Porto Covo

Porto Covo is one of the two civil parishes in the municipality of Sines, located along the western Alentejo coast of Portugal, about 170 km (110 mi) south of Lisbon. The population in 2011 was 1,038, in an area of 50.72 km². Known for its beaches and ties to the ocean, the name Porto Covo likely translates as port of the covos, the term covo referring to a fishing net, used for capturing lobsters and crabs.

History

The earliest record of human settlement in the area of Porto Covo dates to the Carthaginian trading along the coast. By the time of the conquest of Hispania by Rome, the island of Pessegueiro hosted a small fish processing centre (from archaeological excavation of salt tanks linked to this industry).

The parish of Porto Covo, by the middle of the 18th century, was nothing more than a small coastal settlement around a beach and small cove. Its small dimensions was reflected in the number of homes, which numbered only four by 1780. On the island of Pessegueiro, King Phillip II of Spain hoped to found a maritime port to support his claim to the territory and defend against marauding pirates. At that time an artificial rock barrier was constructed to connect the island of Pessegueiro to the coastline. Two forts were constructed on the island, supporting small garrisons to watch over the coast, but today in ruins.

Covo

Covo is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) east of Milan and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southeast of Bergamo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,547 and an area of 12.7 square kilometres (4.9 sq mi).

Covo borders the following municipalities: Antegnate, Barbata, Calcio, Cortenuova, Fara Olivana con Sola, Isso, Romano di Lombardia.

Demographic evolution

References