União das freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas
Parish of the municipality of Alijó (Alijó), district of Vila Real.
União das freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas had 449 residents in the 2021 Census, 24,5% of whom were aged 65 or over, and 7,6% of the population aged 15 or over had completed higher education. It borders 7 parishes and its centroid is 10,3 km in a straight line from the centroid of the municipality of Alijó.
- 278 – 409
- 445 – 536
- 547 – 622
- 627 – 937
- 1.256 – 2.584
- 13,0 – 19,0
- 19,2 – 22,0
- 29,1 – 34,7
- 40,4 – 73,5
- 88,0 – 207,3
- 3,0 – 12,9
- 17,1 – 20,1
- 20,2 – 21,3
- 21,5 – 29,4
- 33,0 – 42,1
The 14 parishes of Alijó
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| # | Parish | Population | Area (km²) | Inhab./km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alijó | 2.584 | 29,36 | 88,0 |
| 2 | Favaios | 937 | 21,45 | 43,7 |
| 3 | Pegarinhos | 394 | 18,78 | 21,0 |
| 4 | Pinhão | 622 | 3,00 | 207,3 |
| 5 | Sanfins do Douro | 1.256 | 17,09 | 73,5 |
| 6 | Santa Eugénia | 278 | 9,14 | 30,4 |
| 7 | São Mamede de Ribatua | 586 | 20,11 | 29,1 |
| 8 | União das freguesias de Carlão e Amieiro | 627 | 33,01 | 19,0 |
| 9 | União das freguesias de Castedo e Cotas | 536 | 28,91 | 18,5 |
| 10 | União das freguesias de Pópulo e Ribalonga | 409 | 21,30 | 19,2 |
| 11 | União das freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas | 449 | 12,94 | 34,7 |
| 12 | Vila Chã | 445 | 20,23 | 22,0 |
| 13 | Vila Verde | 547 | 42,09 | 13,0 |
| 14 | Vilar de Maçada | 816 | 20,19 | 40,4 |
- Code (DTMNFR)
- 170123
- Resident population (2021)
- 449
- Area
- 12,94 km²
- Density
- 34,7 inh./km²
- Share of the municipality (population)
- 4,3%
- Rank in the municipality (population)
- 10th of 14
Simplified designation (CAOP2025): “Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas”.
INE, Censos 2021 (população residente por freguesia, geografia 2025, ind. 0014584); DGT, CAOP2025 (área). Population refers to the 2021 census moment, compiled by INE for the parish boundaries in force in 2025.
2021 Census in detail
- Men
- 218 (48,6%)
- Women
- 231 (51,4%)
- Portuguese nationality
- 448 (99,8%)
- Foreign nationality
- 1 (0,2%)
- Ageing index
- 211,5 elderly per 100 young people
- Private households
- 181
- Average household size *
- 2,45 people
- Dwellings
- 371
- Classic family dwellings
- 370
- Buildings
- 364
- Buildings with 7 or more floors
- 0
- With higher education (15+)
- 7,6% (30)
- Unemployment rate *
- 7,85% (H 4,90% · M 11,24%)
- Active / employed population
- 191 / 176
Population by age group
| Age group | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 years | 52 | 21 | 31 |
| 15-24 years | 36 | 19 | 17 |
| 25-64 years | 251 | 126 | 125 |
| 65+ years | 110 | 52 | 58 |
Source: INE, Censos 2021 — indicators 0014630, 0014631, 0014627, 0014623, 0014621, 0014635, 0014636, 0012481, 0012328, 0014632, obtained from the INE indicators API on 24/09/2026 (licence CC BY 4.0). Parish geography of 2025 (CAOP2025). Nationality (Portuguese, foreign, stateless) is INE indicator 0014632. * Indicator published by INE only for 2013 parish geography (NUTS 2024); used because the parish has the same territory in both geographies (identical population by sex and age group). Ageing index = population aged 65+ ÷ population aged 0–14 × 100; share with higher education = residents with completed higher education ÷ residents aged 15 or over (our calculations from INE figures).
