||
|-
| align="left"| AD
|| || || style="background:#00FFFF;"|60.7 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|3 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|65.3 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|3 || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| align="left"| PRD || || || || || || || || || 6.9 || || 1.3 || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
|style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=27|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições
|}
s, lamb, sheep and poultry, cascas com casulos, trout, the bread, cheese and honey, as well as a range of sweets and pastries, are rich representations of this zone. Unlike tourism in central Portugal, the region is sought for its unspoiled nature and rural tourism; its agrarian lifestyle, although an important part of its enchantment, supports the local population, primarily in cattle-raising, dairy production and cultivation of rye and wheat.
In the urban areas, particularly the municipal seats, the primary economic activities predominate, including the public-sector institutions, commerce and industry.
The difficulty in communication and interconnection between markets was always a problem in this region, resulting in few investments and economic development. Tourism still remains the sector of the economy that has potential to improve development, and fix a transient population.
Leonese language
was widely spoken in the territory, but today, there are few that speak the language (which is primarily concentrated in the communities near Rio de Onor, Guadramil and along the northeast to southeast frontier with Spain). Mirandese
, a local variant of Spanish and Portuguese is commonly observed in the regions of the District, particularly around Miranda do Douro
, and has resulted in its official recognition by the Portuguese Parliament.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, covering 7.4% of the nations continental landmass. The capital of the district, Bragança, is 217 kilometres from Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, the second largest town in Portugal, and 107 kilometres and 169 kilometres from the Spanish towns of Zamora
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
and Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
respectively. Bragança is administratively divided in twelve municipalities and 299 parishes located in the north-eastern part of Trás-os-Montes
Trás-os-Montes (region)
Trás-os-Montes was one of the 13 regions of continental Portugal identified by geographer Amorim Girão, in a study published between 1927 and 1930.Together with Alto Douro it formed Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province.- See also :...
, where (according to the 2001 census) the total resident population is approximately 148,808 inhabitants.
History
During the Roman era, the territory was part of the much larger province of GallaeciaGallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
, dependent administratively on Astorga and the gold, iron and silver trade route. Although names similar to Bragança appeared around 666 B.C. (Wamba) or 569 A.D. (Council of Lugo), a territory identifiable as Bragança only appeared after the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
s who baptised one of their main settlements Brigantia, in the second century, which was later Latinized to Bragança. But this settlement was limited.
The region's name was derived from the traditional feudal history of the northern region: the Bragançãos family of Castro de Avelãs
Castro de Avelãs
Castro de Avelãs is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Bragança. The population in 2001 is 483, its density is 34.8/km² and the area is 13.87 km²....
were the basis of this lineage that included Fernão Mendes, who later married the Infanta Sancha (daughter of Afonso Henriques), inheriting the region on the death of the King. The Bragançãos would maintain their hold on the region until 1258, when Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
transferred the title to Nuno Martins, but the name Braganção would continue to influence the region. Eventually, the King Afonso V
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
established the Dukedom
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
of the Duchy of Braganza
Duchy of Braganza
The Duchy of Braganza, in Portuguese: Ducado de Bragança, has been the fief of an important Portuguese noble family: the House of Braganza, and is one of the most important Dukedoms of Portugal...
for his uncle, Afonso, Count of Barcelos to strengthen the ties of the crown to the land. When the royal House of Braganza
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
ascended to the throne of Portugal (through John IV
John IV of Portugal
|-|John IV was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1640 to his death. He was the grandson of Catherine, Duchess of Braganza, who had in 1580 claimed the Portuguese crown and sparked the struggle for the throne of Portugal. John was nicknamed John the Restorer...
), the significance of Bragança, as the hereditary seat of the Kings and Emperors of Portugal was sealed.
The district of Bragança was constituted upon the creation of the district system on 25 April 1835; a creation of the Liberal government, it was inspired by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
départements, with the objective to "facilitate the action of government...and permit access to the authorities". The establishment of the districts was primarily done to counteract the centralizing tendencies of the governmental authority.
Physical geography
The district is composed of two distinct regions described in terms of its geographic differences: the northern areas, with the higher altitudes constitute the Terra Fria Transmontana (Cold lands), and the Alto Trás-os-MontesAlto Trás-os-Montes
Alto Trás-os-Montes often regered as Nordeste Transmontano is one of the largest Portuguese NUTS-level 3 subregion integrated in the Norte Region...
