Beira Baixa is a historic province (or natural region) located in the Center
region of Portugal, originally created in the 19th century from part of the
territory of the former Province of Beira. Beira Baixa covers the
sub-regions of Beira Interior Sul and Beira Interior Norte, Cova da Beira
and part of Pinhal Interior Sul and Pinhal Interior Norte, encompassing a
large part of the District of Castelo Branco. In the administrative reform
of 1936, a division called the Province of Beira Baixa was again created.
This new province now covers only the southern interior part of the former
Province of Beira, that is, approximately the current District of Castelo
Branco. However, the 1936 provinces practically never had any attribution
but are used daily in the daily life of the Portuguese and comprise a
historic province of Portugal.
It borders to the north with Beira
Alta, to the northwest with Beira Litoral, to the southwest with Ribatejo,
to the south with Alto Alentejo and with Spain (province of Cáceres, in
Estremadura) and to the east with Spain (province of Cáceres ), in
Extremadura.
It is made up of 13 municipalities, comprising the
entire district of Castelo Branco and also a municipality in the district of
Coimbra and another in the district of Santarém, respectively. It had its
headquarters in the city of Castelo Branco.
District of Castelo
Branco: Belmonte, Castelo Branco, Covilhã, Fundão, Idanha-a-Nova, Oleiros,
Penamacor, Proença-a-Nova, Sertã, Vila de Rei and Vila Velha de Ródão.
District of Coimbra: Pampilhosa da Serra.
District of Santarém: Mação.
For some geographers, this province, together with Beira Transmontana,
formed a larger geographical unit: Beira Interior.
Alcains
Castelo Branco
Covilhã
Enxabarda
Fundão
Idanha-a-Nova
Vila de Rei
Currently, a large part of the territory of the former province is
included in the NUTS III of Beira Baixa, which also has an
Intermunicipal Community. It encompasses six municipalities:
White
Castle
Idanha-a-Nova
potters
Penamacor
Proença-a-Nova
Vila Velha de Rodão
As for the remaining territory of the
historic province, the municipalities of Cova da Beira (Belmonte,
Covilhã and Fundão) joined the other municipalities of Beira Interior,
forming the CIM of Beiras and Serra da Estrela, while the municipalities
of Sertã, Vila de Rei and Mação are included in the Middle Tejo CIM. The
municipality of Pampilhosa da Serra is part of the NUTS III Region of
Coimbra.