Concelho

16:02 Jan 3, 2013 

Here in Portugal, "concelho" is a geopolitical division of a district (mainland Portugal) or autonomous region (the Azores or Madeira). The "concelho" is divided into "freguesias" (generally translated as "parishes", which are also geopolitical, but generally coincide with the religious subdivisions (hence the term). The governing body of a "concelho" is the "câmara municipal" overseeing the "serviços municipais". The "câmara municipal" or "autarquia" is the "local authority"; "concelho" conveys the idea of territory with boundaries not the authority itself. Not to be confused with "conselho" (council), although the pronunciation is identical.
According to "Grande Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa", "concelho" and "município" are synonyms, and they are often used interchangeably in speech and print.