Alqueva is a parish in the municipality of Portel, with 79.20 km² of area and 329 inhabitants (2011) corresponding to a population density of 4.2 inhabitants per km².

The name of the Alqueva dam comes from the village of Alqueva. In Alqueva it is also located the largest ostrich breeding of Portugal.

The Alqueva parish belongs to the Portel municipality, in the district of Evora, lies the district council headquarters about 19 kilometers and has as patron St. Lourenço.

The place name "Alqueva" derives from "fallow" which means "fallow land" or "desolate" - which in fact conforms to the geological characteristics of the parish, very dry and rough soil due to water scarcity, and this issue a major obstacle to their development.

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