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{{Short description|River in Portugal and Spain}}
{{about||the municipality in the Philippines|Duero, Bohol|the Spanish wine region|Ribera del Duero|the Portuguese wine region|Douro DOC|the Portuguese ] subregion|Douro Subregion}}
{{About|the river}}
{{Geobox
{{Redirect|Duero|the municipality in the Philippines|Duero, Bohol}}
| River
{{Infobox river
<!-- *** Name section *** -->
| name = Douro | name = Douro
| native_name = | native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = {{lang-es|Duero|links=no}}
| other_name1 = {{lang-pt|Douro}} | name_other = {{native name|es|Duero}}<br/>{{native name|mwl|Douro}}
| name_etymology =
<!-- *** Image *** --->
| image = Douro River Portugal.jpg | image = Rio Douro - Portugal (32615481975) (cropped).jpg
| image_size = | image_size = 255
| image_caption = The river between ] (right) and ] (left), facing west | image_caption = The river flowing through the ], designated as a ].
| map = Douro (fleuve).png
<!-- *** Country etc. *** -->
| country = {{flag|Spain}} | map_size = 255
| country1 = {{flag|Portugal}} | map_caption =
| state = | pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_size = 255
| state1 =
| pushpin_map_caption=
| region =
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| region1 =
| subdivision_name1 = ], ]
| district =
| subdivision_type2 =
| district1 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| city =
| city1 = | length = {{convert|897|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
<!-- *** Geography *** -->
| length = 897 | width_avg =
| watershed = | width_max =
| discharge_location = Porto | depth_min =
| discharge_average = 714 | depth_avg =
| discharge_max = 17000 | depth_max =
| discharge1_location= ]
| discharge_min =
| discharge1_location = Pocinho | discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|700|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_average = 442
| discharge1_max = {{convert|17000|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
<!-- *** Source *** -->
| discharge2_location= ]
| source_name =
| discharge2_min =
| source_location = ] (])
| discharge2_avg = {{convert|442|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| source_district = ] ({{flag|Castile and León}})
| source_region = | discharge2_max =
| source_state = | source1 = ]
| source1_location = ], ], ], ], ]
| source_country = Spain
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|42|0|38|N|2|52|49|W|display=inline}}
| source_lat_d = 42.00
| source1_elevation = {{convert|2157|m|abbr=on}}
| source_lat_m =
| source_lat_s = | mouth = ]
| mouth_location = Atlantic Ocean, ], ], ], ]
| source_lat_NS =
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|41|8|36|N|8|40|10|W|display=inline,title}}
| source_long_d = -2.91
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| source_long_m =
| source_long_s = | progression =
| source_long_EW = | river_system =
| source_elevation = | basin_size = {{convert|98400|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left = {{ill|Tera (Soria)|es|Río Tera (Soria)|lt=Tera}}, {{ill|Rituerto|es|Río Rituerto}}, {{ill|Riaza (river)|es|Río Riaza|lt=Riaza}}, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], {{ill|Torto (river)|pt|Rio Torto (Douro)|lt=Torto}}, ], {{ill|Varosa|pt|Rio Varosa}}, {{ill|Bestança (river)|pt|Rio Bestança|lt=Bestança}}, {{ill|Pavia (river)|pt|Rio Paiva|lt=Paiva}}, ], {{ill|Inha (river)|pt|Rio Inha|lt=Inha}}
| source_length =
| tributaries_right = ], ], ], {{ill|Sabor (river)|pt|Rio Sabor|lt=Sabor}}, ], ], ], ]
<!-- *** Mouth *** -->
| mouth_name = Atlantic Ocean | custom_label =
| mouth_location = ] | custom_data =
| extra = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=5 |height=250 | stroke-width=1.5 |coord {{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
| mouth_district =
}}
| mouth_region =
| mouth_state =
| mouth_country = Portugal
| mouth_lat_d = 41.14
| mouth_lat_m =
| mouth_lat_s =
| mouth_lat_NS =
| mouth_long_d = -8.66
| mouth_long_m =
| mouth_long_s =
| mouth_long_EW =
| mouth_elevation =
<!-- *** Tributaries *** -->
| tributary_left =
| tributary_left1 =
| tributary_right =
| tributary_right1 =
<!-- *** Free free fields *** -->
| free_name =
| free_value =
<!-- *** Map section *** -->
| map = Rio douro.svg
| map_size = 199
| map_caption =
}}
]
The '''Douro''' or '''Duero''' ({{lang-pt|Douro}}, {{IPA-pt|ˈðou̯ɾu|IPA}} <small>or</small> {{IPA-pt|ˈðoɾu|}}; {{lang-es|Duero|links=no}}, {{IPA-es|ˈdwɛɾɔ|IPA}}; {{lang-la|Durius / <small>DVRIVS</small>}}) is one of the major rivers of the ], flowing from its source near ] in ] across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at ]. Its total length is ], of which only sections of the Portuguese reaches of the river are navigable, by light rivercraft.


