annexation of the areas of Soajo, Ermelo, and Gavieira. Geography Physical geography Arcos de Valdevez is situated in the northwest Portuguese peninsula of the historical province of Minho, in the district of Viana do Castelo. It is limited in the east by Spanish Galicia, in the south by the municipality of Ponte da Barca, in the southwest and west by Ponte de Lima, also by its western frontier with Paredes de Coura, in the north by Monção and northwest by Melgaço. Territorially, it occupies 20.18% of the Alto Minho subregion, 2.10% of the Norte region, or approximately 0.5% of continental Portugal. The physical geography of the municipality consists of three fundamental morphological units: the river-valley depression occupied by the Rivers Vez and Lima, of which 35% of the municipality is located; the mountainous escarpment of the Peneda-Gerês; and an accidented area in the west that extends to the eastern limits of the municipality. The Vez valley, which crosses the territory from north to south, divides the mountainous western and eastern areas, and is the location of the principal activities of the territory. Human geography The municipal seat of Arcos de Valdevez, the city specifically, is composed of the civil parishes of Salvador and São Paio, which together account for a population of approximately 2204 inhabitants. It is characteristic of the larger area of northern Portugal, with a relatively homogeneous culture and population, dispersed within a similar scenic environment; it is one of the larger municipalities in Portugal, with an area of approximately . Administratively, the municipality is divided into 36 civil parishes (freguesias): Aboim das Choças Aguiã Alvora e Loureda Arcos de Valdevez (São Salvador), Vila Fonche e Parada Arcos de Valdevez (São Paio) e Giela Ázere Cabana Maior Cabreiro Cendufe Couto Eiras e Mei Gavieira Gondoriz Grade e Carralcova Guilhadeses e Santar Jolda (São Paio) Jolda (Madalena) e Rio Cabrão Miranda Monte Redondo Oliveira Paçô Padreiro (Salvador e Santa Cristina) Padroso Portela e Extremo Prozelo Rio de Moinhos Rio Frio Sabadim São Jorge e Ermelo Senharei Sistelo Soajo Souto e Tabaçô Távora (Santa Maria e São Vicente) Vale Vilela, São Cosme e São Damião e Sá The largest of these parishes, Gavieira, Soajo, Cabreiro, Gondoriz, and Sistelo, are located in the mountainous areas that are part of Peneda-Gerês National Park. The municipal seat is situated from Braga Municipality and from Porto, in the civil parish of São Salvador. The