Map - Bragança District (Distrito de Bragança)

Bragança District (Distrito de Bragança ; Çtrito de Bergáncia) is a traditional political division of Portugal, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain (Castile and Leon and Galicia), covering 7.4% of the nation's continental landmass. the total resident population was 136,252, making it the second-least populous district in Portugal, only surpassing Portalegre District.

Bragança is administratively divided in twelve municipalities and 299 parishes located in the north-eastern part of Trás-os-Montes. The capital of the district, Bragança, is 217 km from Porto, the second largest town in Portugal, 107 km from the Spanish town of Zamora and 169 km from Salamanca, also in Spain. It is bordered by Spain (Castile and Leon and Galicia) in the north and northeast, Vila Real District in the west, Viseu District in the southwest and Guarda District in the south.

During the Roman era, the territory was part of the much larger province of Gallaecia, dependent administratively on Astorga and the gold, iron and silver trade route. Although names similar to Bragança appeared around 666 B.C. (Wamba) or 569 A.D. (Council of Lugo), a territory identifiable as Bragança only appeared after the Celts who baptised one of their main settlements Brigantia, in the second century, which was later Latinized to Bragança. But this settlement was limited.

The region's name was derived from the traditional feudal history of the northern region: the Bragançãos family of Castro de Avelãs were the basis of this lineage that included Fernão Mendes, who later married the Infanta Sancha (daughter of Afonso Henriques), inheriting the region on the death of the King. The Bragançãos would maintain their hold on the region until 1258, when Afonso III transferred the title to Nuno Martins, but the name Braganção would continue to influence the region. Eventually, the King Afonso V established the Dukedom of the Duchy of Braganza for his uncle, Afonso, Count of Barcelos to strengthen the ties of the crown to the land. When the royal House of Braganza ascended to the throne of Portugal (through John IV), the significance of Bragança, as the hereditary seat of the Kings and Emperors of Portugal was sealed.

The district of Bragança was constituted upon the creation of the district system on 25 April 1835; a creation of the Liberal government, it was inspired by the French départements, with the objective to "facilitate the action of government...and permit access to the authorities". The establishment of the districts was primarily done to counteract the centralizing tendencies of the governmental authority.