The '''Douro''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|d|ʊər|əʊ|,_|ˈ|d|ʊər|uː}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|d|ɔːr|uː|,_|ˈ|d|ɔːr|əʊ}},<ref>{{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|Douro|access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/douro|title=Douro|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref><ref> (US) and {{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Douro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730021935/https://www.lexico.com/definition/douro |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-07-30 |title=Douro |dictionary=] UK English Dictionary |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Douro|access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref> {{IPA|pt|ˈdo(w)ɾu|lang}}, {{IPA|mwl|ˈdowɾʊ|lang|link=yes}}; {{langx|es|'''Duero'''|i=no}} {{IPA|es|ˈdweɾo|}}; {{langx|la|Durius}}) is the largest river of the ] by discharge. It rises near ] in the Spanish ], meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the ] in ] into northern ]. Its largest tributary (carrying more water than the Douro at their confluence) is the right-bank ].<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Limnetica|issue=1|year=1992|url=https://limnetica.org/documentos/limnetica/limnetica-8-1-p-131.pdf|title=The Esla River Basin: From the Cantabrian Mountain to the Duero|first1=M.|last1=Fernández-Aláez|first2=C.|last2=Fernández-Aláez|first3=E. de|last3=Luis Calabuig|volume=8|page=131|doi=10.23818/limn.08.12|s2cid=245777871}}</ref> The Douro flows into the ] at ], the second largest city of Portugal.
It is the third largest river in the Iberian Peninsula after the ] and ]


The scenic ] runs close to the river. Adjacent areas produce ] (a mildly ] wine) and other agricultural produce. A small tributary of the river has the ] site which is considered important to the ] pre-historic patrimony, designated a ]. Within Spain, it flows through the middle of the autonomous community of ], with the basin spanning through the northern half of the ]. The latter includes wine producing areas such as the ] DOP.
The name, ]ized ''Durius'', may have come from the ] that inhabited the area before Roman times: the ] root is ''*dubro-'' and in modern ] ''dwr'' is "water" with cognate ''dobhar'' in ].


== Name ==
In its Spanish section, the Duero crosses the great ] '']'' and meanders through five significant provinces of the autonomous community of ]: ], ], ], ], and ], passing through the towns of ], ], ], ], and ].
The ] name ''Durius'' might have been a ] before the overwhelming Romanization of Iberia. If so, the ] root could have been ''*dubro-'' (in that family of languages the final vowel sound often changes with context, as in Latin).<ref name="Ferguson1862">{{cite book|author=Robert Ferguson|title=The River-names of Europe|url=https://archive.org/details/rivernameseurop02ferggoog|year=1862|publisher=Williams & Norgate|pages=–}}</ref> However, were that the case, the -''b''-, of which there remains no trace, would not have disappeared, as evidenced by place-names derived from ] ''*dubron'' (plural ''dubra''), such as French ] and English ] (3rd/4th-century ''Dubris''; ''Douvres'' in French), Spanish Dobra, German ] (''Dubra-gave'' 807), and Gaelic/] ''dobur'' "water" and river name ''Dobhar'' in Ireland and Scotland.<ref name="Delamarre">], ''Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise'', Éditions Errance, 2003, p. 151 - 152</ref> Modern ] ''dŵr'' "water" is cognate with modern ] ''dour'' and Cornish ''dur'' "water" and results from a later typical Brittonic evolution of ''*dubro-'',<ref name="Delamarre"/> unknown in the ].


