ALENTEJO, ancient province of central and southern Portugal; bounded on the north by Beira, east by Spanish Estre madura and Andalusia, south by Algarve and west by the Atlantic ocean and Portuguese Estremadura. Pop. (1900) 416,105 ; area 9,219sq.m. The principal rivers are the Tagus, which divides Alentejo from Beira; the Guadiana, which, crossing the Spanish frontier, flows southwards through the province ; and the Sado, which rises in the Serra de Monchique, and flows to the north. There are several extensive plains, notably that lying south-west of the Serra de Portalegre; that of Beja, between the Sado and Guadiana ; and of Ourique, farther south between the same rivers. Some portions of these plains are fruitful, others marshy, while large tracts are desolate.
The climate in the lowland is hot and unhealthy in summer because of stagnant marshes. Towards the Spanish frontier the soil is fertile, and in the south are extensive forests of oak, pine, chestnut, cork and ilex, especially on the sides of the Mezquita and Caldeirao ranges. In the more fertile parts, grapes, figs, citrons, pomegranates and other fruits are produced. Wheat is the main crop; maize and rice are also grown, and some attention is given to the rearing of mules, asses, goats, cattle and sheep; while the Alter breed of horses, named after the villages of Alter do Chao and Alter Pedroso (4,859), near Portalegre, is often accounted the best in the country. Agriculture, however, is backward, the sparse population being mostly concentrated in the towns. Droves of large swine are fed on the waste lands, afford ing excellent hams. The mineral wealth of Alentejo, little ex ploited, includes copper and iron mines and marble quarries. Local industries include preparation of exceptionally fine olive oil, and the manufacture of cloth, pottery and leather. Alentejo is traversed by two main lines of railway, the Madrid-Badajoz Lisbon and Lisbon-Faro. For administrative purposes the prov ince is divided into the districts of Portalegre in the north, Evora in the central region and Beja in the south.