CANTANHEDE
40° 20′ 46.46″ N, 8° 35′ 38.65″ W
It is the seat of the municipality of Cantanhede with 390.88 km² of area and 36 595 inhabitants (2011), subdivided into 14 parishes (Ançã; Cadima; Cantanhede and Pocariça; Cordinhã; Covões and Camarneira; Febres; Murtede; Ourentã; Portunhos and Outil; Sanguinheira; Sao Caetano; Sepins and Bolho; Tocha; Vilamar and Corticeiro de Cima).
The municipality is limited to the north by the municipalities of Vagos, Oliveira do Bairro and Anadia, to the east by Mealhada, to the southeast by Coimbra, to the south by Montemor-o-Velho and by Figueira da Foz, to the northwest by Mira, and to the west by the Ocean Atlantic.
The economy is predominantly tertiary in the city, and primary in the remaining parishes of the municipality. Due to the clayey properties of the soil, the most profitable crops are the least demanding: potatoes, forage, and vines. The plain vineyard landscape surrounds the city of Cantanhede. Cantanhede wine is internationally recognized for its characteristic flavor due to the unique growth conditions of the vine.
The city of Cantanhede has seen great demographic, economic, and tertiary developments in recent years. It has leisure, hospital, and teaching services of great importance in the region. A scientific research center was recently built.
