Hub cities

Population: 95,123 hab 

Annual population growth: 8% since 2011

Density: 1,266 hab/km2

Area: 75,12 km2

HDI: 93,77

GDP: 1,375.73 (million)

GDP per capital: 16,640

Main industries: slate extraction, farming and smallholdings, metallurgical industry, commerce and tourism

Administrative structure: 4 autarchies (Alfena, Campo & Sobrado, Ermesinde and Valongo)

In our municipality, we pay special attention to the processes of participation and transparency because we believe that they are the basis for a healthy and effective democratic life.
We believe that in society everyone can (and should) have an active role, and that citizenship can take several forms and ways. As such, we have several projects that have been implemented throughout these past years with the objective to promote a continuous and transparent dialogue with all segments of the community, namely:

• OPJV, a Young Participatory Budget for children and young people between the ages of 6 and 35;
  
• Accountability Weeks, where we present the facts and figures of the local government and receive strong feedback in ideas or critics from the community in a very healthy relation with everybody;
• Short Course in Local Citizenship – a short workshop with the objective to educate inhabitants about democratic citizenship and fundamental rights, and the importance of equal enjoyment of those rights;
• Brief Manual of Local Citizenship, a short guide on local citizenship, accompanied with cartoons and simple, accessible language;
• Theater plays on every day, democratic challenges, adapted to all ages;
• Human Library, an informal activity with the slogan “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. It allows an informal and constructive dialogue between students and ‘Human Books’ – volunteers who are frequently the recipients of prejudices and stereotypes;
• And many others! Feel free to visit our homepage or to get in touch with us!