Odemira Municipality
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Odemira (), officially the Town of Odemira (), is a town and a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in
Beja District The Beja District (; ) is located in southern Portugal. The district capital is the city of Beja. It is the largest district of the country by area, comprising around 11% of Portuguese territory. It borders Spain. Municipalities The district i ...
in the Portuguese region of
Alentejo Alentejo ( , , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond the Tagus" (). Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo Province, Alto Alentejo and Bai ...
. The population in 2021 was 29,538, in an area of , making it the largest municipality of Portugal by area, but one of the least
densely populated Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
. It is famous for its wild beaches and for being home to a significant
immigrant Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...
community, comprising 28.2% of the municipality's population, as of 2021. The village of Zambujeira do Mar is home to the Festival do Sudoeste, one of the biggest rock festivals in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
. The municipality of Odemira has two large economic activities,
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
and export-oriented
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
. It is home to major operations of national and international agricultural companies such as Driscoll’s, Vitacress and Sudoberry. The present Mayor is Hélder António 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 th ...
in 2021. The municipal holiday is 8 September.


Etymology

The first element of the town's name, (equivalent to
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
), is common in Portuguese placenames and stems from
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, meaning "
river valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over a ...
" or "
gully A gully is a landform A landform is a land feature on the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. They may be natural or may be anthropogenic (caused or influenced by human activity). Landforms together make up a given ter ...
". The second element's origin is more uncertain, but is presumed to be derived from a pre-Roman toponym, either Celtic or pre-Celtic.


History

The region has been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by archaeological remains predating the Roman era. Successive civilizations, including the Romans and later the Muslim states of
Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
, left their mark on the local culture and traditions. The Christian reconquest of Odemira occurred relatively late, possibly carried out by the
Order of Santiago The Order of Santiago (; ) is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the patron saint of Spain, ''Santiago'' ( St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgrims on the Way of S ...
. By 1238, the region was under Christian control. In 1245, the castle of Odemira was donated by
Paio Peres Correia D. Paio Peres Correia (1205 – January 1275) was a Portuguese warrior who played an important role in the thirteenth-century Reconquista.López Fernández, Manuel (2003)"Sobre la muerte y enterramientos de un Maestre santiaguista"in ''Revista de ...
, Master of the Order of Santiago, to the
Bishop of Porto The Diocese of Porto () (Oporto) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Braga. Its see at Porto is in the Norte region, and the second largest city in Portugal. History The dioc ...
, Pedro Salvadores. On 28 March 1256, King Afonso III incorporated Odemira into the Crown and granted it a municipal charter (
foral 200px, Foral of Castro Verde - Portugal The ''Carta de Foral'', or simply ''Foral'', was a royal document in Portugal and its former empire, whose purpose was to establish a ''concelho'' (Council) and regulate its administration, borders and priv ...
). This charter delineated the boundaries of the municipality and reflected a continuity of administrative practices from the Islamic period. Positioned near the navigable stretch of the Mira River, Odemira became a central hub for a vast surrounding territory, following a territorial model common to many southwestern Iberian settlements. Under King
Dinis Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal from 1279 until his death in 1325. Dinis was the eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second ...
, the lordship of Odemira was granted to
Manuel Pessanha Manuel Pessanha (Portuguese translation of Italian Emanuele Pessagno) was a 14th century Republic of Genoa, Genoese merchant sailor who served as the first admiral of Portugal at the time of King Denis of Portugal. His brother was the Genoa, Geno ...
in 1319, a Genoese admiral instrumental in organizing the Portuguese navy. During the reign of King Afonso IV, Odemira briefly returned to the Order of Santiago before being reincorporated into the Crown in 1352. In 1357, the castle briefly returns to the Pessanha family, when King Pedro I gave it to Lançarote Pessanha. In 1387, King João I transferred the lordship of Odemira to Lourenço Anes Fogaça, whose descendants maintained control until the late 15th century. In 1446, King Afonso V created the title of
Count of Odemira Count of Odemira (in Portuguese ''Conde de Odemira'') was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. Sancho de Noronha by royal decree issued on 9 October 1446, by King Afonso V of Portugal. Sancho de Noronha was the third son of Alfonso, ...
, bestowing it upon Sancho de Noronha. Odemira received a new foral from King Manuel I in 1510 as part of the widespread administrative reforms of the time. This document emphasized the economic importance of maritime trade, livestock, and local mineral resources. The title of Count of Odemira became extinct in 1661 when the holdings were incorporated into the House of
Cadaval Cadaval () is a municipality in the Oeste intermunicipal community and Lisbon District of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 14,228, In 1888, the Linha do Sul railway line reached the Odemira municipality, connecting it to
Setúbal Setúbal ( , , ; ), officially the City of Setúbal (), is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population of the entire municipality in 2014 was 118,166, occupying an area of . The city itself had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001. It lies withi ...
and
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
to the north and a year later to
Algarve The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
to the south. While it did not reach the town of Odemira, three stations were constructed in the east of the municipality: Amoreiras-Odemira in São Martinho das Amoreiras, Luzianes and Santa Clara - Saboia, near the villages of Santa Clara-a-Velha and Sabóia. The arrival of the railways permitted the creation of small population centers around these stations. The station in Luzianes was deactivated in 2012, due to low demand. During the 1960s and 1970s, the municipality was affected by rural exodus, losing 33% of its population between 1960 and 1981. Since the 1980s, an increase in foreign investment in export focused agricultural production has helped stabilize the municipality's population, and even grow between 2011 and 2021. While the native resident population has gradually decreased, immigration to the municipality has increased since the 1990s. Immigrants came primarily from
Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
in the 1990s and in the 2000s, and since from
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.


