[3] In the early 20th century, the area's leading figure was Martiniano José Ferreira Botelho, a doctor, druggist, and politician known for his humanitarian character and his advocacy of the local medicinal waters for treatments.

The region is covered in national monuments and historical structures: the Castle of Aguiar da Pena, the millenarian Roman mining complex of Tresminas, the thermals of Pedras Salgadas, several leisure centres (such as the Falperra Dam/Reservoir), the Dolmens of Alvão, churches, graves/funeral sites, medieval bridges, sun-dials and castro dot the landscape of this unassuming region.

One of the longest and highest highway bridges in Europe was built just south of Vila Pouca, carrying traffic across the fertile valley.

[3] Administratively, the municipality is divided into 14 civil parishes (freguesias):[5] Vila Pouca de Aguiar has for many years experienced the desertification of the Portuguese interior.

[3] Vila Pouca de Aguiar is twinned with: Part of region characterized by fertile soils, and the typical climate of the Terra Fria Transmontana, the municipality of Vila Pouca de Aguiar is essentially subsistence agricultural, cultivating cereal crops, potato, vegetables and supporting some vineyards.

[3] In addition, the economy supports small service industries, government-based dominated tertiary employment, the granite extraction industry (concentrated in the mines of Jales) and the mineral waters in Pedras Salgadas, a small spa town located about ten kilometers north on the main highway to Chaves.