The possible origin is the ] root ''*dur-'', which is ] or ]. ] linked this river name to a Pre-Celtic hydronymic root ''*dor-'', which is well attested in ]: in France ], ], Douron, etc. and in Italy ], etc.<ref name="Dauzat">], Gaston Deslandes et ], ''Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de rivières et de montagnes en France'', ], Paris, 1978, p. 41b.</ref> The meaning of this element is, however, unknown.<ref name="Dauzat"/>
In this region, there are few large tributaries of the Duero. The most important are the ], passing through ], and the ], which passes through ]. This region, for the most part, is one of semi-arid plains planted with ] and in some places, especially near '']'', in ] ]s, in the ] wine region. ] rearing is also still important.


A ] derivation suggests that the name comes from the Portuguese or Spanish term for "golden".<ref>Nick Timmons, ''Portugal'' (1994), p. 99: "The Douro... the Golden River (d'ouro means 'of gold')..."</ref><ref>''DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Portugal'' (2016), p. 239: "...the Douro or "Golden River" weaves its scenic path through deep-cleft gorges..."</ref>
Then, for 112&nbsp;km, the river forms part of the national border line between Spain and Portugal, in a region of narrow ]s, making it an historical barrier for invasions and a linguistic dividing line. This isolated area, in which the ] impounds the river, has now a protected status: the ] on the Portuguese side, los ] on the ] bank. The Douro fully enters Portuguese territory just after the confluence with the ].


==History==
Once the Douro enters Portugal, major population centres are less frequent. Except for ] and ] at the river mouth, the only population centres of any note are ], Pinhão and ]. Tributaries are small and flow into canyons to enter the larger river. The most important are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. None of these small, fast flowing rivers are navigable. The Douro ''vinhateiro'', an area of the ] in Portugal, has been classified by UNESCO as a ].
]


In Roman times, the river was personified as a god, ].
These reaches of the Douro have a ]{{specify|date=March 2011}} allowing for cultivation of ]s, ]s, and especially ]s that are important for making the famous ]. The region around Pinhão and ] is considered to be the centre of Port wine, with its picturesque ''quintas'' or farms clinging on to almost vertical slopes dropping down to the river. Many of these ''quintas'' are owned by multinational wine companies.


Part of the ] might have been severely depopulated in the 8th century. According to ] this was a deliberate act by ] for the defence of his ], which led the area to be named ].
Traditionally, the wine was taken down river in flat-bottom boats called ''rabelos'' to be stored in barrels in cellars in ], just across the river from ]. In the 1950s and 1960s, ]s were built along the river ending this river traffic on Spanish and border sections. Now Port wine is transported in tanker trucks.


The Douro ''vinhateiro'' (vine-land) of the ] in Portugal, long devoted to ]s, has been designated by UNESCO as a ]. The wine was taken downriver in flat-bottom boats called '']'', to be stored in barrels in cellars in ], just across the river from ]. Nowadays ] is transported there in tanker trucks.
There are five dams on the Portuguese Douro alone functioning to make the flow of water uniform, generate ], and allow navigation. Ships with maximum length 83 m and width 11.4 m can pass through five ]. The highest one on ''Carrapatelo'' dam has a maximum lift 35 meters. Level of ''Pocinho'' lake reaches 125 m a.s.l. Recently, a prosperous ] industry has developed based on river excursions from Porto to points along the Upper Douro valley.


