Arouca, Portugal

Arouca
Coordinates: 40°55′N 8°15′W / 40.917°N 8.250°W / 40.917; -8.250
Country Portugal
RegionNorte
Metropolitan areaMetropolitan Area of Porto
DistrictAveiro
Parishes16
Government
  PresidentMargarida Belém (PS)
Area
  Total
329.11 km2 (127.07 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
  Total
22,359
  Density68/km2 (180/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+00:00 (WET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Websitewww.cm-arouca.pt

Arouca (Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐˈɾo(w).kɐ] ) is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, in the Norte Region of Portugal and in the Aveiro District. The population in 2011 was 22,359, in an area of 329.11 square kilometres (127.07 sq mi). It had 20,383 electors in 2006. The population has grown from 7072 inhabitants in 1801.

The entire territory of Arouca is "Arouca Geopark" which is a member of the European Geoparks Network and Global Geoparks Network on account of its outstanding geological heritage, educational programs and projects, and promotion of geotourism.