Setúbal (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈtuβaɫ] or [sɨˈtuβɐɫ]) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2014 was 118,166,[1] in an area of 230.33 km2 (88.9 sq mi).[2] The city proper had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001.[3]

In the times of Al-Andalus the city was known as Sheṭūbar (Andalusian Arabic: شَطُوبَر [ʃeˈtˤuːbɑr]). In the 19th century, the port was called Saint Ubes in English and Saint-Yves in French.

The municipal holiday is September 15, which marks the date in the year 1860 on which King Pedro V of Portugal officially recognised Setúbal as a city.

City information

Setúbal bay area

The city of Setúbal is located on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary, approximately 48 kilometres (30 miles) south of Portugal's capital, Lisbon. It is also the seat of the Setúbal District.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Setúbal was the most important center of Portugal's fishing industry, particularly sardines. None of the many factories then created are operating today. However, the existing maritime ports, either traditional, commercial and the new marines, keep the city links to the ocean and water well alive and vibrant. Tourism, based on the beautiful existing natural conditions plus excellent hotels, resorts and infrastructures, is one of the city's most appreciated resources, due to its interconnection with the Sado (river) on one side and Atlantic Ocean on another, having a coast line with both. The city is also connected with the nearby coast of the Arrábida hills natural park - which offers an unspoiled nature and beautiful beaches to the Atlantic Ocean. A dolphin colony inhabits the Sado River. Across the river on the south bank lies the peninsula of Tróia, a place with vast white/golden sand beaches where several luxury hotels and resorts were recently built. The Tróia peninsula can be sighted from the city, across the river. Albarquel, Figueirinha, Galápos, Galapinhos and Portinho da Arrábida are some of the city's many beaches, located in the north bank of the estuary, at the very beginning of the Arrábida hills.

The main historical monument of the city of Setúbal is the Monastery of Jesus, with a 15th- and 16th-century church that represents one of the first buildings in the Portuguese late Gothic style known as Manueline.

Castelo de São Filipe

Also of interest are the São Julião Church, also with Manueline portals. The Castelo de São Filipe, is a 16th- and 17th-century fortress on the north bank of the Sado river, overseeing the city. The fortress was converted into a luxury hotel (pousada).

Teatro Animação de Setúbal is based in Setúbal.

Demography (municipality)

Historical population of Setúbal
Year 1801 1849 1900 1930 1960 1981 1991 2001 2011 2014
Population 15,442 15,060 35,990 50,456 56,344 98,366 103,634 113,934 121,061 118,428

Parishes

The civil parishes of Setúbal before 2013

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 5 civil parishes (freguesias):[5]

Climate

Climate data for Setúbal
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 15.3
(59.5)
16.7
(62.1)
19.4
(66.9)
20.5
(68.9)
23.4
(74.1)
27.4
(81.3)
29.9
(85.8)
30.1
(86.2)
27.8
(82)
23.3
(73.9)
18.8
(65.8)
15.9
(60.6)
22.38
(72.28)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2)
11.3
(52.3)
13.5
(56.3)
14.8
(58.6)
17.4
(63.3)
20.9
(69.6)
23.1
(73.6)
23.2
(73.8)
21.3
(70.3)
17.9
(64.2)
13.9
(57)
11.3
(52.3)
16.56
(61.81)
Average low °C (°F) 4.8
(40.6)
5.8
(42.4)
7.6
(45.7)
9.1
(48.4)
11.4
(52.5)
14.3
(57.7)
16.2
(61.2)
16.3
(61.3)
14.8
(58.6)
12.4
(54.3)
9.0
(48.2)
6.6
(43.9)
10.69
(51.24)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 98.4
(3.874)
75.3
(2.965)
53.3
(2.098)
66.7
(2.626)
48.5
(1.909)
16.8
(0.661)
3.7
(0.146)
3.7
(0.146)
27.2
(1.071)
97.6
(3.843)
119.4
(4.701)
124.7
(4.909)
735.3
(28.949)
Source: Instituto de Meteorologia[6]

Economy

According to the census of 2011, the municipality of Setúbal had a labor force of 58,514 people, among whom 15.6% were unemployed. Among those who had a job, 1.6% were working in the Primary sector, 24.9% in the Secondary sector and 73.5% in the Tertiary sector.[7] Setúbal is notable for the industries of pulp, paper, cement, fertilizers, pesticides, other phytopharmaceutical products, thermal power, shipbuilding and ship repair there was a lot of automobile assembling industry since the 1950s with several known manufacturers had or have opened assembly halls for the Portuguese market. Today there are only 3 tradenames nearby currently in production. The Port of Setúbal had a cargo throughput of 6.058 million tons in 2012,[8] making it the 4th busiest port in Portugal, with 7.4% of the cargo throughput in the country.[9]

In the 19th century, the area was notable for the production of sea salt. St. Ubes bay salt was exported as far as Australia in the 1830s.[10]

Sports

The city's main sports club is Vitória de Setúbal, established on November 20, 1910.

Notable residents and citizens

  • Diogo Fernandes Pereira, sometimes called simply Diogo Fernandes, was a 16th-century navigator. Diogo Fernandes was the first known European captain to visit the island of Socotra in 1503 and the discoverer of the Mascarenes archipelago ( Réunion, Mauritius, and Rodrigues) in 1507. He may also have been the first European to sail east of Madagascar island ('outer route' to the East Indies);
Statue of Setúbal poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage in a city square.

International relations

Setúbal is twinned with:

Setúbal has international cooperation protocols with:

Gallery

References

  1. ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
  2. ^ Direção-Geral do Território
  3. ^ UMA POPULAÇÃO QUE SE URBANIZA, Uma avaliação recente – Cidades, 2004 Nuno Pires Soares, Instituto Geográfico Português (Geographic Institute of Portugal)
  4. ^ http://www.pordata.pt/Municipios
  5. ^ Diário da República. "Law no. 11-A/2013, page 552 114" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 July 2014. 
  6. ^ "Monthly Averages for Setúbal, Portugal (1981-2010)". Instituto de Meteorologia. Retrieved 2012-08-10. 
  7. ^ "Municípios - Emprego e Mercado de Trabalho" (in Portuguese). PORDATA Base de Dados Portugal Contemporâneo. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
  8. ^ "2012-Estatísticas" (in Portuguese). Porto de Setúbal - APSS, SA. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
  9. ^ "INE: Porto de Lisboa perdeu 30% do movimento de mercadorias" (in Portuguese). Diário Económico. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
  10. ^ http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2201134?searchTerm=Ubes

External links