Oeste (also known as Região do Oeste) is a Portuguese sub-region located in
the center-west of the country, belonging to the Centro region. It has a
total extension of 2,220 km2, 363,551 inhabitants in 2021 and a population
density of 164 inhabitants per km2.
It is made up of 12
municipalities and 89 parishes, with the city of Caldas da Rainha being
the administrative city and one of the main urban centers in the sub-region.
With 30,443 inhabitants in its urban area and 50,898 inhabitants in the
entire municipality, it is the largest city and the third largest
municipality in the sub-region, after Torres Vedras with 83,130 inhabitants
and Alcobaça with 54,981 in the entire municipality, being limited to the
northeast with the Region of Leiria, to the east with Lezíria do Tejo, to
the south with Área Metropolitana de Lisboa and to the west with the
Atlantic Ocean.
It comprises 12 municipalities:
Alcobaça
Alenquer
Arruda dos Vinhos
Bombarral
Cadaval
Caldas da Rainha
Lourinhã
Nazaré
Obidos
Peniche
Sobral de
Monte Agraço
Torres Vedras
These municipalities form the West Intermunicipal Community.
The West region is characterized by a coastal and rural influence. As
subjects of special interest, horticulture stands out, namely the Rocha
Pear from the West, the Maçã de Alcobaça and the Sour Cherry from Óbidos
and Alcobaça. Surfing, beaches, monumental heritage and geology make
tourism an important economic activity in the region.
The 2021 census shows that the subregion's population increased to 363,551 compared to 2011 when the population was 362,527 and 2001 when the population was 338,685. Arruda dos Vinhos, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Sobral de Monte Agraço and Torres Vedras are the only counties out of the eleven that saw an increase, while the other six counties saw a decrease.