Odemira (
or ) is a town and a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in
Beja District in the
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
region of
Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 26,066,
[Instituto Nacional de Estatística]
/ref> in an area of 1720.60 km2, making it the largest municipality of Portugal by area.
It is famous for its wild beaches and for being home to a significant Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
and German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
community. The village of Zambujeira do Mar
Zambujeira do Mar is a former civil parish in the municipality of Odemira, Alentejo region, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the parish São Teotónio. Odemira Municipality in the Portuguese. It has a population of 911 inhabitants, dispers ...
is home to the Festival do Sudoeste
The Sudoeste Festival (), currently named MEO Sudoeste for sponsorship reasons, is a music festival that takes places annually since 1997, in August, in Odemira, in the southwest of Portugal. It is organized by live entertainment company Músic ...
, one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
.
The municipality of Odemira has great agricultural potential, specially in the western area of the region, and is home to major operations of important agricultural companies like Vitacress, world leader in the salad market.
The present Mayor is José Alberto Guerreiro, elected by the Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of t ...
. The municipal holiday is 8 September.
Geography
The municipality of Odemira is located in southwestern Portugal, bordered by the municipalities of Sines
Sines () is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The municipality, divided into two parishes, has around 14,214 inhabitants (2021) in an area of . Sines holds an important oil refinery and several petrochemical industries. It is also a popular ...
and Santiago do Cacém
Santiago do Cacém ( or ) is a municipality in Setúbal District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 29,749, in an area of 1059.69 km2.
The present mayor is Álvaro Beijinha, elected by the Unitary Democratic Coalition. The municipal holi ...
to the north, Ourique
Ourique () is a city in the District of Beja in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,389, in an area of 663.31 km2.
This town is traditionally considered the site of the famous Battle of Ourique in 1139, which saw the forces of Portuguese ...
to the east, and the Algarvian municipalities of Aljezur
Aljezur () is a town and municipality of the District of Faro and Algarve region, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,884, in an area of 323.50 km². The municipality comprises 4 parishes.
History
Aljezur Do árabe al jazair, plur ...
and Monchique
Monchique () is a municipality of southern Portugal, in Faro District (province of Algarve). The population in 2011 was 6,045, in an area of 395.30 km2.
The Municipality of Monchique is situated in the Serra de Monchique and together with t ...
to the south.
Much of the municipality is within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Nature Park.
Climate
Odemira has a Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
. Winters are mild and rainy, with daytime temperatures usually around and nighttime lows around . Summers are dry and sunny and are hot in the interior of the municipality (maxima is around bordering Ourique
Ourique () is a city in the District of Beja in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,389, in an area of 663.31 km2.
This town is traditionally considered the site of the famous Battle of Ourique in 1139, which saw the forces of Portuguese ...
) and warm at the coast (where maxima is around ).
Parishes
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 13 civil parishes (''freguesias
''Freguesia'' (), usually translated as "parish" or "civil parish", is the third-level administrative subdivision of Portugal, as defined by the 1976 Constitution. It is also the designation for local government jurisdictions in the former Port ...
''):
*
* Colos
* Longueira / Almograve
Longueira / Almograve is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Odemira
Odemira ( or ) is a town and a municipality in Beja District in the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 26,066, in an area of 1720.60 km2, mak ...
* Luzianes-Gare
Luzianes-Gare is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Odemira
Odemira ( or ) is a town and a municipality in Beja District in the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 26,066, in an area of 1720.60 km2, making it t ...
* Relíquias
* Sabóia
* Santa Clara-a-Velha
Santa Clara-a-Velha is a civil parish in the municipality of Odemira, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 873,[São Martinho das Amoreiras
São Martinho das Amoreiras is a Portuguese parish in the municipality of Odemira
Odemira ( or ) is a town and a municipality in Beja District in the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 26,066, in an area of 1720.60 km ...]
* São Salvador e Santa Maria
* São Teotónio
São Teotónio is a civil parish in the municipality of Odemira
Odemira ( or ) is a town and a municipality in Beja District in the Portuguese region of Alentejo. The population in 2011 was 26,066, in an area of 1720.60 km2, making it the l ...
* Vale de Santiago
* Vila Nova de Milfontes
Vila Nova de Milfontes is a town and civil parish (''freguesia'') in the municipality ('' concelho'') of Odemira, in the Alentejo region in Portugal. The population in 2021 was 5,653, in an area of 76.48 km2.
History
One of the older parish ...
Notable people
* Pedro Damiano
Pedro Damiano ( pt, Pedro Damião; ''Damiano'' is the Italian form, much like the Latin ''Damianus''; 1480–1544) was a Portuguese chess player. A native of Odemira, he was a pharmacist by profession. He wrote ''Questo libro e da imparare gioca ...
(1480–1544) a Portuguese chess player and pharmacist by profession
* Pedro de Almada Pereira (1835 in Odemira – 1911) an Alentejan landowner, schoolmaster and journalist, founded the periodical ''O Campo de Ourique''
Population
Gallery
Image:V Nova de Milfontes.jpg, Vila Nova de Milfontes.
Image:V. Nova de Milfontes.JPG, Vila Nova de Milfontes.
Image:Zambujeira.jpg, Zambujeira.
References
External links
Town Hall official website
Photos from Odemira
Towns in Portugal
Populated places in Beja District
Municipalities of Beja District
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