, where the landscape is dominated gentler slopes of the plateau; and the southern areas, the Terra Quente Trasmontana (Hot Lands), where the climate is milder, marked by the valleys of the Douro River and its tributaries. Its area allows a wide diversity of landscapes, and the district is known for its climatic differences (nine months of winter and three of heat), its rugged geomorphology, an aging population and urban to rural migration of its residents over time.
It is the Douro River that characterizes the geography, dividing the borders within the district, its southern frontier and extreme northeast borders with Spain. Its in the Douro valley that the lowlands of the district are primarily located, although almost all are 400 metres above sea level, with the exception of the municipality of Mirandela
Mirandela Municipality
Mirandela is a municipality of 25,780 inhabitants, in the northeast corner of Portugal.-History:The settlements of Mirandela date back to the pre-historical period, but primarily relate to a period of Roman occupation. During this era, the main settlement of Mirandela was a Roman civitas, known...
and its rivers. In addition to the Douro, the rivers of the district run north to south (or northeast to southwest) within the Douro watershed. The principal rivers are the Tua River, which springs from the mountains of Mirandela, at the confluence of Tuela and Rabaçal Rivers, and the Sabor River, which springs in Spain, and crosses the eastern part of the district. Both rivers have a network of tributaries, such as the Baceiro River (feeding the Tuela), the Mente River (serving the Rabaçal), and the Azibo River (supporting the Sabor).
The mountain ranges divide these water courses: the Serra da Nogueira (approximately 1320 metres) separates the Tuela and Sabor valleys; more to the south, the Serra de Bornes (1199 metres), in the municipalities of Macedo de Cavaleiros and Alfândega da Fé separate the Tua and Sabor Rivers; to the east, the columns of the Serra do Mogadouro (997 metres) separate the Sabor and Douro; and in the north, at the border with Spain, the largest mountains in the region the Serra da Coroa (1274 metres), north of Vinhais, and the Serra de Montesinho (1400 metres) at the frontier, shield the Spanish autonomous communities from Portugal. A major part of the dams in the district are located along the Douro; the Valeira, Pocinho, Saucelle, Aldeadávila, Bemposta, Picote and Miranda Dams, along the main river, and the Azibo, Nuzedo de Baixo and Rebordelo, along its tributaries.
Ecoregions/Protected areas
Bragança includes several natural sanctuaries, such as the Parque Natural de MontesinhoMontesinho Natural Park
The Montesinho Natural Park is a protected area located in the municipalities of Vinhais and Bragança, northeastern Portugal. Sections of the southern slopes of the Serra da Coroa fall within the park....
, the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional, and the Paisagem Protegida da Albufeira do Azibo, oasises in the northwest part of the peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
Human geography
Consisting of twelve municipalities, the district of Bragança is the fifth largest district of Portugal:- Alfândega da Fé
- Bragança
- Carrazeda de Ansiães
- Freixo de Espada à Cinta
- Macedo de Cavaleiros
- Miranda do DouroMiranda do Douro MunicipalityMiranda do Douro is a municipality covering an area of 487.17 km², with a population of approximately 7,707 inhabitants in the northeast corner of Portugal. Referred to as the "Cidade Museu" of the Trás-os-Montes region, it is located 86 kilometres from the district capital, preserving many...
- MirandelaMirandela MunicipalityMirandela is a municipality of 25,780 inhabitants, in the northeast corner of Portugal.-History:The settlements of Mirandela date back to the pre-historical period, but primarily relate to a period of Roman occupation. During this era, the main settlement of Mirandela was a Roman civitas, known...
- Mogadouro
- Moncorvo
- Vila FlorVila FlorVila Flor is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 265.8 km² and a total population of 7,737 inhabitants .The municipality is composed of 19 parishes and is located in the district of Bragança....
- Vimioso
- Vinhais
Politics
One of 18 Portuguese districts, this administrative division serves to define electoral units for proportional representation in national elections; administrative centres for police, courts and other public orders; and some local offices of ministries. Although Bragança has a Civil Governor, nominated by the Ministry of Home Affairs , his/her role is limited to issues of public security, and local governance.Elections
Summary of election results from the district of Bragança (1976–2011)|- class="unsortable"
!rowspan=2|Parties!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S!!%!!S
|- class="unsortable" align="center"
!colspan=2 | 1976
!colspan=2 | 1979
!colspan=2 | 1980
!colspan=2 | 1983
!colspan=2 | 1985
!colspan=2 | 1987
!colspan=2 | 1991
!colspan=2 | 1995
!colspan=2 | 1999
!colspan=2 | 2002
!colspan=2 | 2005
!colspan=2 | 2009
!colspan=2 | 2011
|-
| align="left"| PS
Socialist Party (Portugal)
The Socialist Party , abbreviated to PS, is a social-democratic political party in Portugal. It was founded on 19 April 1973 in the German city of Bad Münstereifel, by militants from Portuguese Socialist Action ....