In the 1960s and 1970s, ]s with locks were built along the river, allowing river traffic into the upper regions in Spain and along the border.
]
In Portugal, the Douro flows through the districts of ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Porto is the main hub city in northern Portugal and its historic centre is declared as a UNESCO monumental place.


In 1998, ] signed the Albufeira Convention, an agreement on the sharing of ]s to include the Douro, ] and ]. The convention superseded an agreement on the Douro, signed in 1927, that was expanded in 1964 and 1968 to include tributaries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Spanish-Portuguese Albufeira Convention|url=https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/water_cooperation_2013/albufeira_convention.shtml|publisher=United Nations|access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref>
The railway ''Linha do Douro'' connects Porto, Rio Tinto, Ermesinde, Valongo, Paredes, Penafiel, Livração, Marco de Canaveses, Régua, Tua and Pocinho. Pocinho is near the city of Foz Côa, which is close to ], (an Archaeological pre-historic patrimony) another UNESCO Heritage Sight.


==Geography==
Major Spanish riverside towns include ], ], ], ], ] and major Portuguese towns include ], ], ], ], ], and ].
]
] to Foz do Douro]]
It is the third-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula after the ] and ]. Its total length is {{convert|897|km|mi}},<ref name=in/> of which only sections of the Portuguese section, being below a fall/rapids line, are naturally navigable, by modest rivercraft.<ref name=latin/> The Douro River basin encompasses an area of approximately 97,290 square kilometres.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Morán-Tejeda |first1=Enrique |last2=Ceballos-Barbancho |first2=Antonio |last3=Llorente-Pinto |first3=José Manuel |date=May 2010 |title=Hydrological response of Mediterranean headwaters to climate oscillations and land-cover changes: The mountains of Duero River basin (Central Spain) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921818110000792 |journal=] |volume=72 |issue=1–2 |pages=39–49 |doi=10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.03.003 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>


In its Spanish section, the Douro crosses the great ] '']'' and meanders through five provinces of the autonomous community of ]: ], ], ], ], and ], passing through the towns of ], ], ], ], and ].
The most populous cities along the Douro River are Valladolid, Zamora in Spain and Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. The latter two are located at the mouth of the Douro.

The most important tributaries in this region are the ], passing through ], and the ], which passes through ]. This region is generally semi-arid plains, with ] and in some places, especially near '']'', with ]s, in the ] wine region. ] rearing is also still important.

The ] borders those of ] to the north, ] to the east, and ] to the south.<ref name=in>{{cite web|url= http://www.iberianature.com/material/rivers.html |title=Rivers in Spain|work=www.iberianature.com |access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref><ref name=latin>{{cite web|url= http://www.iberianature.com/material/guided.htm#duero |title=Guide to Spain CO-CU|work=www.iberianature.com |access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref>

For {{convert|112|km|mi}}, the river forms part of the ], in a region of narrow ]s. It formed a historical barrier to invasions, creating a cultural/linguistic divide. In these isolated areas, in which the ] impounds the river, there are protected areas: the ] (on the Portuguese side) and the ] (on the ] margin).

The Douro fully enters Portuguese territory just after the confluence with the ]; once the Douro enters Portugal, major population centres are less frequent along the river. Except for ] and ] at the river mouth, the only population centres of any note are Foz do Tua, Pinhão and ]. Tributaries here are small, merging into the Douro along the canyons; the most important are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. None of these small, fast-flowing rivers is navigable.

===Human geography===
]

Major Spanish riverside towns include ], ], ], ], ] and major Portuguese towns include ], ], ], ], ], and ]. 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 ], ], ], ], ] and ]. ] is the main hub city in northern Portugal. Its historic centre has been designated as a ] because of its significant architecture and history.

