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The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near
Duruelo de la Sierra Duruelo de la Sierra is a municipality of Spain, in the province of Soria, Autonomous Community of Castile and León (Spanish ''Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León''). Population Duruelo de la Sierra has an area of 44.55 km², wit ...
in
Soria Province Soria is a province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. Most of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area. Demographics It is bordered by the provinces of La Rioja, Zaragoza, G ...
, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of central Spain and into northern Portugal, to its mouth at
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
, the second largest city of Portugal. At its mouth it meets the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...
. The scenic
Douro railway line Linha do Douro is a railway in northern Portugal. For much of its route the line runs close to the Douro River, offering very scenic views of the river and valley. Trains on the line are operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP). Constructio ...
runs close to the river. Adjacent areas produce port (a mildly
fortified A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...
wine) and other agricultural produce. A small tributary of the river has the Côa Valley Paleolithic Art site which is considered important to the
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
pre-historic patrimony, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within Spain, it flows through the middle of the autonomous community of
Castile and León Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...
, with the basin spanning through the northern half of the Meseta Central. The latter includes wine producing areas such as the
Ribera del Duero Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also one of several recogn ...
DOP.


History

The Latin name ''Durius'' was likely a Celtic name before overwhelming Romanization of both main Iberian languages. If so the
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foo ...
root is ''*dubro-'' (in which family of languages the final vowel sound often changes with context, as in Latin). In modern Welsh, ''dŵr'' is "water," which is cognate with ''dour'' in modern Breton, ''dobhar'' in
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
and gives rise to Dover on the
Dour Dour (; pcd, Doû) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 16,810 inhabitants. The total area is 33.32 km2, giving a population density of 505 inhabitants per km2. ...
and the other modest rivers the
Dever Dever is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Barbara Dever (born 1951), opera singer, appeared with Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Zubin Mehta * Benjamin M. Dever (died 1942), American politician * Dan Dever (born 1946), Ca ...
and Deveron (Dubh Èireann) in
British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
. In Roman times, the river was personified as a god,
Durius Durius or Durio was a god worshiped by the ancient Lusitanians and Celtiberians of the Iberian peninsula. He was a personification of what is today known as the river Douro and is usually depicted holding a fishing net. A shrine dedicated to him w ...
. A folk-etymological derivation suggests that the name comes from the Portuguese or Spanish for "golden". The drainage basin was depopulated in the 8th century. According to
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña (; April 7, 1893 in Madrid – July 8, 1984 in Ávila) was a Spanish scholar, politician and orator. He served as Prime Minister of the Spanish Republican government in exile during the dictatorship of Fra ...
this was a deliberate act by
Alfonso I of Asturias Alfonso I of Asturias, called the Catholic (''el Católico''), (c. 693 – 757) was the third King of Asturias, reigning from 739 to his death in 757. His reign saw an extension of the Christian domain of Asturias, reconquering Galicia and Le ...
for the defence of his
Kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
, which led the area to be named
Repoblación The ''Repoblación'' (, ; pt, Repovoação, ) was the ninth-century repopulating of a large region between the River Duero and the Cantabrian Mountains, which had been depopulated in the early years of the Reconquista. In the reign of Alfons ...
. The Douro ''vinhateiro'' (vine-land) of the Douro Valley in Portugal, long devoted to vineyards, has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The wine was taken downriver in flat-bottom boats called '' rabelos'', to be stored in barrels in cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river from
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
. Nowadays port is transported there in tanker trucks. In the 1960s and 1970s,
dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...
s with locks were built along the river, allowing river traffic into the upper regions in Spain and along the border. In 1998, Portugal and Spain signed the Albufeira Convention, an agreement on the sharing of
trans-boundary river A transboundary river is a river that crosses at least one political border, either a border within a state or an international boundary. Bangladesh has the highest number of these rivers, including two of the world's largest rivers, the Ganges and ...
s to include the Douro, Tagus and
Guadiana The Guadiana River (, also , , ), or Odiana, is an international river defining a long stretch of the Portugal-Spain border, separating Extremadura and Andalusia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). The river's basin extends from the e ...
. The convention superseded an agreement on the Douro, signed in 1927, that was expanded in 1964 and 1968 to include tributaries.


