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Vallès Occidental

Coordinates: 41°33′50″N 2°02′23″E / 41.56389°N 2.03972°E / 41.56389; 2.03972
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Vallès Occidental
Country Spain
Autonomous community Catalonia
Province Barcelona
RegionÀmbit metropolità de Barcelona
CapitalSabadell and Terrassa
Municipalities
Government
 • BodyVallès Occidental Comarcal Council
 • PresidentIgnasi Giménez Renom (PSC)
Area
 • Total583.1 km2 (225.1 sq mi)
Population
 (2014)
 • Total899,532
 • Density1,500/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Demonym 
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Largest municipalityTerrassa
Websitewww.ccvoc.cat
Riu Ripoll

Vallès Occidental (Catalan pronunciation: [bəˈʎɛz uksiðənˈtal]) is a comarca (county) in the Barcelona region in Catalonia (Spain). It has two capitals, Sabadell and Terrassa. Along with Vallès Oriental, it forms the historical Vallès region.

Physical geography

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Vallès Occidental borders the comarques of Bages (to the north), Vallès Oriental (to the north and east), Baix Llobregat (to the west), and Barcelonès (to the south). It centers on the Catalan prelittoral depression, limited to the west by the River Llobregat and to the east by the River Caldes. The northern part of the comarca is mountainous. From west to east, it contains part of the Obac range (924m altitude at Castellsapera); the massifs of Sant Llorenç de Munt (1095m at La Mola and 1053m at Montcau) and Puig de la Creu (664m); and the Sant Sadurní (954m) and Farell cliffs (789m). At the south of the comarca is the Collserola range (512m), which forms part of the Catalan Littoral. Between these various ranges is the valley that gives its name to the comarca. The valley actually composes two separate watersheds, the basins of the Llobregat and Besòs.

The Llobregat watershed lies to the west of the axis that runs from Obac to Tibidabo (culminating point of the Collserola range), passing through Matadepera, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Bellaterra, and Sant Cugat del Vallès. Tributaries of the Llobregat include the Canyamssos, the Rubí and the Vallvidrera. East of that axis, the watershed of the Besòs includes the rivers Ripoll and Caldes, (the latter forming the eastern border of the comarca).

Major natural parks

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Hiking trails

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Vallès Occidental has several notable official hiking trails, known as "senders de gran recorregut".

Human and economic geography

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Industry is concentrated in the south, coinciding with the flattest land in the comarca. The principal industrial cities are the co-capitals Sabadell and Terrassa, as well as Rubí and Cerdanyola del Vallès. The most important industries are textiles, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, machinery, electrical equipment, construction, chemicals, paper, and the processing of food products. An industrial crisis at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s led to a greater importance for the commercial and service sectors, especially computer-related work.

The north remains primarily rural. Many of the residences there now function as second homes.

Municipalities

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Municipality Population
(2014)[1]
Area
km2[1]
Badia del Vallès 13,553 0.9
Barberà del Vallès 32,550 8.3
Castellar del Vallès 23,440 44.9
Castellbisbal 12,434 31.0
Cerdanyola del Vallès 57,402 30.6
Gallifa 202 16.3
Matadepera 8,841 25.4
Montcada i Reixac 34,394 23.5
Palau-solità i Plegamans 14,454 14.9
Polinyà 8,238 8.8
Rellinars 726 17.8
Ripollet 37,233 4.3
Rubí 74,353 32.3
Sabadell 207,444 37.8
Sant Cugat del Vallès 87,118 48.2
Sant Llorenç Savall 2,361 41.1
Sant Quirze del Vallès 19,549 14.1
Santa Perpètua de Mogoda 25,409 15.8
Sentmenat 8,645 28.8
Terrassa 215,517 70.2
Ullastrell 2,056 7.3
Vacarisses 6,218 40.7
Viladecavalls 7,395 20.1
• Total: 23 899,532 583.1

Transportation

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Much of Catalonia's transportation network passes through Vallès Occidental, with roads, railroads, etc. crossing the valley in various directions.

Motorways

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Highways

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Railroads

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Both railroad companies that operate in Catalonia have lines in Vallès Occidental. Renfe's Barcelona-Lleida line passes through Manresa. The Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya have the "Metro del Vallès", connecting Barcelona to Sabadell and Terrassa.

Airports

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Most air traffic for Vallès Occidental comes through Prat airport in neighboring Baix Llobregat. Sabadell Airport is used for sport flying, as a base for firemen, and for air freight.

References

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  1. ^ a b "El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
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41°33′50″N 2°02′23″E / 41.56389°N 2.03972°E / 41.56389; 2.03972