Westland District is a political subdivision on the west coast of the South Island. It is administered by the Westland District Council territorial authority. Its population is 8,950 (June 2013 estimate). Its land area is 11,880.19 square kilometres.

In the early years of settlement in Westland, gold was a major commodity, causing prospectors to flock into the area. After the gold ran out, those who remained turned to pastoral farming. In recent years, tourism has become more important, with drawcards such as the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, as well as events such as the Hokitika Wild Food Festival.

The current mayor is Mike Havill.