Leiria
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Leiria is a city in Portugal .
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Map showing district of Leiria in Portugal
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Geography and Location
Leiria is located halfway between Lisbon and Porto. It is the seat of the district of Leiria.
Climate
Leiria has a proximity with Atlantic Ocean, therefore Spring and Summer months are usually sunny and the temperatures very high during July and August, with highs usually above 30°C only rarely reaching 40°C. Autumn and Winter are typically rainy and windy, yet sunny days are not rare either, the temperatures rarely fall below 5°C, usually staying at an average of 10°C. Leiria's climate is classified as Atlantic-Mediterranean.
Demographics
According to the 2001 census, the population of the city is 50,200. The city is divided into 6 parishes, and the municipality as a whole has a population of 119,870 in 29 parishes.
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History
Leiria has a long history, having been known to the Romans as Collipo. After being held by the Moors for some time, it was captured by King Afonso I in the 12th century. In 1254, King Afonso III held a cortes (parliament) in the city. In the 14th century, King Dinis restored the city's old castle, which was originally built in the 12th century, for use as a royal residence. The castle, located on a hill in the centre of Leiria, remains a prominent feature of the city today.
Events
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly called EURO 2004 took place in several stadiums in Portugal, one of them "Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Stadium" situated down the hill of the castle.
Economy
Leiria, has an economy concentrated on services. It also has several industries related with plastics and mouldes.
Transportation
Leiria is connected to its suburbs and the rest of Portugal by a motorway network. There are two motorways paasing the city; the A1 and the A8.
Colleges and Universities
Leiria hosts a regional public institution, the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria [1] (http://www.ipleiria.pt/).
External links
es:Leiria fr:Leiria gl:Leiria id:Leiria it:Leiria la:Leiria nl:Leiria pl:Leiria pt:Leiria ro:Leiria simple:Leiria fi:Leiria sl:Leiria sv:Leiria