Geography
The comarca is located at the southwest of the Zamora province. The main geographical characteristic is the isolation caused by the Duero and Tormes rivers canyons. Its borders are, consequently, well defined, specially to the north (Duero canyon separates Sayago from Aliste), to the west (Duero canyon separates Sayago from Portugal) and to the south (Tormes canyon and Almendra Dam separates Sayago from the province of Salamanca). East is the less marked border, which makes easy the relations with Tierra del Pan and Zamora, the capital city of the province.
Duero canyons are especially deep in the stretch shared with Portugal, as the erosion found better conditions to act than in previous zones. That has been the cause for the relatively low relations between the comarca and Portugal. The canyons have been used to build some reservoirs along the river in its journey through the comarca: San Román Dam, Villalcampo Dam, Castro Dam, Miranda Dam, Picota Dam and Bemposta Dam (the last three owned by Portugal), apart from the mentioned Almendra Dam. They all are for electricity production, making Sayago one of the most important hydroelectric areas in the whole country.
It's not only the canyons which define the landscape of Sayago. The highlands, where towns are located, form an extense peneplain with successions of hills and valleys caused by streams that join the Duero and Tormes rivers. Geologically, the most common terrain is composed by low-quality ground and many granite outcrops, with few areas of fertile floor around the streams.
The high value of this ecosystem has been recognised when in 2002 the Parque Natural Arribes del Duero was declared. The Spanish — or more specifically, Sayaguese — word arribes refers to the Duero and Tormes canyons. This area is the home for many endangered bird species such as black stork and is known for a well-preservation of the native flora. Holm oak, common oak, juniper, broom or thyme are some of the species that dominates the flora scenario in Sayago.
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