Situated in the north of Portugal, the Minho region borders on Galicia (Spain), in the north, and the Atlantic Ocean, in the west. With a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants, the region is often associated with the green of its natural scenery, where water is in abundance. Minho is also typically characterised by a mountainous terrain of great beauty and biodiversity, which gradually becomes smoother as one reaches the river valleys and the countless beaches along the coastline. At present, the geographic area of the Minho region amounts to 4,700 km².
The unique traditional landscape, marked by small fields, vineyards and corn fields, villages with granite structures and manor houses bring another dimension to the description of the region, together with the typical Minho hospitality, rich culinary tradition and vibrant customs, celebrations and popular festivals.
The artistic expression, often of religious nature, dates back to the Romanesque period and is influenced also by the Renaissance and the Baroque. Religion was, and still is, a strong identity trait, which manifests itself through habits, customs and the human geography of Minho.
Alongside these aspects, related to the morphology and the more traditional cultural dimensions, there are also other elements that characterise the region.
The production areas of the region are rather diverse but the secondary sector is predominant. Especially in the case of southern municipalities, the economy is characterised by a strong industrialisation and the presence of small-scale industries. The textile and clothing sectors are among those of greater importance, together with the food sector and the footwear industry. Other lines of business stand out as well: those involving the processing of metal and wood, which have in common their connection to the building industry and the manufacture of household products. Last but not least, the more technological lines of business need to be mentioned, such as those involving the manufacture of electronic equipment, radio and television sets and other activities, related to the automotive industry: e.g. the production of car parts and moulds, injection of plastic material, production of rubber parts and wiring. The majority of these lines of business are concentrated in the hands of just a small number of companies, thus implying the presence of major multinational corporations.
The region's specialisation in traditional business activities (labour-intensive and more technologically mature) turned out to be a strong and growing investment arena for many different political and socio-economic representatives of the region in terms of development of companies which require a higher level of qualifications, based on human capital, innovation and knowledge, such as IT, electronics, robotics, and medical devices companies.
From the very beginning of its existence, the University of Minho has always tried to play an active part in the development of the Minho region, explicitly choosing as its main strategic goal to contribute to the transformation of Minho into a knowledge-based Development Region - the "Minho Region of Knowledge."