BRAGANÇA
N 41.80448; W 6.74626
Bragança is a Portuguese city, capital of the Bragança district, in the North Region and sub-region of Terras de Trás-os-Montes, in the Northeast of Portugal (Nordeste Transmontano), with 21 853 inhabitants in the urban perimeter. It is the eighth largest Portuguese municipality, with 1,173.57 km² in area, 35,341 inhabitants (2011) and 39 parishes.
The municipality is limited to the north and east by Spain (province of Zamora), to the southeast by the municipality of Vimioso, to the southwest by Macedo de Cavaleiros and to the west by Vinhais.
In relation to the other district capitals, Bragança is the one located to the north.
During the 14th century, wars with Castile result in the destruction of the frontier settlements and Castellian troops take the city of Bragança. In 1381, the region is once again devastated militarily, resulting in famine, epidemics, infant mortality rates, the abandonment of lands, resulting in an 83% drop in the population.
Bragança lies on a branch of the Sabor River south of the Culebra Mountains, 255 km northeast of Porto, 515 km from Lisbon and 22 km from the Spanish border.
The municipality of Bragança is part of the frontier of the Montesinho Natural Park, established in 1979 to safeguard the distinct elements of the region.[13] The creation of this ecoregion was made to preserve the existing qualities and allow human/cultural interaction. Montesinho is classified into forests and woods.
Climate
The climate in Bragança (the northeasternmost district capital city in Portugal) is the Mediterranean, influenced by the distance from the coast and the elevation. It is very similar to the continental climate of the Spanish Meseta, which means cooler winters and shorter hot summers. It is one of the snowiest Portuguese cities, however, this may vary a lot between winters, with less than 5 snow days (2007/2008) to more than 20 (2008/2009).
The average high in the coldest month – January – is around 8.8 °C (48 °F) while the July high is around 29.2 °C (85 °F). The January low hovers around the freezing point and winter temperatures can fall to as low as −11.6 °C (11 °F) as on 12 February 1983. The annual mean is around 13 °C (55 °F). The mean total rainfall in a year is 758 mm (29.8 in).
Economy
Economically the region still produces olive oil, grains, chestnuts, and livestock, especially sheep. In recent years agriculture has suffered a decline with the abandonment of the villages and the aging of the rural population. Bragança is a city of services with a dependence on state-run institutions like the Polytechnical Institute of Bragança and the regional hospital for jobs.
Bragança is an anchor of the regional economy, resisting the desertification of the hinterland, and concentrating public sector administration in the region. In Bragança, approximately 16% of the population is involved in the secondary industrial sector, while 60% are associated with the tertiary service sector, alluding to a problem in attracting investments in the secondary sector. Employment is primarily driven by the tertiary sector, including commerce, restaurants, and hotels, but also civil construction (which is the second largest employer of local residents). Although there has been a positive evolution, industrial activities still remain weak, hindered by the evolution of the market in this region.
Due to its location near the Spanish border, the city receives tourists from Zamora, León, Salamanca, Asturias, and elsewhere.
The municipality is limited to the north and east by Spain (province of Zamora), to the southeast by the municipality of Vimioso, to the southwest by Macedo de Cavaleiros and to the west by Vinhais.
In relation to the other district capitals, Bragança is the one located to the north.
During the 14th century, wars with Castile result in the destruction of the frontier settlements and Castellian troops take the city of Bragança. In 1381, the region is once again devastated militarily, resulting in famine, epidemics, infant mortality rates, the abandonment of lands, resulting in an 83% drop in the population.
Bragança lies on a branch of the Sabor River south of the Culebra Mountains, 255 km northeast of Porto, 515 km from Lisbon and 22 km from the Spanish border.
The municipality of Bragança is part of the frontier of the Montesinho Natural Park, established in 1979 to safeguard the distinct elements of the region.[13] The creation of this ecoregion was made to preserve the existing qualities and allow human/cultural interaction. Montesinho is classified into forests and woods.
Climate
The climate in Bragança (the northeasternmost district capital city in Portugal) is the Mediterranean, influenced by the distance from the coast and the elevation. It is very similar to the continental climate of the Spanish Meseta, which means cooler winters and shorter hot summers. It is one of the snowiest Portuguese cities, however, this may vary a lot between winters, with less than 5 snow days (2007/2008) to more than 20 (2008/2009).
The average high in the coldest month – January – is around 8.8 °C (48 °F) while the July high is around 29.2 °C (85 °F). The January low hovers around the freezing point and winter temperatures can fall to as low as −11.6 °C (11 °F) as on 12 February 1983. The annual mean is around 13 °C (55 °F). The mean total rainfall in a year is 758 mm (29.8 in).
Economy
Economically the region still produces olive oil, grains, chestnuts, and livestock, especially sheep. In recent years agriculture has suffered a decline with the abandonment of the villages and the aging of the rural population. Bragança is a city of services with a dependence on state-run institutions like the Polytechnical Institute of Bragança and the regional hospital for jobs.
Bragança is an anchor of the regional economy, resisting the desertification of the hinterland, and concentrating public sector administration in the region. In Bragança, approximately 16% of the population is involved in the secondary industrial sector, while 60% are associated with the tertiary service sector, alluding to a problem in attracting investments in the secondary sector. Employment is primarily driven by the tertiary sector, including commerce, restaurants, and hotels, but also civil construction (which is the second largest employer of local residents). Although there has been a positive evolution, industrial activities still remain weak, hindered by the evolution of the market in this region.
Due to its location near the Spanish border, the city receives tourists from Zamora, León, Salamanca, Asturias, and elsewhere.
