Minho (river)

Miño (Spanish)(Galician) Minho (Portuguese)
River
The river Minho, and the town of Tui, as seen from Valença
Name origin: Minius (Latin)
Countries	Spain, Portugal
City	Lugo, Ourense
Source	Pedregal de Irimia
- location	Serra de Meira, Lugo, Galicia, Spain
- elevation	695 m (2,280 ft)
- coordinates	43°12′41″N 7°16′52″W / 43.21139°N 7.28111°W / 43.21139; -7.28111
Source confluence	Peares
- location	Ourense, Galicia, Spain
- coordinates	42°27′14″N 7°43′48″W / 42.45389°N 7.73000°W / 42.45389; -7.73000
Mouth	Miño Estuary
- location	Atlantic Ocean, Spain & Portugal
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	41°52′0″N 8°52′12″W / 41.86667°N 8.87000°W / 41.86667; -8.87000Coordinates: 41°52′0″N 8°52′12″W / 41.86667°N 8.87000°W / 41.86667; -8.87000
Length	350 km (217 mi)
Discharge
- average	340 m3/s (12,007 cu ft/s)
Reservoirs	Belesar, Peares, Velle, Castrelo and Frieira
Map showing the location of the Minho

Minho (Portuguese: [ˈmiɲu]) or Miño (Spanish: [ˈmiɲo], Galician: [ˈmiɲo]) is the longest river in Galicia, Spain, with a length of 340 kilometres (210 mi).

The name comes from Latin minius, meaning cinnibar, lead, or vermilion, essentially, "the red river". The Minno waters vineyards and farmland, is used to produce hydroelectric power, and also delineates a section of the Spanish–Portuguese border. In ancient English maps, it appears as Minno.

The source of the Minho lies about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Lugo in Galicia, in a place called Pedregal of Irimia. The river passes just south of the walls of this old Roman city and flows south through canyons until the valley widens north of Ourense. The river has been harnessed in reservoirs from Portomarín to Frieira. Along its length, it has the following reservoirs: Belesar with 654 cubic hectometres (530,000 acre·ft), Peares with 182 cubic hectometres (148,000 acre·ft), Velle with 17 cubic hectometres (14,000 acre·ft), Castrelo with 60 cubic hectometres (49,000 acre·ft) and Frieira with 44 cubic hectometres (36,000 acre·ft).

About 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Ourense at Os Peares, the Minho receives the waters of its main tributary, the Sil. Passing Ourense, there is one major dam at Frieira near the town of Ribadavia, which is famous for its Ribeiro wine (called after the name of the region). Later on, the river flows in a southwest direction until reaching the Portuguese border near Melgaço.