The District of Vila Real (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvilɐ ʁiˈaɫ], Portuguese: Distrito de Vila Real) is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of 4,239 km², the district is located east of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical province of Trás-os-Montes. Approximate population in the 2001 census was 230,000. The population has shown negative rates in recent years due to emigration and aging. Many of the villages have lost population and have become deserted while the district capital has gained in population.