| Vallès Occidental | |
| Native Name Lang: | ca |
| Settlement Type: | Comarca |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Spain |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Barcelona |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Àmbit metropolità de Barcelona |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Sabadell and Terrassa |
| Leader Title1: | Body |
| Leader Name1: | Vallès Occidental Comarcal Council |
| Leader Title2: | President |
| Leader Name2: | Ignasi Giménez Renom (PSC) |
| Parts Type: | Municipalities |
| Parts Style: | list |
| P1: | Badia del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès, Castellar del Vallès, Castellbisbal, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Gallifa, Matadepera, Montcada i Reixac, Palau-solità i Plegamans, Polinyà, Rellinars, Ripollet, Rubí, Sabadell, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sant Llorenç Savall, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Sentmenat, Terrassa, Ullastrell, Vacarisses, Viladecavalls |
| Area Total Km2: | 583.1 |
| Population Total: | 899,532 |
| Population As Of: | 2014 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Largest municipality |
| Blank Info Sec1: | Terrassa |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Website: | www.ccvoc.cat |
Vallès Occidental (in Catalan; Valencian pronounced as /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.
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).
Vallès Occidental has several notable official hiking trails, known as "senders de gran recorregut".
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.
| Municipality | Population(2014)[1] | Areakm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=right | 13,553 | align=right | 0.9 | ||
| align=right | 32,550 | align=right | 8.3 | ||
| align=right | 23,440 | align=right | 44.9 | ||
| align=right | 12,434 | align=right | 31.0 | ||
| align=right | 57,402 | align=right | 30.6 | ||
| align=right | 202 | align=right | 16.3 | ||
| align=right | 8,841 | align=right | 25.4 | ||
| align=right | 34,394 | align=right | 23.5 | ||
| align=right | 14,454 | align=right | 14.9 | ||
| align=right | 8,238 | align=right | 8.8 | ||
| align=right | 726 | align=right | 17.8 | ||
| align=right | 37,233 | align=right | 4.3 | ||
| align=right | 74,353 | align=right | 32.3 | ||
| align=right | 207,444 | align=right | 37.8 | ||
| align=right | 87,118 | align=right | 48.2 | ||
| align=right | 2,361 | align=right | 41.1 | ||
| align=right | 19,549 | align=right | 14.1 | ||
| align=right | 25,409 | align=right | 15.8 | ||
| align=right | 8,645 | align=right | 28.8 | ||
| align=right | 215,517 | align=right | 70.2 | ||
| align=right | 2,056 | align=right | 7.3 | ||
| align=right | 6,218 | align=right | 40.7 | ||
| align=right | 7,395 | align=right | 20.1 | ||
| • Total: 23 | align=right | 899,532 | align=right | 583.1 |
Much of Catalonia's transportation network passes through Vallès Occidental, with roads, railroads, etc. crossing the valley in various directions.
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.
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.