The district of Bragança is subdivided into the municipalities of Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Ash of Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais.
The district consists of two distinct regions. Further to the north, the highest altitude regions constitute the Terra Fria Transmontana, where the landscape is dominated by the low slopes of the plateau of the Trás-os-Montes; to the south is the Terra Quente Transmontana, with a milder climate, marked by the valley of the Douro River and the valleys of its tributaries. In general, the district of Bragança is a very mountainous district dominated by mountains, hills, and plateaus.
It is, in fact, the Douro that constitutes the most important geographical feature, since it serves as a limit to the district along its entire southern border, and most of the eastern border, to the northeast end of Portuguese territory. It is in the Douro valley that the lowest altitudes of the district are located, which are almost all above 400 meters, except the valleys of the main rivers and the Mirandela region.
In addition to the Douro, the main rivers in the district, run from north to south or from northeast to southwest, and are all part of the Douro watershed. The main ones are the river Tua, which rises in Mirandela from the junction of the rivers Tuela and Rabaçal and bathes the western part of the district, and the river Sabor, which also rises in Spain, but which flows through the eastern part of the district. Both have a significant network of tributaries, with Tuela receiving waters from the Baceiro River, Rabaçal those from the Mente River, and Sabor those from the Azibo River.
Between the river valleys, the mountains rise. The Serra da Nogueira separates the Tuela and Sabor valleys, rising to 1,320 m. Further south, there is the Bornes mountain range, in the municipalities of Macedo de Cavaleiros and Alfândega da Fé, which separates Tua from Sabor, rising to 1 199 m. To the east, the Serra do Mogadouro is little more than a series of hills that separate the Sabor river from the Douro river, but even so, it reaches 997 m. To the north, next to the Spanish border, the largest mountains rise the Serra da Coroa, which rises to an altitude of 1 274 m north of Vinhais, and the Montesinho, which extends over Spanish territory, which exceeds 1 400 m of altitude.
Bragança includes several natural sanctuaries, such as the Parque Natural de Montesinho, the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional, and the Paisagem Protegida da Albufeira do Azibo, oasises in the northwest part of the peninsula.
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, embutidos, 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.
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SEARCH IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
IN THE DISTRICT OF BRAGANÇA
