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PalmelaPalmela is a small town 35 km south of Lisbon, Portugal, in the district of Setbal. In its municipality lives around 40.000 people, though the town itself hosts just little over 10.000 citizens. Palmela is said to be founded by Romans, and there's many signs left from the Muslim invaders. It was conquered by the Portuguese in the XII century. Palmela is located up a hill in the Arrbida area, and it's a nature respecting semi-rural town, right in the middle of Portugal's biggest urban area, though the fact that many people are moving in from big cities like Lisbon represents a problem. Wild fires in the region are another threat to the environment. The town's ex libris is the castle (Castelo de Palmela), which offers an unique view over the whole region of Setbal's Peninsula, Lisbon, and the Atlantic Coast. It was a highly strategical spot in past centuries, and today it's still a main knot of Portugal's road and rail networks, and also a suggested municipality to host the new Lisbon's International Airport. It is also home to many multinational industrial plants like Volkswagen or Coca-Cola, and some German, Dutch, French, Arab, Brazillian, Ukrainian and Russian families live in Palmela as the result of its healthy economy. Palmela's traditional products are the wine, which has achieved international awards in several festivals like Bordeaux's, and the queijo de Azeito (Azeito's cheese), also very appreciated. There are several festivals dedicated to these products, being the most famous the Festa das Vindimas (Vines' Festival) and the Festival do Queijo, Po e Vinho (Festival of Cheese, Bread and Wine). The mayor of Palmela is Ana Teresa Vicente, elected by the Portuguese Communist Party, though disagreements between the party and the local government are reported, since the municipality has engaged in highly progressive experiencies of local democracy.
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