Neighbouring parishes
União das freguesias de Castedo e Cotas · Celeirós (Sabrosa) · União das freguesias de Provesende, Gouvães do Douro e São Cristóvão do Douro (Sabrosa) · Favaios · Pinhão · Vilarinho de São Romão (Sabrosa) · Ervedosa do Douro (São João da Pesqueira)
- Straight-line distance to the centroid of the municipality of Alijó
- 10,3 km
Neighbourhood calculated from official boundaries: DGT, Carta Administrativa Oficial de Portugal (CAOP) 2025 (licence CC BY 4.0); two parishes are neighbours when they share a boundary segment. The distance is the straight-line (great-circle) distance between the geometric centroid of the parish and that of the municipality (in territories with islets, of the main part), not a road distance.
2025 local elections — Parish assembly
- Registered voters
- 439
- Voters
- 346
- Turnout
- 78,82% (2021: 79,61%)
- Seats
- 7
| List | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPD/PSD.CDS-PP AFIRMAR A NOSSA TERRA | 214 | 61,85% | 5 |
| PS Partido Socialista | 119 | 34,39% | 2 |
| Blank votes | 5 | 1,45% | |
| Null votes | 8 | 2,31% |
Most-voted list, which elects the parish-council president: PPD/PSD.CDS-PP.
Source: SGMAI — official results of the local elections of 12 October 2025 (Secretary-General of the Ministry of Internal Administration), consulted on 25/09/2026. Percentages calculated by SGMAI over total voters.
Heraldry
Coat of arms: escudo de ouro, com um carro de bois de negro, com uma pipa de vermelho; em chefe um ramo de oliveira de verde frutada de negro entre 2 cachos de uvas de púrpura folhados e gavinhados de verde; em campanha um monte de 2 cômoros de verde, moventes de uma campanha diminuta de 3 burelas ondadas de prata, azul e prata. Coroa mural de prata de três torres. Listel branco com a legenda a negro, em maiúsculas: «UNIÃO DAS FREGUESIAS DE VALE DE MENDIZ, CASAL DE LOIVOS E VILARINHO DE COTAS».
Flag: lisa de púrpura; cordões e borlas de ouro e púrpura. Haste e lança de ouro.
Seal: nos termos do artigo 18 da Lei n.º 53/91, com a legenda "União das Freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas".
Heraldic ordinance published by Edital n.º 2075/2023, Diário da República n.º 237/2023, Série II de 2023-12-11 (issuer: União das Freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas). Excerpt of the official text (coat of arms, flag and seal), reproduced unchanged.
Parish-council contacts
- Address
- Rua direita
Vilarinho de Cotas (Alijó)
5085-120 Vilarinho de Cotas - Telephone
- 254731581
Source: DGAL - Portal Autárquico (Direção-Geral das Autarquias Locais), consulted on 25/09/2026.
More information
- Coordinates
- 41,22240, -7,52770
- Official website
- www.cm-alijo.pt/pagina/236
- Wikidata
- Q20061631
Source: Wikidata (data under CC0 1.0), consulted on 24/09/2026. The patron saint and coordinates are those recorded on Wikidata.
Services and territory
Education · Emergencies · Health · Fire services · Citizen desks · Climate · Rents · Codes · Bodies
Education
Infoescolas 2020 (DGEEC) lists 8 schools in the municipality of Alijó. The source names the municipality, not the parish.
- Escola Básica de Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701002. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Favaios, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701841. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Pegarinhos, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701134. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Sanfins do Douro, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701964. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Vilar de Maçada, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701226. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica do Pinhão, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701063. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 2.º ciclo, 3.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica e Secundária D. Sancho II, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701770. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 2.º ciclo, 3.º ciclo, secundário científico-humanístico, secundário profissional. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica n.º 1 de Pinhão, Alijó — Código DGEEC 1701588. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
See all schools in the municipality
There are no higher-education units (DGEEC) with an address in this municipality.
