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Vigo Ria (Galician: and Spanish: Ría de Vigo) is an estuary in Galicia, Spain. It is the southern most ria of the Rías Baixas. It is located south of the province of Pontevedra, and extends in northeast direction over a length of 35 km from its mouth at Cape Silleiro to the deepest point in Arcade, with a maximum width of 7 km, and is narrowest in the Strait of Rande at 700 m. Its western entrance is protected by the Cies Islands, which are part of the National Park of the Atlantic Islands, within the islands of Toralla and San Simon. Its borders the north with Morrazo Peninsula. In the extreme south lies the Bay of Baiona. Its easy access, deep draft and calm waters make the Vigo estuary an ideal retreat for sailing and water sports.
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Map of R%C3%ADa de Vigo, Spain
From the environmental point of view, it is a bay with a biologically richness because of its crop water currents and deep cold waters from the north, carrying large quantities of nutrients. Historically, the Vigo estuary area has been good for fishing and shellfishing, although current conditions are not ideal due to high human and industrial pressure on coastal waterfront.
On its banks stood the city of Vigo. The municipalities of Baiona, Nigrán, Redondela, Soutomaior, Vilaboa, Moaña and Cangas do Morrazo are also situated here. It has a total population of about 420,000 inhabitants.
The Battle of Rande developed here on October 23, 1702, more precisely at the end of the estuary, in the Ensenada de San Simón. The following German U-Boats are reported to have been sunk somewhere in the ria: German submarine U-523 (2), sunk August 25, 1943 (17 dead and 37 survivors), and U-506, sunk at 15:50 on July 12, 1943 (48 dead and six survivors).