==Economy==
{{See also|Port wine|Agriculture in Portugal|Tourism in Portugal|Tourism in Spain}}
]
These reaches of the Douro have a ]{{specify|date=March 2011}} allowing for cultivation of ]s, ]s, and especially ]s, which are important for making ]. The region around Pinhão and ] 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 ] industry has developed based on river excursions from Porto to points along the Upper Douro valley.

The ] ({{lang|pt|Linha do Douro}}) 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 ] site. This is considered important to the ] pre-historic patrimony, and it has been designated as a ].

===Dams===
Fifteen dams have been built on the Douro to regulate the water flow, generate ], and allow ] through ]. Beginning at the headwaters, the first five dams are in Spain: ], ], ], ] and ]s. The next five downstream are along the Portuguese-Spanish border; the first three are owned and operated by Portugal: (], ] and ]s), while the next two belong to Spain: (] and ]s).

The Douro's last five dams are in Portugal, and allow for navigation: ], ], ], ], and ] dams. Vessels with a maximum length of {{convert|83|m|ft}} and width of {{convert|11.4|m|ft}} can pass through the five ]. The highest lock, at Carrapatelo Dam, has a maximum lift of {{convert|35|m|ft}}. The waters of Pocinho lake reach {{convert|125|m|ft}} above sea level. Unannounced releases of water from upstream Spanish dams occasionally causes navigation issues in these locks.


== Gallery == == Gallery ==
<gallery perrow="5"> <gallery>
Image:Duero-Zamora.jpg|The Douro in ] (]) File:Zamora (9223963842).jpg|The Douro in ] (])
Image:Valladolid rio pisuerga puente mayor playa.jpg|The ] (tributary to the Duero) in ] Image:Valladolid rio pisuerga puente mayor playa.jpg|The ] (tributary to the Duero) in ]
Image:Rio douro.jpg|The Upper Douro valley where ] grapes grow File:The Douro Valley (10185403284).jpg|The Upper Douro valley where ] grapes grow
File:Rabelo Douro en–Porto.jpg|The typical ''rabelo'' boat and ] historical district in background File:Rabelo Douro en–Porto.jpg|The typical ''rabelo'' boat and ] historical district in background
Image:Riodouro 27-9-2004.jpg|The river mouth from ]'s Crystal Palace Gardens, facing west
Image:Dom Luis 1 bridge Porto Portugal.JPG|] signs by the Douro River Image:Dom Luis 1 bridge Porto Portugal.JPG|] signs by the Douro River
Image:Porto Panorama 2004.jpg|Panoramic view of ] Image:Porto Panorama 2004.jpg|Panoramic view of ]
Image:Douro2flat1070.jpg|The river between ] and ] Image:Douro2flat1070.jpg|The river between ] and ]
Image:Douro Valley Regua.jpg|The river near ], ] Image:Douro Valley Regua.jpg|The river near ], Portugal
Image:International Douro view from Miranda.jpg|International Douro near Miranda Image:Arribes del Duero - Miranda edited.jpg|Douro Internacional near ]
Image:Arribes del Duero vistos desde Aldeadávila.JPG|"Arribes del Duero" in Salamanca. Image:Arribes del Duero vistos desde Aldeadávila.JPG|] near ]
Image:Wharfs at the Douro in Porto.jpg|The river mouth in ]
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 ] to ] (Atlantic Ocean on the right)
Image:Urueña almendro1 lou.jpg|Typical almond tree, mostly seen along the river in Portugal
</gallery> </gallery>


== See also == == See also ==
* ]
* ] * ]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
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Latest revision as of 21:56, 30 December 2024

