About Maia

Maia is a municipality and a agglomeration in Porto District, in Northern Portugal. It is located 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) east of downtown Porto, on the left bank of the Douro River. The city has about 160,000 inhabitants. It had a total area of 97.40 square kilometres (37.70 sq mi) and a population density of 1,655 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,290/sq mi). Inhabited since the times of the Roman Empire, the region of Maia was always a point of passage between Porto and Braga. The Coat of Arms of Maia is inspired by the Roman presence in the Municipality, more specifically in São Miguel de Giesta. The city is home to many companies, namely in the aeronautical, automotive and textile industry, being one of the most industrialized municipalities in Portugal. The Gulbenkian Orchestra is based here. The municipality is also home to Porto's international airport, Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport.