Alcoutim


Alcoutim is a town and a municipality in southeastern Portugal near the border with Spain. The population in 2011 was 2,917, in an area of 575.36 km². It is the least densely populated municipality in Portugal. The municipality is limited on the north by Mértola Municipality, on the east by Huelva Province in Spain, on the southeast by Castro Marim Municipality, on the southwest by Tavira Municipality and on the west by Loulé Municipality and Almodôvar Municipality. The administrative center is the town of Alcoutim, located at the extreme eastern part of the municipality on the Spanish frontier, just across the Guadiana River from the Spanish town of Sanlúcar de Guadiana in Huelva Province.
The Moorish Alcoutim Castle, located in the municipality, dates from the 14th century.
The municipality is located in the northeast corner of Faro District.
The present Mayor is Francisco Augusto Amaral, elected by the Social Democratic Party. The municipal holiday is June 13.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Alcoutim - a wreath of zambujeiro and the slogan Aleo - is derived from the decorative motif of the tomb of Pedro de Menezes, 1st Count of Vila Real, found in the Igreja da Graça in Santarém. 'Aleu' or 'aleo' is an old Portuguese term for a 'gaming stick'. It refers to a famous episode concerning Pedro de Menezes from shortly after the Conquest of Ceuta on September 2, 1415. Pedro de Menezes was engaged in an outdoor game in the king's presence when a messenger arrived reporting an imminent Moroccan attack on Portuguese-held Ceuta. Menezes is said to have raised his gaming stick and told the king that "with that stick alone" he could defend Ceuta from all the power of Morocco. Pedro's descendants were later made Counts of Alcoutim. Similar design can be seen on the coat of arms of Vila Real

Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes :
Alcoutim has a Mediterranean climate, due to its location in the Guadiana River basin it has a climate that very much resembles that of relatively nearby Seville. With an average July high of around it is one of the hottest places in Portugal and Europe during the summer months.