Porto Santo Island
| Porto Santo | |
|---|---|
| Elevation: | 402 m (1,319 feet) |
| Latitude: | 33.0611° N (33°3'43" N) |
| Longitude: | 16.356° W (16°21'23" W) |
| Location: | Madeira, Portugal |
| Area: | 42.17 km² |
| Type: | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption: | Unknown |
| First ascent: | - |
| Easiest route: | - |
Porto Santo Island (pron. IPA: ['poɾtu 'sɐ̃tu]) is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. Administratively, it is part of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The main urban area in which is one of the five Portuguese municipalities that have only one parish is the city of Porto Santo, also known as Vila Baleira (pron. IPA: ['vilɐ bɐ'lɐiɾɐ]). The population in 2001 was 4,474. The density was 106.1/km². The island also has an airport which serves flights to Funchal, which is only a 15-minute flight away. It is the northernmost and the easternmost island of the Madeira Archipelago. The municipality has no land boundaries and is encircled by the Atlantic Ocean. The nearest place is Machico in the island of Madeira to the southwest which serves as its port to Funchal. The length of the island is about 9 km. The main industry is tourism. The island was discovered by João Gonçalves Zarco in 1419 along with Tristão Vaz Teixeira.
Contents |
Geography
The island's geography includes farmlands in the southern and central parts and further to the south a long shoreline with a few beaches, forests and grasslands to the west, rocky ledges and cliffs with a longer coastline to its north, forests to the northeast, drylands with grasses to the northern part and mountains along the northeastern part with about five to six main mountaintops with a few grasslands. Much of the coastline is to the west, the north and the east. There are islets to the north east and a small peninsula with a mountaintop in the eastern end of the main island. Porto Santo has about 9 km of sandy beaches while Madeira island has virtually none, with tiny exceptions in e.g. Calheta.
- Location of Vila Baleira:
- Latitude: 33.0667 (33°4') N
- Longitude: 16.33 (16°20') W
- Altitude:
- Lowest: Atlantic Ocean
- Centre: 175 m (577 feet)
Parishes
Porto Santo has only one parish:
- Porto Santo
Settlements and geographic areas
| Name | Latitude | Longitude | Elevation | Map links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camacha | 33.0833 (32°5') N | 16.33 (16°210') W | 172 m (567 ft) | Street map from Mapquest, Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver |
| Campo de Baixo | 33.05 (32°3') N | 16.35 (16°21') W | 176 m (580 ft) | Street map from Mapquest, Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver |
| Campo de Cima | 33.05 (32°3') N | 16.35 (16°21') W | 176 m (580 ft) | Street map from Mapquest, Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver |
| Pontinhas | 33.05 (32°3') N | 16.35 (16°21') W | 176 m (580 ft) | Street map from Mapquest, Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver |
| Portas Novas | 33.0667 (33°4') N | 16.33 (16°20') W | 175 m (577 ft) | Street map from Mapquest, Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver |
Tourism
The 9km long sandy beach is the main attraction for tourists.
Christopher Columbus married and lived there for some time. His house can still be visited today, as a museum.
The house became a museum and presents a permanent exhibition about Columbus' life and family ties with Porto Santo, as well as temporary art exhibitions.
The island has a golfthat is promoted by Spanish golfing champion Severiano Ballesteros. Porto Santo Golf Course is the largest course in the whole of the Madeira Archipelago and is able to accommodate 500 players at once. There are two 18-hole golf courses and one nine-hole course. Porto Santo golf complex, includes eight tennis courts and an equestrian center, circles Pico Ana Ferreira.
Porto Santo has several schools, a lyceum, a gymnasium, several churches, a square (praça), a Congress Centre, a museum, shopping centres, bars, and restaurants.
| |  |
|---|---|
| Madeira Island: Calheta | Câmara de Lobos | Funchal | Machico | Ponta do Sol | Porto Moniz | Ribeira Brava | Santa Cruz | Santana | São Vicente | Porto Santo Island: Porto Santo | |
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Categories
Madeira Islands | Islands of Portugal | Municipalities of Portugal