Ponta do Sol, Madeira
Encyclopedia
Ponta do Sol (ˈpõtɐ ðu ˈsɔɫ, Point of the Sun) is a municipality in the southwestern coast of the island of Madeira, in the archipelago of Madeira. It has an area of 46.19 km², and includes a population of just over as 8125 (in 2001): it is one of the smallest municipalities on the island of Madeira.
(the capital) and surrounding communities by the main regional road.
The municipality is crossed by a few pedestrian hiking trails, that usually follow the levadas (aquaducts) carrying water from the mountains.
Ponta do Sol has a few schools, high school, a central courts (which serve Ponta do Sol, Ribeira Brava and Calheta), police stations, a gymnasium, several banks, churches, chapels post offices, a small shopping centre, a small port, a harbour with marina, beaches, coastal "promenades" and squares or plazas . A few restaurants, supermarkets and minimarkets can also be found, though essentially in the countryside.
Today, commercial activity is scattered throughout the municipality, while the port area of Ponta do Sol has declined in importance. In its place, the economy of the municipality has been dispersed to other parishes, particularly Canhas, which were essentially agricultural parishes, but have developed into important economic nodes, while still retaining its rural landscape. While agriculture remains the primary activity in the interior, and the fisheries industry has declined significantly, construction and industrial enterprises have conquered a prominent role in the municipality. The service industry, particularly tourism, has carved-out a portion of the income stream, with high-quality hotels or residential inns located in the countryside and urban centres.
History
The settlement of Ponta do Sol began shortly after the discovery of the island of Madeira, around 1420.Geography
Ponta do Sol is located between Ribeira-Brava and Calheta, on the southwest coast of Madeira, linked to FunchalFunchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
(the capital) and surrounding communities by the main regional road.
The municipality is crossed by a few pedestrian hiking trails, that usually follow the levadas (aquaducts) carrying water from the mountains.
Human geography
Administratively, the municipal government is located in the parish of Ponta do Sol, while local government is handled through the three parishes:- CanhasCanhasCanhas is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta do Sol in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. Extending into the interior from the coast, the parish of 16.66 km² is nestled between the Calheta , Câmara de Lobos and São Vicente has a population of 3214 .-Geography:Two primary...
- Madalena do MarMadalena do MarMadalena do Mar is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta do Sol in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. The population in 2001 was 687 and the area is 2.07 km² .-History:...
- Ponta do Sol - in 2001, the parish had a population of 4224 inhabitants, in an area of 27.45 km² (approximately 153.88 inhabitants per km²)
Ponta do Sol has a few schools, high school, a central courts (which serve Ponta do Sol, Ribeira Brava and Calheta), police stations, a gymnasium, several banks, churches, chapels post offices, a small shopping centre, a small port, a harbour with marina, beaches, coastal "promenades" and squares or plazas . A few restaurants, supermarkets and minimarkets can also be found, though essentially in the countryside.
Economy
Historically, the main sources of income in this region has been agriculture, fishing and trade. Ponta do Sol's main harbour, although small, was a crucial commercial gateway to the western part of the island. These importation and exportation businesses fostered the creation of new activities in what became the central part of the community and created a flow of goods into the hinterland (such as local and imported goods).Today, commercial activity is scattered throughout the municipality, while the port area of Ponta do Sol has declined in importance. In its place, the economy of the municipality has been dispersed to other parishes, particularly Canhas, which were essentially agricultural parishes, but have developed into important economic nodes, while still retaining its rural landscape. While agriculture remains the primary activity in the interior, and the fisheries industry has declined significantly, construction and industrial enterprises have conquered a prominent role in the municipality. The service industry, particularly tourism, has carved-out a portion of the income stream, with high-quality hotels or residential inns located in the countryside and urban centres.