The Alentejo's area extends to and has a population of 537,556. Excluding Ponte de Sor, its area is and its population 520,834. The population density of the Alentejo is.
Topography
Topographically the countryside varies from the open rolling plains of the south of the Alentejo to the granite hills that border Spain in the northeast. To feed the water needs of this considerable area a number of public dams have been constructed, most notably the Alqueva Dam. The landscape is primarily one of soft rolling hills and plains, with conspicuous shrubs and the native cork oaks and holly/holm oaks, the established olive trees and grapevines, plus some large-scale toilet roll production of eucalyptus trees and some native trees. In the north, traditional economic activity may be more livestock-based as typified by cattle, sheep, and pig farming. To the south agriculture may be more predominant. , Alentejo, Portugal
Biome
, a Nature Park Area located to the east of Portalegre, includes medieval villages. In the south near Mértola there is another Nature Park Area named Parque Natural do Vale Guadiana. This is more sparsely inhabited than the former. To the west, the coastal strip that runs from the port of Sines down to Cape St. Vincent comprises the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.
Climate
The climate of the region is typically warm to hot and dry for a large part of the year, with summer temperatures regularly reaching up to, while winters are relatively mild and wet. The climate is not uniform throughout the region though: mid-summer temperatures in coastal areas are usually much lower than inland ones. This much resembles the contrast between Casablanca and the Moroccan interior, where the presence of the nearby Atlantic Ocean gives rise to marked temperature differences between coastal and even nearby inland zones. Usually, the warmest temperatures can be found in the southernmost inland parts of the region, along the Guadiana valley between Mértola and Juromenha, particularly in the areas close to Moura. However, the hottest days tend to deviate from the usual pattern and will arise when the winds are east or southeast and very hot air with temperatures reaching or more at 850 mbar level enter Iberia from Africa. If the winds are strong enough, the deep and low-lying valley of the Sado river, becomes extremely warm by European standards. Places like Alvalade do Sado and Alcácer do Sal and others below, can reach under extreme circumstances and in the summer is regularly reached each year despite the fact that they are relatively close to the coast. The highest temperature ever recorded in Portugal and in fact Europe was measured on 1 August 2003 in Amareleja and reached. Since the meteorological station is about above the nearby valley near Moura it is very likely that about was reached there but no measurements were taken. What is most impressive and unique in Europe was a stretch of no less than 17 consecutive days at Amareleja with a maximum temperature of or more. This was only equaled over the same period in Córdoba, Spain; although slightly lower over the same period at. Finally the average daytime maximum temperatures reach in July and August near Moura, in the Sado Valley. Many parts, however, are above 200 or even 300 m which leads to clearly lower average temperatures also in summer. It is very likely that the Guadiana river valley away from the coast is the hottest on average in Europe along with the inland part of the Spanish Guadalquivir region, especially near Córdoba. The extremes in this valley, however, are somewhat lower. Portugal, including the Alentejo region, is affected by global warming and average temperatures are clearly on the rise. Some climate models indicate daytime average maximum temperatures nearing in the Guadiana river valley by 2100.
Education
By the acceptable standards of a developed country, the illiteracy rate in the region may still be surprisingly high among those older than 60, in contrast with the younger generations. The rate of coverage of pre-primary education is among the highest in the country. Institutions of higher education include:
Polytechnic Institute of Beja
Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre
University of Évora
Economy
The area is commonly known as the "bread basket" of Portugal, a region of vast open countryside with undulating plains and rich fertile soil. With very few exceptions all the major towns are mainly reliant on agriculture, livestock and forestry. There are several types of traditional cheeses, wines and smoked hams and sausages made in the Alentejo region, among others: Queijo Serpa, Queijo de Évora and Queijo de Nisa ; Vinho do Alentejo and Vinho do Redondo ; and presunto. Marble, cork, olive oil and mining industries are other important activities in the region and tourism is expected to still have growth potential. The Alqueva Dam is an important irrigation and hydroelectricity generation facility which supports a part of the Alentejo's economy. The region is the home of the world's most important area for the growing of cork. Cork-oak, known in Portugal as "sobreiro", has been grown commercially in the region for the past 300 years, with the areas between the trees typically given over to grazing, or on the more productive soils, to the growing of citrus fruit, vines or olives. As a consequence, a uniquely rich and varied ecosystem has developed. The bark of the cork-oak is still harvested by teams of men using locally made hand-axes. No mechanical method has yet been invented that will allow the harvest to be achieved as effectively. The stripping of the bark is performed only in midsummer, when the bark can be removed more easily. The cork-oak is the only tree known that will allow this regular stripping of bark without damage. The harvest of one mature tree provides sufficient bark to produce about 4,000 wine bottle corks. The industry provides employment for about 60,000 workers.