River in Portugal and Spain This article is about the river. For other uses, see Douro (disambiguation). "Duero" redirects here. For the municipality in the Philippines, see Duero, Bohol.
Douro
Duero (Spanish)
Douro (Mirandese)
The river flowing through the Portuguese wine region, designated as a World Heritage Site.
Location
CountrySpain, Portugal
Physical characteristics
SourcePicos de Urbión
 • locationSistema Ibérico, Duruelo de la Sierra, Soria, Castile and León, Spain
 • coordinates42°0′38″N 2°52′49″W / 42.01056°N 2.88028°W / 42.01056; -2.88028
 • elevation2,157 m (7,077 ft)
MouthFoz do Douro
 • locationAtlantic Ocean, Porto, Greater Porto, Norte, Portugal
 • coordinates41°8′36″N 8°40′10″W / 41.14333°N 8.66944°W / 41.14333; -8.66944
 • elevation0 m (0 ft)
Length897 km (557 mi)
Basin size98,400 km (38,000 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationPorto
 • average700 m/s (25,000 cu ft/s)
 • maximum17,000 m/s (600,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge 
 • locationPocinho
 • average442 m/s (15,600 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftTera [es], Rituerto [es], Riaza [es], Duratón, Cega, Adaja, Tormes, Huebra, Águeda, Côa, Torto [pt], Távora, Varosa [pt], Bestança [pt], Paiva [pt], Arda, Inha [pt]
 • rightPisuerga, Valderaduey, Esla, Sabor [pt], Tua, Corgo, Tâmega, Sousa

The Douro (UK: /ˈdʊəroʊ, ˈdʊəruː/, US: /ˈdɔːruː, ˈdɔːroʊ/, Portuguese: [ˈdo(w)ɾu], Mirandese: [ˈdowɾʊ]; Spanish: Duero [ˈdweɾo]; Latin: Durius) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta Central in Castile and León into northern Portugal. Its largest tributary (carrying more water than the Douro at their confluence) is the right-bank Esla. The Douro flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Porto, the second largest city of Portugal.

The scenic Douro railway line runs close to the river. Adjacent areas produce port (a mildly fortified 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 pre-historic patrimony, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within Spain, it flows through the middle of the autonomous community of Castile and León, with the basin spanning through the northern half of the Meseta Central. The latter includes wine producing areas such as the Ribera del Duero DOP.

Name

The Latin name Durius might have been a Celtic name before the overwhelming Romanization of Iberia. If so, the Celtic root could have been *dubro- (in that family of languages the final vowel sound often changes with context, as in Latin). However, were that the case, the -b-, of which there remains no trace, would not have disappeared, as evidenced by place-names derived from Gaulish *dubron (plural dubra), such as French Douvres and English Dover (3rd/4th-century Dubris; Douvres in French), Spanish Dobra, German Tauber (Dubra-gave 807), and Gaelic/Old Irish dobur "water" and river name Dobhar in Ireland and Scotland. Modern Welsh dŵr "water" is cognate with modern Breton dour and Cornish dur "water" and results from a later typical Brittonic evolution of *dubro-, unknown in the Continental Celtic languages.

The possible origin is the hydronymic root *dur-, which is Pre-Indo-European or Pre-Celtic. Albert Dauzat linked this river name to a Pre-Celtic hydronymic root *dor-, which is well attested in Western Europe: in France Doire, Doron, Douron, etc. and in Italy Dora, etc. The meaning of this element is, however, unknown.

A folk-etymological derivation suggests that the name comes from the Portuguese or Spanish term for "golden".

History

A 1908 image of boats along the Douro River

In Roman times, the river was personified as a god, Durius.

Part of the drainage basin might have been severely depopulated in the 8th century. According to Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz this was a deliberate act by Alfonso I of Asturias for the defence of his Kingdom, which led the area to be named Repoblación.

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. Nowadays port is transported there in tanker trucks.

In the 1960s and 1970s, dams 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 rivers to include the Douro, Tagus and Guadiana. The convention superseded an agreement on the Douro, signed in 1927, that was expanded in 1964 and 1968 to include tributaries.

Geography

A SPOT Satellite image of the Douro River
Profile of the Douro River, from its source in the mountains of the Sistema Ibérico to Foz do Douro

It is the third-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula after the Tagus and Ebro. Its total length is 897 kilometres (557 mi), of which only sections of the Portuguese section, being below a fall/rapids line, are naturally navigable, by modest rivercraft. The Douro River basin encompasses an area of approximately 97,290 square kilometres.

