SafekipediaPorto metropolitan area
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The Porto Metropolitan Area (Portuguese: Área Metropolitana do Porto; abbreviated as AMP) is a metropolitan area in northern Portugal centered on the City of Porto, Portugal's second largest city. This area includes 17 municipalities and is the second largest urban area in the country and one of the largest in the European Union. It is home to over 1.8 million people.
The Porto Metropolitan Area is important for Portugal’s economy. It has a very high HDI (Human Development Index) and its GDP is above the European average. Since the Industrial Revolution, Porto has been a leading manufacturing region and hosts many of the nation’s biggest companies.
The area is led by Pedro Duarte from the PSD.
History
The Porto Metropolitan Area began with nine municipalities, including Porto, the main city, and places like Espinho and Vila Nova de Gaia. Over time, more areas joined. Municipalities such as Arouca and Oliveira de Azeméis became part of the area after 2005. This growth helped Porto become one of the largest urban areas in Portugal and the European Union.
Government
The Porto Metropolitan Area is led by the Junta Metropolitana do Porto, which is based in downtown Porto. Pedro Duarte, who is also the mayor of Porto, is the current president.
The Porto Metropolitan Council has the mayors of the 17 municipalities in the area. These mayors are from different political parties, and they work together to help the region.
Urban areas and agglomeration
The Porto metropolitan area is the second largest metropolitan area in Portugal. About 1.8 million people live there. It includes the larger Porto Urban Area. This area has the municipalities of Porto, Matosinhos, Vila Nova de Gaia, Gondomar, Valongo, and Maia.
It also has three smaller urban areas: Póvoa de Varzim-Vila do Conde, Trofa-Santo Tirso, and Santa Maria da Feira-São João da Madeira-Oliveira de Azeméis. The whole region is called the Porto Metropolitan Arch. This region is a regional urban system. It also includes the sub-regions of Cávado, Ave, and Tâmega e Sousa, with cities such as Braga and Guimarães.
Population
The Porto Metropolitan Area is centered around the city of Porto. Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. This area includes 17 municipalities and is one of the largest urban areas in the European Union. In 2024, 1,818,217 people lived there. The area covers 2,040.31 km².
The Porto Metropolitan Area is very important for Portugal’s economy. It has a high Human Development Index. Its GDP is above the European average. This makes it a prosperous region.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1864 | 363,369 | — |
| 1878 | 408,870 | +12.5% |
| 1890 | 487,144 | +19.1% |
| 1900 | 537,709 | +10.4% |
| 1911 | 622,129 | +15.7% |
| 1920 | 652,275 | +4.8% |
| 1930 | 754,273 | +15.6% |
| 1940 | 882,665 | +17.0% |
| 1950 | 1,000,941 | +13.4% |
| 1960 | 1,144,641 | +14.4% |
| 1970 | 1,271,463 | +11.1% |
| 1981 | 1,516,011 | +19.2% |
| 1991 | 1,595,762 | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 1,730,845 | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 1,759,524 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 1,736,293 | −1.3% |
| 2023 | 1,802,664 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 1,818,217 | +0.9% |
| Source: INE | ||
| Municipality | Area (km²) | Population (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Arouca | 329.11 | 20,826 |
| Espinho | 21.06 | 32,736 |
| Gondomar | 131.86 | 169,388 |
| Maia | 82.99 | 144,664 |
| Matosinhos | 62.42 | 181,046 |
| Oliveira de Azeméis | 161.10 | 67,471 |
| Paredes | 156.76 | 86,560 |
| Porto | 41.42 | 252,687 |
| Póvoa de Varzim | 82.21 | 68,459 |
| Santa Maria da Feira | 215.88 | 140,568 |
| Santo Tirso | 136.60 | 67,713 |
| São João da Madeira | 7.94 | 24,247 |
| Trofa | 72.02 | 40,294 |
| Vale de Cambra | 147.33 | 21,239 |
| Valongo | 75.12 | 101,464 |
| Vila do Conde | 149.03 | 85,871 |
| Vila Nova de Gaia | 168.46 | 312,984 |
| Total | 2,040.31 km² | 1,818,217 |
Transportation
The Porto Metropolitan Area is working to make its transportation better. The Porto Metro is a quick way to travel between the cities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Matosinhos, Gondomar, Maia, Vila do Conde, and Póvoa de Varzim.
The area has the Porto/ Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport / Pedras Rubras (OPO). It was updated from an old airport to a modern place. This airport links to the Porto Metro. There are plans for a fast train line, called a TGV, to connect Vigo in Galicia to Porto Airport.
The region has many Motorways connecting its main areas and other large Portuguese cities. The main harbour is Leixões in Matosinhos. Some of the motorways go to Lisbon, Valença, Quintanilha/Espanha, Póvoa de Varzim, Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Caminha, Angeja, Oliveira de Azeméis, Perafita, Espinho, Felgueiras, Aguiar de Sousa, and Gulpilhares.
Images
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