The Dundee West constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, with the name and boundaries of an existing Westminster constituency. In 2005, however, the boundaries of the Westminster (House of Commons) constituency were subject to some alteration.
Renamed Dundee City West for the 2011 elections, the electoral wards used in the newly shaped constituency are:
The Holyrood constituency was within the Dundee City council area, which was divided between three North East Scotland constituencies. Dundee West and Dundee East were within the city area.
The Angus constituency covered north-eastern and north-western areas of the city, as well as a southern portion of the Angus council area and a small eastern portion of the Perth and Kinross council area.