Bank branches are left out: there is no republishable national open list. NHS hospitals appear below when the official name includes the municipality. Fire services exist only for Lisbon (CML POI).
Emergency contacts
- Linha SNS 24
- 808 24 24 24
- Número europeu de emergência
- 112
National numbers, the same in every parish. Confirmado na página oficial de SNS 24. Source: SNS 24; INEM.
NHS hospitals
No NHS institution with this municipality in the official name. See the national list in the catalogue.
Fire services
No fire stations in this municipality in the open list we republish. Only Lisbon publishes a usable POI (CC0); INE series are counts, not directories. See what exists in the catalogue.
Citizen shops and desks
No Citizen Shop or desk mapped in this municipality in the AMA list. See the national catalogue.
Climate
1991–2020 climate normals for the station Vila Real (IPMA no. 567), 17,1 km in a straight line from the geometric centre of the parish. Temperature and precipitation are those of the station.
| Month | Mean temp. (°C) | Maximum (°C) | Minimum (°C) | Precipitation (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6,3 | 9,9 | 2,8 | 129,4 |
| Feb | 7,9 | 12,2 | 3,5 | 83,6 |
| Mar | 10,6 | 15,6 | 5,6 | 91,1 |
| Apr | 12,2 | 17,4 | 7,1 | 84,8 |
| May | 15,4 | 21,2 | 9,7 | 63,4 |
| Jun | 18,9 | 25,3 | 12,6 | 29,2 |
| Jul | 21,8 | 28,8 | 14,7 | 12,7 |
| Aug | 21,9 | 29,0 | 14,9 | 21,5 |
| Sep | 19,1 | 25,2 | 13,0 | 48,9 |
| Oct | 14,7 | 19,3 | 10,1 | 120,9 |
| Nov | 9,6 | 13,2 | 6,0 | 122,8 |
| Dec | 7,0 | 10,4 | 3,6 | 142,8 |
| Year | 13,8 | — | — | 951,2 |
Source: IPMA, ficha da normal climatológica, período 1991-2020. Climate region: Trás-os-Montes, Alto Douro e Beira Interior. Station altitude: 561,5 m. Distance calculated between the CAOP2025 centroid and the coordinates published by IPMA.
Rent and cost of living
INE does not publish the median rent for this parish (indicator 0014773, 2025 geography).
In the municipality of Alijó the median value in 2025 is 3,16 €/m². This figure is for the municipality.
The consumer price index is national, not by parish. Year-on-year change in Agosto de 2026: 3,3% (INE 0014648).
Source: INE, indicador 0014773 (CC BY 4.0), Local housing rent statistics, 2026 methodology. Reference year 2025. IPC: indicator 0014648.
Postcodes and telephone
Postcode of the parish-council address: 5085-120 (Rua direita, Vilarinho de Cotas (Alijó), 5085-120 Vilarinho de Cotas).
Geographic telephone code of the district/region seat (Vila Real): 259. It is not exclusive to this parish.
We do not republish the full CTT postcode database. The parish council telephone is 254731581.
Public bodies
Junta de União das freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas — Rua direita, Vilarinho de Cotas (Alijó), 5085-120 Vilarinho de Cotas · 5085-120 · 254731581 · [email protected]
Câmara Municipal de Alijó — Presidente: José Rodrigues Paredes · Rua General Alves Pedrosa, N.º 13, 5070-051 Alijó · 5070-051 · 259957100 · [email protected] · https://www.cm-alijo.pt
Other parish councils of the municipality in the catalogue · Catalogue filtered by Alijó
Sources: INE, 2021 Census (resident population) · DGT, CAOP2025 (area and parishes) · more details · Data updated on 24/09/2026