Montijo Municipality

Montijo
—  Municipality  —
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Portugal
Coordinates: 38°41′N 08°54′W / 38.683°N 8.9°W / 38.683; -8.9Coordinates: 38°41′N 08°54′W / 38.683°N 8.9°W / 38.683; -8.9
Country	Portugal
Region	Lisboa
Subregion	Península de Setúbal Subregion
District/A.R.	Setúbal
Government
- Mayor	Amélia Antunes (PS)
Area
- Total	348.0 km2 (134.4 sq mi)
Population
- Total	40,199
- Density	116/km2 (300.4/sq mi)
Parishes (no.)	8
Municipal holiday	Saint Peter June 29
Website	http://www.mun-montijo.pt

Praça da República

Montijo (Portuguese pronunciation: [mõˈtiʒu]) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 348.0 km² and a population of 40,199 inhabitants. The town of Montijo has a population of 25,719.^[1]

The municipality is composed of eight civil parishes and is located in Setúbal District. It is one of the few municipalities in Portugal without territorial continuity; that is, its component parts are not conjoined. It is located in the Lisbon metropolitan area.

The present mayor of Montijo is Maria Amélia Macedo Antunes (Socialist), and the President of the Municipal Assembly is António Isidro Paracana (Socialist).^{[citation needed]}

History

Montijo was known as Aldeia Galega until July 6, 1930, in spite of the fact that it was a small town and no longer a village. It was elevated to city status on August 14, 1985.

Existing evidence points to occupation of the area since paleolithic times,^{[citation needed]} although it was not until the 16th century that the village was officially established.^{[citation needed]} It was also during the 16th century that the main headquarters of the royal postal service was established in the village.^{[citation needed]} As a result the village saw an increase in activity which provided an economic boost, although the main economy still developed around agriculture and fishing.^{[citation needed]}

In the 18th century, with the introduction of industry and the increased importance of commerce, agriculture and fishing began to lose their prominence as Montijo's main economic activities.^{[citation needed]} This trend intensified throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and Montijo became known for its processing industries, which mainly dealt with pork meat and cork.^{[citation needed]}

Transport

The Vasco da Gama Bridge, inaugurated in 1998, connects Montijo with the capital city of Lisbon. Numerous roads, including the IC13, provide access to the south, east and west of Portugal.

Although the train service was discontinued, Montijo maintains a network of public transportation that connects it to other nearby major cities and villages by bus and by a river service connecting it with Lisbon.^{[citation needed]}

Parishes

• Afonsoeiro
• Alto-Estanqueiro-Jardia
• Atalaia
• Canha
• Montijo
• Pegões (Montijo)
• Santo Isidro de Pegões
• Sarilhos Grandes

References

1. ^ "UMA POPULAÇÃO QUE SE URBANIZA, Uma avaliação recente - Cidades, 2004". Nuno Pires Soares. Instituto Geográfico Português (Geographic Institute of Portugal). http://62.48.187.117/atlas/Cap2/Cap2d_2.html. 

External links

• Town Hall official website
• Photos from Montijo