Editing Douro (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Douro SPOT 1123.jpg|thumb|235px|left|A SPOT Satellite image of the Douro River]]
[[File:Perfil del Duero.gif|thumb|235px|left|Profile of the Douro River, from its source in the mountains of the [[Sistema Ibérico]] to Foz do Douro]]
It is the third-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula after the [[Tagus River|Tagus]] and [[Ebro]]. Its total length is {{convert|897|km|mi}},<ref name=in/> of which only stretches of the Portuguese section, being below a fall/rapids line, are naturally navigable, by modest rivercraft.<ref name=latin/> The Douro River basin encompasses an area of approximately 97,290 square kilometres.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Morán-Tejeda |first1=Enrique |last2=Ceballos-Barbancho |first2=Antonio |last3=Llorente-Pinto |first3=José Manuel |date=May 2010 |title=Hydrological response of Mediterranean headwaters to climate oscillations and land-cover changes: The mountains of Duero River basin (Central Spain) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921818110000792 |journal=[[Global and Planetary Change]] |volume=72 |issue=1–2 |pages=39–49 |doi=10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.03.003 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

In its Spanish section, the Douro crosses the great [[Castile (historical region)|Castilian]] ''[[Meseta Central|meseta]]'' and meanders through five provinces of the autonomous community of [[Castile and León]]: [[Soria Province|Soria]], [[Burgos Province|Burgos]], [[Valladolid Province|Valladolid]], [[Zamora Province|Zamora]], and [[Salamanca Province|Salamanca]], passing through the towns of [[Soria]], [[Almazán]], [[Aranda de Duero]], [[Tordesillas]], and [[Zamora, Spain|Zamora]].

The most important tributaries in this region are the [[Pisuerga]], passing through [[Valladolid]], and the [[Esla River|Esla]], which passes through [[Zamora Province|Zamora]]. This region is generally semi-arid plains, with [[wheat]] and in some places, especially near ''[[Aranda de Duero]]'', with [[vineyard]]s, in the [[Ribera del Duero]] wine region. [[Sheep]] rearing is also important.

The [[drainage basin]] borders those of [[Minho (river)|Miño]] to the north, [[Ebro]] to the east, and [[Tagus River|Tajo]] to the south.<ref name=in>{{cite web|url= http://www.iberianature.com/material/rivers.html |title=Rivers in Spain|work=www.iberianature.com |access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref><ref name=latin>{{cite web|url= http://www.iberianature.com/material/guided.htm#duero |title=Guide to Spain CO-CU|work=www.iberianature.com |access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref>

For {{convert|112|km|mi}}, the river forms part of the [[Portugal–Spain border|border between Spain and Portugal]], in a region of narrow [[canyon]]s. It formed a historical barrier to invasions, creating a cultural/linguistic divide. In these isolated areas, in which the [[Aldeadávila Dam]] impounds the river, there are protected areas: the [[International Douro Natural Park]] (on the Portuguese side) and the [[Arribes del Duero Natural Park]] (on the [[Zamora Province|Zamoran]] margin).

The Douro fully enters Portuguese territory just after the confluence with the [[Águeda River]]; once the Douro enters Portugal, major population centres are less frequent along the river. Except for [[Porto]] and [[Vila Nova de Gaia]] at the river mouth, the only population centres of any note are Foz do Tua, Pinhão and [[Peso da Régua]]. Tributaries here are small, merging into the Douro along the canyons; the most important are [[Côa River|Côa]], [[Tua River|Tua]], [[Sabor River|Sabor]], [[Corgo River|Corgo]], [[Tavora River|Tavora]], [[Paiva River|Paiva]], [[Tâmega River|Tâmega]], and [[Sousa River|Sousa]]. None of these small, fast-flowing rivers is navigable.

===Human geography===
[[File:Douro estuary.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the Douro estuary, Porto]]

Major Spanish riverside towns include [[Soria]], [[Almazán]], [[Aranda de Duero]], [[Tordesillas]], [[Zamora, Spain|Zamora]] and major Portuguese towns include [[Miranda do Douro]], [[Foz Côa]], [[Peso da Régua]], [[Lamego]], [[Vila Nova de Gaia]], and [[Porto]]. The most populous cities along the Douro River are Valladolid and Zamora in Spain, and Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. The latter two are located at the mouth of the Douro at the Atlantic Ocean.

In Portugal, the Douro flows through the districts of [[Bragança District|Bragança]], [[Guarda District|Guarda]], [[Viseu District|Viseu]], [[Vila Real District|Vila Real]], [[Aveiro District|Aveiro]] and [[Porto District|Porto]]. [[Porto]] is the main hub city in northern Portugal. Its historic centre has been designated as a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] because of its significant architecture and history.