Geography

The municipality of Odemira is located in southwestern Portugal, bordered by the municipalities of
Sines Sines () is a town 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 () 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 holiday ...
to the north,
Ourique Ourique (), officially the Town of Ourique (), is a List of municipalities of Portugal, city in the District of Beja (Portugal), District of Beja in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,389, in an area of 663.31 km2. This town is tradition ...
to the east, and the Algarvian municipalities of Aljezur and Monchique to the south. Its coastline is long and approximately 44% of its territory is within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Nature Park and the
Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...
network.


Climate

Odemira has a
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
. 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 (), officially the Town of Ourique (), is a List of municipalities of Portugal, city in the District of Beja (Portugal), District of Beja in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,389, in an area of 663.31 km2. This town is tradition ...
) and warm at the coast (where maxima is around ).


Parishes

Administratively, the municipality is divided into 13 civil parishes ('' freguesias''): * Boavista dos Pinheiros * Colos * Longueira / Almograve * Luzianes-Gare * Relíquias * Sabóia * Santa Clara-a-Velha * São Luís * São Martinho das Amoreiras * São Salvador e Santa Maria * São Teotónio * Vale de Santiago * Vila Nova de Milfontes


Demographics

The municipality of Odemira experienced population growth between 2011 and 2021, marking the first such increase since 1950. This trend contrasts with the broader pattern of population decline in much of rural Portugal. The growth has been largely attributed to immigration, which has significantly transformed the municipality's demographic profile. In 2021, Odemira had the highest proportion of foreign-born residents among all Portuguese municipalities, with 28.2% of its population originating from abroad. This marked a significant rise in the number of foreign residents, increasing from 3,320 in 2014 to 13,843 by 2023. The municipality hosts two distinct groups of immigrants: agricultural workers from
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
,
South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
, and
Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
, and high-income professionals, such as
CEOs Kea (), also known as Tzia () and in antiquity Keos (, ), is a Greek island in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Kea is part of the Kea-Kythnos regional unit. Geography It is the island of the Cyclades complex that is closest to Att ...
, primarily from
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Among the immigrant communities, residents from
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
are notably prominent, numbering 2,388 and 1,611, respectively, in 2021. The influx of immigrants has been driven in part by the growth of agribusiness, which relies heavily on foreign labor. These dynamics are reshaping the social, economic, and cultural fabric of Odemira, aligning it with trends observed in other rural areas engaged with globalized agricultural practices. However, the rapid pace of change has also brought challenges as of 2021, particularly in areas such as housing, education, language classes and cultural integration, where demand has often outstripped local capacity to adapt.


Economy

The local economy is characterized by a dual reliance on
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
and intensive, export-oriented
agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...
. The latter has been a significant driver of economic activity since the 1980s, benefiting from foreign investment and infrastructure such as the Santa Clara Dam and the Mira River Irrigation Perimeter. Agribusiness in Odemira focuses on the production of vegetables, small fruits, and
ornamental flowers Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...
, primarily for export. Companies such as Driscoll’s Vitacress and Sudoberry have established operations in the municipality, making Odemira a key player in the European berry market. By 2014, Odemira accounted for 90% of Portugal's
raspberry The raspberry is the edible fruit of several plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the Rosaceae, rose family, most of which are in the subgenus ''Rubus#Modern classification, Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Ras ...
production and 50% of raspberry consumption in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
came from Portugal. These enterprises rely heavily on immigrant labor to sustain operations, reflecting the globalized nature of the local agricultural sector. Tourism also plays an important role in the local economy, supported by Odemira's natural beauty and protected landscapes. Initiatives such as rural tourism and
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...
have complemented the municipality's agricultural identity, attracting lifestyle migrants and visitors seeking recreation in a preserved natural environment


Transports

There are two active railway stations in the Odemira municipality in the Linha do Sul railway line: Amoreiras-Odemira in São Martinho das Amoreiras and Santa Clara - Saboia nearby the villages of Santa Clara-a-Velha and Sabóia. Neither of these stations passes by the town of Odemira, with the Amoreiras-Odemira station located northeast of the town of Odemira.


Notable people

*
Pedro Damiano Pedro Damiano (; ''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 giocare a scachi et d ...
(1480–1544) a Portuguese chess player and pharmacist by profession * Jéssica Silva (born 1994) a footballer * Pedro de Almada Pereira (1835 in Odemira – 1911) a landowner, schoolmaster and journalist, founder of the periodical ''O Campo de Ourique''


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 websitePhotos from Odemira
{{Authority control Towns in Portugal Populated places in Beja District Municipalities of Beja District