In its Spanish section, the Douro crosses the great Castilian meseta and meanders through five provinces of the autonomous community of Castile and León: Soria, Burgos, Valladolid, Zamora, and Salamanca, passing through the towns of Soria, Almazán, Aranda de Duero, Tordesillas, and Zamora.

The most important tributaries in this region are the Pisuerga, passing through Valladolid, and the Esla, which passes through Zamora. This region is generally semi-arid plains, with wheat and in some places, especially near Aranda de Duero, with vineyards, in the Ribera del Duero wine region. Sheep rearing is also still important.

The drainage basin borders those of Miño to the north, Ebro to the east, and Tajo to the south.

For 112 kilometres (70 mi), the river forms part of the border between Spain and Portugal, in a region of narrow canyons. It formed a historical barrier to invasions, creating a cultural/linguistic divide. In these isolated areas, in which the Aldeadávila Dam impounds the river, there are protected areas: the 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 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

Aerial view of the Douro estuary, Porto

Major Spanish riverside towns include Soria, Almazán, Aranda de Duero, Tordesillas, Zamora and major Portuguese towns include Miranda do Douro, Foz Côa, Peso da Régua, Lamego, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Porto. 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, Vila Real, Aveiro and Porto. 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

See also: Port wine, Agriculture in Portugal, Tourism in Portugal, and Tourism in Spain
The Ribeira (meaning riverside). Its tall, colourful-building terraces is the main part of the river bank in the major city of Porto; it attracts numerous tourists

These reaches of the Douro have a mesoclimate 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 industry has developed based on river excursions from Porto to points along the Upper Douro valley.

The Douro railway line (Linha do Douro) 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 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, Valeira, Régua, Carrapatelo, and Crestuma–Lever dams. Vessels with a maximum length of 83 metres (272 ft) and width of 11.4 metres (37 ft) can pass through the five locks. The highest lock, at Carrapatelo Dam, has a maximum lift of 35 metres (115 ft). The waters of Pocinho lake reach 125 metres (410 ft) above sea level. Unannounced releases of water from upstream Spanish dams occasionally causes navigation issues in these locks.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. "Douro". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  2. "Douro". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  3. "Douro" (US) and "Douro". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2020-07-30.
  4. "Douro". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  5. Fernández-Aláez, M.; Fernández-Aláez, C.; Luis Calabuig, E. de (1992). "The Esla River Basin: From the Cantabrian Mountain to the Duero" (PDF). Limnetica. 8 (1): 131. doi:10.23818/limn.08.12. S2CID 245777871.
  6. Robert Ferguson (1862). The River-names of Europe. Williams & Norgate. pp. 26–.
  7. ^ Xavier Delamarre, Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise, Éditions Errance, 2003, p. 151 - 152
  8. ^ Albert Dauzat, Gaston Deslandes et Charles Rostaing, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de rivières et de montagnes en France, Klincksieck, Paris, 1978, p. 41b.
  9. Nick Timmons, Portugal (1994), p. 99: "The Douro... the Golden River (d'ouro means 'of gold')..."
  10. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Portugal (2016), p. 239: "...the Douro or "Golden River" weaves its scenic path through deep-cleft gorges..."
  11. "Spanish-Portuguese Albufeira Convention". United Nations. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Rivers in Spain". www.iberianature.com. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Guide to Spain CO-CU". www.iberianature.com. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  14. Morán-Tejeda, Enrique; Ceballos-Barbancho, Antonio; Llorente-Pinto, José Manuel (May 2010). "Hydrological response of Mediterranean headwaters to climate oscillations and land-cover changes: The mountains of Duero River basin (Central Spain)". Global and Planetary Change. 72 (1–2): 39–49. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.03.003. Retrieved 6 January 2023.

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