Góis () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

of the district of

Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the municipality at the 2011 census was 143,397, in an area of . The fourth-largest urban area in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto Metropolitan Area, Porto, and Bra ...

, in the

central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

part of continental

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. The population in 2011 was 4,260,Instituto Nacional de Estatística
/ref> in an area of 263.30 km².

Geography

Physical geography

The municipality of Góis is situated in Coimbra, in the deep, narrow valley of the Ceira, between the mountains of Carvalhal and Rabadão. The municipality is limited in the north by the municipality of

Arganil Arganil () is a town and municipality in Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 12,145, in an area of 332.84 km2. The present mayor is Luís Paulo Costa, elected by the Social Democratic Party. The munic ...

, east by

Pampilhosa da Serra Pampilhosa da Serra () is a town and a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,481, in an area of 396.46 km². Parishes Administratively, the municipality is divided into 8 civil parishes (''freguesia ...

, southwest by

Pedrógão Grande Pedrógão Grande (; cel-x-proto, Pendraganum) is a municipality in the district of Leiria in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 3,915 in an area of . The town itself has fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, with the remaining population living in sev ...

and

Castanheira de Pera Castanheira de Pera (), often erroneously written Castanheira de Pêra, is a municipality in the district of Leiria in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 3,191,Lousã Lousã () is a town and concelho, municipality in the district of Coimbra (district), Coimbra, in the central part of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 17,604, in an area of 138.40 km2. History The oldest evidence provides an indication ...

and northwest by

Vila Nova de Poiares Vila Nova de Poiares () is a municipality in the Coimbra district, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,281, in an area of 84.45 km². Parishes Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes (''freguesias''): * Arri ...

. The mountains of the Penedo de Góis, which are part of the ''Serra da Lousã'' (''Lousã Mountains''), at a height of , have an accentuated orography with many climatic differences; the Lousã represents the end of the southwest-central cordillera, with elevations between and above sea level, with accentuated slopes (resulting in steep cliffs that are mostly inaccessible) on the northern flanks and gentle in the south influenced by Atlantic and Mediterranean weather systems. The environment resulted in a diverse vegetation, that includes holm oaks (''

Quercus rotundifolia ''Quercus rotundifolia'', the holm oak or ballota oak, is an evergreen oak native to the western Mediterranean region, with the majority on the Iberian Peninsula and minor populations in Northwest Africa. The species was first described by Jean- ...

'') in the dry, sunny regions; and English oak (''

Quercus robur ''Quercus robur'', commonly known as common oak, pedunculate oak, European oak or English oak, is a species of flowering plant in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae. It is a large tree, native plant, native to most of Europe west of the Caucasus ...

'') and Pyrenean oak (''

Quercus pyrenaica ''Quercus pyrenaica'', commonly known as Pyrenean oak, is a tree native to southwestern Europe and northwestern North Africa. Despite its common name, it is rarely found in the Pyrenees Mountains and is more abundant in northern Portugal and nort ...

'') in the humid, colder areas. It is an area of appreciable landscape, composed of quartzite, accompanied by gravel along the flanks. The rivers, in addition to its fishery resources, are utilized for leisure activities (including its beaches and fluvial pools). There are a number of watercourses in the municipality, all with a permanent character that support the watersheds of the Zêzere and Mondego Rivers. The riparian vegetation, consequently, thrives: specifically, the patches of European alder (''

Alnus glutinosa ''Alnus glutinosa'', the common alder, black alder, European alder, European black alder, or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to most of Europe, southwest Asia and northern Africa. It thrives in wet locations whe ...

'') and communities of Portuguese laurel (''

Prunus lusitanica ''Prunus lusitanica'', the Portuguese laurel cherry or Portugal laurel, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to southwestern France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Macaronesia (the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira ...

''), with the presence of European holly (''

Ilex aquifolium ''Ilex aquifolium'', the holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, or occasionally Christmas holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family (botany), family Aquifoliaceae, native plant, native to western and southern Europe, nort ...

''). These areas include important spaces for the conservation of Iberian Emerald Lizard (''

Lacerta schreiberi The Iberian emerald lizard (''Lacerta schreiberi''), also known commonly as Schreiber's green lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Etymology The specific name, ''schreiberi'' ...

'') and particularly the Gold-Striped Salamander (''

Chioglossa lusitanica The gold-striped salamander or golden-striped salamander (''Chioglossa lusitanica'') is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae. It is the only species of the genus ''Chioglossa''. It is found in the north-west of Iberia (in Portugal ...

''), also known as an area of elevated genetic diversity and major vulnerability.

Human geography

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes (''

freguesias ''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...

''): * Alvares *

Cadafaz e Colmeal Cadafaz e Colmeal is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Góis Góis () is a concelho, municipality of the district of Coimbra (district), Coimbra, in the Centro Region, Portugal, central part of continental Portugal. The population in 201 ...

Góis Góis () is a concelho, municipality of the district of Coimbra (district), Coimbra, in the Centro Region, Portugal, central part of continental Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,260, in an area of 263.30 km². Geography Physical geogra ...

Vila Nova do Ceira Vila Nova do Ceira is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Góis Góis () is a concelho, municipality of the district of Coimbra (district), Coimbra, in the Centro Region, Portugal, central part of continental Portugal. The population in 20 ...

Culture

There are many religious and/or secular festivals throughout the summer, including one of Portugal's largest

Motorbike A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: Long-distance ...

competitions in August (after the one in Faro).

International relations

Góis is twinned with: *

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Lei Municipal de São Paulo 14471 de 2007
WikiSource International Relations - São Paulo City Hall - Official Sister Cities

References

External links

Photographs of Góis on Flickr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gois Towns in Portugal Municipalities of Coimbra District