Geography

It is the third-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula after the Tagus and
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
. Its total length is , of which only sections of the Portuguese section, being below a fall/rapids line, are naturally navigable, by modest rivercraft. In its Spanish section, the Douro crosses the great Castilian '' meseta'' and meanders through five provinces of the autonomous community of
Castile and León Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...
:
Soria Soria () is a municipality and a Spanish city, located on the Douro river in the east of the autonomous community of Castile and León and capital of the province of Soria. Its population is 38,881 (INE, 2017), 43.7% of the provincial population. ...
,
Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of t ...
, Valladolid, Zamora, and Salamanca, passing through the towns of
Soria Soria () is a municipality and a Spanish city, located on the Douro river in the east of the autonomous community of Castile and León and capital of the province of Soria. Its population is 38,881 (INE, 2017), 43.7% of the provincial population. ...
,
Almazán Almazán () is a municipality located in the province of Soria, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2013, the municipality has a population of 5,843 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the judicial district of Almazán, and ecclesiastically it belongs ...
,
Aranda de Duero Aranda de Duero is a city and municipality, capital of the Ribera del Duero comarca, in the south of the province of Burgos, in Castile and León, Spain. It has a population of roughly 33,000 people and lies on the River Duero. The closest i ...
,
Tordesillas Tordesillas () is a town and municipality in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, central Spain. It is located southwest of the provincial capital, Valladolid at an elevation of . The population was c. 9,000 . The town is located ...
, and Zamora. The most important tributaries in this region are the Pisuerga, passing through Valladolid, and the
Esla Esla or ESLA can refer to: * Əşlə, Azerbaijani municipality * Esla river, Spain * Enterprise South Liverpool Academy, located in Liverpool, England {{Disambig ...
, which passes through Zamora. This region is generally semi-arid plains, with wheat and in some places, especially near ''
Aranda de Duero Aranda de Duero is a city and municipality, capital of the Ribera del Duero comarca, in the south of the province of Burgos, in Castile and León, Spain. It has a population of roughly 33,000 people and lies on the River Duero. The closest i ...
'', with vineyards, in the
Ribera del Duero Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also one of several recogn ...
wine region. Sheep rearing is also still important. The drainage basin borders those of Miño to the north,
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
to the east, and Tajo to the south. For , the river forms part of the national border line between Spain and Portugal, in a region of narrow
canyon A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to ...
s. It formed a historical barrier to invasions, creating a cultural/linguistic divide. In these isolated areas, in which the
Aldeadávila Dam Aldeadávila Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Duero River (also known as the Douro River) in Spain, near the border with Portugal.International Douro Natural Park (on the Portuguese side) and the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (on the Zamoran margin). The Douro fully enters Portuguese territory just after the confluence with the Águeda River; once the Douro enters Portugal, major population centres are less frequent along the river. Except for
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
and Vila Nova de Gaia at the river mouth, the only population centres of any note are Foz do Tua, Pinhão and Peso da Régua. Tributaries here are small, merging into the Douro along the canyons; the most important are Côa, Tua, Sabor, Corgo, Tavora, Paiva, Tâmega, and Sousa. None of these small, fast-flowing rivers is navigable.


Human geography

Major Spanish riverside towns include
Soria Soria () is a municipality and a Spanish city, located on the Douro river in the east of the autonomous community of Castile and León and capital of the province of Soria. Its population is 38,881 (INE, 2017), 43.7% of the provincial population. ...
,
Almazán Almazán () is a municipality located in the province of Soria, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2013, the municipality has a population of 5,843 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the judicial district of Almazán, and ecclesiastically it belongs ...
,
Aranda de Duero Aranda de Duero is a city and municipality, capital of the Ribera del Duero comarca, in the south of the province of Burgos, in Castile and León, Spain. It has a population of roughly 33,000 people and lies on the River Duero. The closest i ...
,
Tordesillas Tordesillas () is a town and municipality in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, central Spain. It is located southwest of the provincial capital, Valladolid at an elevation of . The population was c. 9,000 . The town is located ...
, Zamora and major Portuguese towns include
Miranda do Douro Miranda do Douro () or Miranda de l Douro in Mirandese () is a city and a municipality in the district of Bragança, northeastern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,482, in an area of 487.18 km². The town proper had a population of 1,96 ...
, Foz Côa, Peso da Régua, Lamego, Vila Nova de Gaia, and
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
. The most populous cities along the Douro River are Valladolid and Zamora in Spain, and Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. The latter two are located at the mouth of the Douro at the Atlantic Ocean. In Portugal, the Douro flows through the districts of Bragança, Guarda,
Viseu Viseu () is a city and municipality in the Centro Region of Portugal and the capital of the district of the same name, with a population of 100,000 inhabitants, and center of the Viseu Dão Lafões intermunipical community, with 267,633 inhabita ...
,
Vila Real Vila Real () is the capital and largest city of the Vila Real District, in the North region. It is also the seat of the Douro intermunicipal community and of the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro historical province. The Vila Real municipality covers ...
, Aveiro and
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
. Porto is the main hub city in northern Portugal. Its historic centre has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its significant architecture and history.


