The Ribatejo () is the most central of the traditional

provinces of Portugal The term "provinces" () has been used throughout history to identify regions of continental Portugal. Current legal subdivisions of Portugal do not coincide with the provinces, but several provinces, in their 19th- and 20th-century versions, s ...

, with no coastline or border with Spain. The region is crossed by the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; ; ) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales between Cuenca and Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. Name T ...

river (''Ribatejo'' translates to "upper Tagus", or more precisely, "up the Tagus" relative to

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 ...

at its mouth). The region contains some of the nation's richest agricultural land, and it produces most of the animals used in the Portuguese style of bullfighting. Ribatejo Province was formally created in 1936. It contained the municipalities of

Abrantes Abrantes () is a concelho, municipality in the central Médio Tejo Subregion, Médio Tejo subregion of Portugal. The population was 39,325, in an area of . The municipality includes several parishes divided by the Tagus River, which runs through ...

Alcanena Alcanena () is a Portuguese town and municipality of Ribatejo in Santarém District. The population in 2011 was 13,868, in an area of 127.33 km². The current mayor is Rui Anastácio (Partido Social Democrata) and the president of the Munici ...

Almeirim Almeirim () is a city and a municipality in Santarém District, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 23,376, in an area of 222.12 km2. The city proper had a population of 10,520 in 2001. History There are vestiges of mid-Paleolithic to Mesol ...

Alpiarça Alpiarça () is a municipality in Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,702, in an area of 95.36 km2. The present Mayor is Mário Fernando Pereira and the President of the Municipal Assembly is Mario Santiago. The munic ...

Azambuja Azambuja (), officially the Town of Azambuja (), is a municipality in the Portuguese district of Lisbon, in the historical region of Ribatejo (and the sole municipality of within the district that does not belong to the historical province of E ...

, Benavente,

Cartaxo Cartaxo () is a concelho, municipality in the district of Santarém (district), Santarém in continental Portugal. The population in 2011 was 24,462, in an area of 158.17 km2. The urbanized centre of Cartaxo had a population of 9,507 in 2001. ...

Chamusca Chamusca () is a municipality in Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2021 was 8,530, in an area of 746.01 km2. The present Mayor is Paulo Queimado, elected by the Socialist Party. The municipal holiday is Ascension Day. Cli ...

Constância Constância () is a municipality in Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 4,056, in an area of 80.37 km². Conquered from the Moors in 1150, it was given the status of 'town' in 1571 through a charter from King Sebastia ...

Coruche Coruche () is a municipality in Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 19,944, in an area of 1115.72 km². The present Mayor is Francisco Silvestre de Oliveira, elected by the Socialist Party. The Coruche City Council ha ...

Entroncamento Entroncamento () is a Portuguese municipality in district of Santarém in the Médio Tejo Subregion (''Middle Tagus'') of the Centro Region. The population in 2011 was 20,206, in an area of 13.73 km2. Situated in the Ribatejo, it benefits f ...

Ferreira do Zêzere Ferreira do Zêzere (, ) is a portuguese municipality in the historical Ribatejo portuguese province and in Santarém District The District of Santarém ( ) is a district of Portugal, located in Portugal's West and Tagus Valley region. The di ...

Golegã Golegã () is a town and municipality in Santarém District, Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 5,913,including the parish Pombalinho, that changed from the municipality of Santarém to Golegã in 2013 in an area of 84.32 ...

Rio Maior Rio Maior () is a municipality in the Santarém District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 21,192, in an area of 272.76 km². The present mayor is Isaura Morais of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the first woman to be elected mayor ...

Salvaterra de Magos Salvaterra de Magos () is a municipality in the district of Santarém in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 22,159, in an area of 243.93 km2. The present Mayor is Hélder Manuel Ramalho de Sousa Esménio of the PS. The previous mayor Ana ...

Santarém Santarém may refer to: Places * Santarém, Pará, Brazil * Santarém District, a district in Portugal * Santarém, Portugal, Capital of the Ribatejo province * Roman Catholic Diocese of Santarém, Portugal Other * Santarém cheese, a Portuguese g ...

Sardoal Sardoal () is a municipality in the district of Santarém in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 3,939, in an area of 92.15 km². The present Mayor is Miguel Borges, elected by the Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Pa ...

Tomar Tomar (), also known in English as Thomar (the ancient name of Tomar), is a Portugal, Portuguese city and a municipality in the historical Ribatejo Portuguese Provinces of Portugal, province, and in Santarém District, Santarém district. The to ...

Torres Novas Torres Novas () is a Portugal, Portuguese Concelho, municipality in the district of Santarém (district), Santarém, in the Médio Tejo Subregion, Médio Tejo of the Oeste e Vale do Tejo region. The population of the municipality was approximately ...

Vila Franca de Xira Vila Franca de Xira (), officially the City of Vila Franca de Xira (), is a city and municipality in the Lisbon District in Portugal. The population in 2021 was 137,659, in an area of 318.19 km2. Situated on both banks of the Tagus River, ...

and

Vila Nova da Barquinha Vila Nova da Barquinha () is a municipality in the district of Santarém in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 7,322, in an area of 49.53 km2. The village of Vila Nova da Barquinha, which is the seat of the municipality, has about 3500 inha ...

. The largest towns were

and

. In 1976 the Ribatejo Province was dissolved. Most of the area belongs to the

Santarém District The District of Santarém ( ) is a district of Portugal, located in Portugal's West and Tagus Valley region. The district capital is the city of Santarém. The district is the 3rd largest in Portugal, with an area of , and a population of 475 ...

. For EU statistical purposes, it was divided between the

Lezíria do Tejo The Comunidade Intermunicipal da Lezíria do Tejo (; "Tagus Floodplain") is an administrative division in Portugal. It was established as an ''Associação de Municípios'' in 1987, converted into a ''Comunidade Urbana'' in 2003, and converted int ...

Médio Tejo The Intermunicipal communities of Portugal, Comunidade Intermunicipal do Médio Tejo (; English language, English: ''Middle Tagus'') is an administrative division in Portugal. It was created in December 2008, replacing the former ''Comunidade Urban ...

Lisbon metropolitan area The Lisbon Metropolitan Area (; abbreviated as AML) is a metropolitan areas in Portugal, metropolitan area in Portugal centered on Lisbon, the capital and largest city of the country. The metropolitan area, covering 17 List of cities in Portuga ...

and Alto Alentejo subregions ( NUTS III), belonging to the

Centro Centro may refer to: Places Brazil *Centro, Santa Maria, a neighborhood in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro, Porto Alegre, a neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil * Centro (Duque de Caxias), a neighborhood of Du ...

and

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 ...

EU statistical regions (

NUTS II Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS () is a geocode standard for referencing the administrative divisions of countries for statistical purposes. The standard, adopted in 2003, is developed and regulated by the European Un ...

Municipalities

Lisboa District Lisbon District () is a district located along the western coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Lisbon, which is also the national capital. From its creation until 1926, it included the area of the current Setúbal District. ...

: Arruda dos Vinhos,

and

municipalities *

Portalegre District Portalegre District ( ) is located in the east of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Portalegre. As of 2021, it is the least populous district of Portugal. It borders Spain. Municipalities The district is composed of 15 municipalit ...

Ponte de Sor Ponte de Sor () is a city and municipality in Portalegre District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 16,722, in an area of 839.71 km2. The present Mayor is Hugo Hilário, elected by the Socialist Party. The municipal holiday is Easter ...

municipality *

, Benavente,

and

municipalities

References

Provinces of Portugal (1936–1976) {{Portugal-geo-stub

Municipalities

See also

References