Vila Pouca de Aguiar

Infobox_Municipality_pt
official_name = Vila Pouca de Aguiar
image_coat_of_arms = VPA.png

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Region=Norte
Subregion=Alto Trás-os-Montes
District = Vila Real
Mayor_name = Domingos Dias
Mayor_party = PSD-CDS
area_total = 437.1
population_total = 15,100
population_density = 35
Parishes = 18
coor = 41º29'N 7º38'W
params = 41_29_N_7_38_W
occasion =
day = June 22
website = http://www.cm-vpaguiar.pt
footnotes =

Vila Pouca de Aguiar (pron. IPA2|'vilɐ 'po(ow)kɐ dɨ ɐgi'aɾ) is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 437.1 km² and a total population of 15,100 inhabitants. The town itself has 3,456 inhabitants.

The municipality is composed of 18 parishes, and is located in the district of Vila Real. It is located in a narrow valley 25 kilometers north of the district capital, Vila Real, and is connected to the same by National highway N2. The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, some dairying, services, government employment, granite extraction and the mineral waters in Pedras Salgadas, a small town located about ten kilometers north on the main highway to Chaves.

In 2006 the A7 toll road to Guimarães was completed and the last stretch of the A24, connecting Vila Pouca with Vila Real was opened in June 2007. This non-toll four-lane highway linking Coimbra with the Spanish border in Vila Verde will allow long-distance traffic to avoid the dangerous and tiresome national N2. One of the longest and highest highway bridges in Europe was built just south of Vila Pouca, carrying traffic across the fertile valley.

The present Mayor is Domingos Manuel Pinto Batista Dias, elected by a coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic and Social Center.

The municipal holiday is June 22.

Parishes

History

In the early 20th century, the leading figure in the area was the native-born "Martiniano José Ferreira Botelho (1853 - 1939), a doctor, druggist and Portuguese politician, known from his residence as "Lord of the House of the County". His humanitarian character was shown by treating his patients gratuitously. His doctoral thesis was on medicinal use of the waters of the area, "Breve estudo sobre as águas alcalino-gazósas das Pedras Salgadas", available in the [http://opac.porbase.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=120N6E0F97315.129009&profile=porbase&uri=link=3100027@!4947397@!3100024@!3100022&aspect=basic_search&menu=search&ri=5&source=192.168.0.17@!porbase&term=Breve+estudo+sobre+as+aguas+alcalino-gazosas+das+Pedras+Salgadas&index=ALTITLE Portuguese Digital National Library"'] . ["Dicionário dos mais ilustres Transmontanos e Alto Durienses", coordenado por Barroso da Fonte, III volume, 656 páginas, Editora Cidade Berço. ]

Botelho' donated land to the community for the current market Square, as well as the municipal slaughter house and water mine.

See also

* House of the County

References

External links

* [http://www.cm-vpaguiar.pt Municipality official website]
* [http://mardepedra.blogspot.com/2007/08/martiniano-ferreira-botelho.html Page on Martiniano Ferreira Botelho]