Economy

These reaches of the Douro have a microclimate allowing for cultivation of olives, almonds, and especially grapes, which are important for making port. The region around Pinhão and São João da Pesqueira is considered to be the centre of port, with its ''quintas'' (or farms/estates) that extend along the steep slopes of the river valleys. In the 21st century, many of these are owned by multinational, reputed wine companies. Recently, a prosperous
tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
industry has developed based on river excursions from Porto to points along the Upper Douro valley. The
Douro railway line Linha do Douro is a railway in northern Portugal. For much of its route the line runs close to the Douro River, offering very scenic views of the river and valley. Trains on the line are operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP). Constructio ...
() was completed in 1887; it connects Porto, Rio Tinto, Ermesinde, Valongo, Paredes, Penafiel, Livração, Marco de Canaveses, Régua, Tua and Pocinho. Pocinho is near the very small city of Foz Côa, which is close to Côa Valley Paleolithic Art site. This is considered important to the
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
pre-historic patrimony, and it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


Dams

Fifteen dams have been built on the Douro to regulate the water flow, generate hydroelectric power, and allow navigation through locks. Beginning at the headwaters, the first five dams are in Spain: Cuerda del Pozo, Los Rábanos, San José, Villalcampo and Castro Dams. The next five downstream are along the Portuguese-Spanish border; the first three are owned and operated by Portugal: ( Miranda, Picote and Bemposta Dams), while the next two belong to Spain: ( Aldeadávila and Saucelle Dams). The Douro's last five dams are in Portugal, and allow for navigation:
Pocinho Pocinho is a village in northern Portugal, located in the Vila Nova de Foz Côa Municipality. The Pocinho Dam and the River Douro are nearby. Pocinho railway station is the eastern terminus of the Douro railway line; the community developed ...
, Valeira, Régua, Carrapatelo, and Crestuma–Lever dams. Vessels with a maximum length of and width of can pass through the five locks. The highest lock, at Carrapatelo Dam, has a maximum lift of . The waters of Pocinho lake reach above sea level. Unannounced releases of water from upstream Spanish dams occasionally causes navigation issues in these locks.


Gallery

File:Zamora (9223963842).jpg, The Douro in Zamora ( Spain) Image:Valladolid rio pisuerga puente mayor playa.jpg, The
Pisuerga River The Pisuerga is a river in northern Spain, the Duero's second largest tributary. It rises in the Cantabrian Mountains in the province of Palencia, autonomous region of Castile and León. Its traditional source is called Fuente Cobre, but it has b ...
(tributary to the Duero) in Valladolid File:The Douro Valley (10185403284).jpg, The Upper Douro valley where
Port wine Port wine (also known as vinho do Porto, , or simply port) is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. It is typically a sweet red wine, often served with dessert, although it also comes in dry, sem ...
grapes grow File:Rabelo Douro en–Porto.jpg, The typical ''rabelo'' boat and
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
historical district in background Image:Dom Luis 1 bridge Porto Portugal.JPG,
Port wine Port wine (also known as vinho do Porto, , or simply port) is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. It is typically a sweet red wine, often served with dessert, although it also comes in dry, sem ...
signs by the Douro River Image:Porto Panorama 2004.jpg, Panoramic view of Oporto Image:Douro2flat1070.jpg, The river between
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
and Vila Nova de Gaia Image:Douro Valley Regua.jpg, The river near Régua, Portugal Image:Arribes del Duero - Miranda edited.jpg, Douro Internacional near
Miranda do Douro Miranda do Douro () or Miranda de l Douro in Mirandese () is a city and a municipality in the district of Bragança, northeastern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,482, in an area of 487.18 km². The town proper had a population of 1,96 ...
Image:Arribes del Duero vistos desde Aldeadávila.JPG, Arribes del Duero near Aldeadávila Image:Wharfs at the Douro in Porto.jpg, The river mouth in
Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
Image:Rio Douro (9498681956).jpg, Over Porto Image:Estuário do Douro I.jpg, Douro Estuary Image:Porto Gaia Foz do Douro.jpg, Looking across the river mouth from
Foz do Douro Foz do Douro (; meaning "Mouth of the Douro") is a former civil parish in the municipality of Porto, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish Aldoar, Foz do Douro e Nevogilde. The population in 2011 was 10,997, in an area of 1.88& ...
to Vila Nova de Gaia (Atlantic Ocean on the right) Image:Urueña almendro1 lou.jpg, Typical almond tree, mostly seen along the river in Portugal


See also

* List of rivers of Portugal *
List of rivers of Spain This is an incomplete list of rivers that are at least partially in Spain. The rivers flowing into the sea are sorted along the coast. Rivers flowing into other rivers are listed by the rivers they flow into. Rivers in the mainland Iberian Peninsu ...


References


External links


DouroValley.eu Main tourism website

IPTMInstituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos, Delegação do Norte e Douro

Rio Douro Sound Map
{{Authority control International rivers of Europe Portugal–Spain border Rivers of Burgos Rivers of Castile and León Rivers of Portugal Rivers of Spain Rivers of Valladolid