Lima River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lima River |
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Lima Bridge on Lima River in Ponte de Lima, Portugal
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 Location of river mouth in Portugal
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| Other name(s) | Limia River, Rio Lima |
| Country | Portugal, Spain |
| County | Norte Region, Portugal |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Norte Region, Portugal |
| River mouth | Viana do Castelo, Norte Region, Portugal 41°40′57″N 8°50′13″W / 41.6824°N 8.8369°W |
The Lima River is a river that flows from Spain into Portugal. It is known as the Limia in Spanish and Galician. The river travels west from the Galicia region in Spain and ends in the Atlantic Ocean at Viana do Castelo, Portugal. It is about 108 kilometers (67 miles) long.
History of the Lima River
Long ago, the Romans called the Lima River Limaeas. They thought it was the mythical Lethe river. This river was believed to make people forget things. Some ancient people called it the Belion.
A Roman general named Brutus Callaicus was the first Roman to cross the river. His soldiers were scared because of the myth. To show them it was safe, he carried his flag and crossed first. This convinced his soldiers to follow him.
Where the Lima River Flows
The Lima River starts high up on Talariño Mountain. This is in Ourense, Spain, about 975 meters (3,199 feet) above sea level. It begins near a village called Paradiña. In Spain, the river flows for about 41 kilometers (25 miles). People in Spain sometimes call it by other names like Alariño or Freixo. But its official name in Galicia is Limia.
The river then crosses the border into Portugal. Here, it flows into a large lake created by the Alto Lindoso Dam. This dam is near the village of Lindoso. The dam has a hydro-electric plant that makes electricity.
The dam also created a big reservoir (a man-made lake) on the Spanish side. In 1992, this reservoir flooded several villages. These included Aceredo, Buscalque, O Bao, A Reloeira, and Lantemil.
However, after a long dry period in Spain during the winter of 2021-2022, the water level dropped a lot. This caused the ""ghost village"" of Aceredo to reappear in February 2022. It was once again on dry land.
After the dam, the river continues its journey through the towns of Ponte da Barca and Ponte de Lima. Finally, it reaches the Atlantic Ocean at Viana do Castelo.
See also
In Spanish: Río Limia para niños
- Rivers of Galicia