|| 22.6 || 1 || 22.2 || 1 || 21.3 || 1 || 30.4 || 1 || 22.7 || 1 || 19.2 || 1 || 25.7 || 1 || 40.3 || 2 || 39.7 || 2 || 30.0 || 1 || style="background:#FF66FF;"|42.1 || style="background:#FF66FF;"|2 || 33.0 || 1 || 26.1 || 1
|-
| align="left"| PSD
Social Democratic Party (Portugal)
The Social Democratic Party , is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Portugal. It is commonly known by its initials, PSD; on ballot papers, its initials appear as PPD/PSD, with the first three letters coming from the party's original name, Democratic People's Party...
|| style="background:#FF9900;"|33.3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || || || || || style="background:#FF9900;"|35.8 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|39.2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|60.8 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|57.9 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || style="background:#FF9900;"|44.8|| style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|45.1 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|53.2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|3 || 39.0 || 2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|40.6 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2 || style="background:#FF9900;"|52.1 || style="background:#FF9900;"|2
|-
| align="left"| CDS-PP || 28.3 || 2 || || || || || 20.9 || 1 || 17.1 || 1 || 7.6 || || 8.2 || || 9.3 || || 8.6 || || 10.9 || || 9.7 || || 12.6 || || 11.1 ||
|-
| align="left"| PCP/APU/CDU
Unitarian Democratic Coalition
The Democratic Unity Coalition is an electoral and political coalition between the Portuguese Communist Party and the Ecologist Party "The Greens"...
|| 2.7 || || 5.8 || || 4.8 || || 4.8 || || 5.3 || || 3.2 || || 2.1 || || 1.9 || || 2.6 || || 1.9 || || 2.0 || || 2.4 || || 2.6 ||
|-
| align="left"| BE || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 0.8 || || 0.9 || || 2.5 || || 6.2 || || 2.3 ||
|-
| align="left"| AD
Democratic Alliance (Portugal)
The Democratic Alliance was a coalition in Portugal between the Social Democratic Party , the Democratic Social Center and the People's Monarchist Party , including also a group of...
|| || || style="background:#00FFFF;"|60.7 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|3 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|65.3 || style="background:#00FFFF;"|3 || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| align="left"| PRD || || || || || || || || || 6.9 || || 1.3 || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
|style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=27|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições
|}
Economy
The region is known for its small (almost subsistence) agriculture, supported by various species of free-range cattle and traditional agricultural techniques. Local gastronomy, which includes Mirandês beef, embutidoEmbutido
An embutido , enchido or embotits is a generic term for sausages found in Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, and Central and South America....
s, lamb, sheep and poultry, cascas com casulos, trout, the bread, cheese and honey, as well as a range of sweets and pastries, are rich representations of this zone. Unlike tourism in central Portugal, the region is sought for its unspoiled nature and rural tourism; its agrarian lifestyle, although an important part of its enchantment, supports the local population, primarily in cattle-raising, dairy production and cultivation of rye and wheat.
In the urban areas, particularly the municipal seats, the primary economic activities predominate, including the public-sector institutions, commerce and industry.
The difficulty in communication and interconnection between markets was always a problem in this region, resulting in few investments and economic development. Tourism still remains the sector of the economy that has potential to improve development, and fix a transient population.
Culture
Leonese language
The Leonese language is the endonym term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects...
was widely spoken in the territory, but today, there are few that speak the language (which is primarily concentrated in the communities near Rio de Onor, Guadramil and along the northeast to southeast frontier with Spain). Mirandese
Mirandese language
The Mirandese language is a Romance language belonging to the Astur-Leonese linguistic group, sparsely spoken in a small area of northeastern Portugal, in the municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro and Vimioso...
, a local variant of Spanish and Portuguese is commonly observed in the regions of the District, particularly around Miranda do Douro
Miranda do Douro Municipality
Miranda do Douro is a municipality covering an area of 487.17 km², with a population of approximately 7,707 inhabitants in the northeast corner of Portugal. Referred to as the "Cidade Museu" of the Trás-os-Montes region, it is located 86 kilometres from the district capital, preserving many...
, and has resulted in its official recognition by the Portuguese Parliament.