Vagos

Summary

Vagos (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvaɣuʃ] ) is a town and a municipality in Aveiro District, belonging to Centro Region of Portugal. The district capital, Aveiro, is its nearest large city. Its population in 2011 was 22,851[1] in an area of 164.92 km2,[2] and it had 17,204 eligible voters. It is part of the intermunicipal community of Região de Aveiro.

Vagos
Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Vagos
Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Vagos
Flag of Vagos
Coat of arms of Vagos
Coordinates: 40°33′N 8°40′W / 40.550°N 8.667°W / 40.550; -8.667
Country Portugal
RegionCentro
Intermunic. comm.Região de Aveiro
DistrictAveiro
Parishes8
Government
 • PresidentSilvério Regalado (PSD)
Area
 • Total164.92 km2 (63.68 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total22,851
 • Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC±00:00 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Local holidayMonday after the Whit Sunday
Websitehttp://www.cm-vagos.pt

In Roman times, the municipality was called Vacus, and had both coastline and large sand dune valleys just east of its center. Increases in sedimentation and sand drifts leveled and lengthened these distances. According to António Gomes da Rocha Madail and other writers, there is tradition among the native population that they are descendants of the seafaring salt farmers of Phoenicia.

Due to its fertile soils, agriculture plays a major role in the municipality's economy. Its green meadows create exceptional conditions for cattle breeding and milk production at a national level. The forest areas and vegetable production are other sources of prosperity for the municipality. Ceramics are the principal money-maker in its industrial sector.

Its present mayor is Silvério Rodrigues Regalado of the Social Democratic Party.[3] The municipal holiday is the Monday after Whit Sunday. Its mother church honors Saint James.

Demographics edit

Population of Vagos Municipality (1801–2011)
1801 1849 1900 1930 1960 1981 1991 2001 2004 2011
4047 6961 11954 15860 20250 18548 19068 22017 23205 22851

Cities and towns edit

Parishes edit

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 8 civil parishes (freguesias):[4]

Famous people edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
  2. ^ Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país
  3. ^ Vagos Municipal Executive
  4. ^ Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 124" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 August 2014.

External links edit

  • Municipality official website
  • Photos from Vagos