Arco da Calheta

Arco da Calheta
Civil Parish
A paraglider over the locality of Achada de Santo Antão, the parish of Arco da Calheta
Coat of arms
Official name: Freguesia de Arco da Calheta
Name origin: Portuguese for arch of the small bay
Country  Portugal
Region  Madeira
Island Madeira
Municipality Calheta
Coordinates 32°44′4″N 17°8′4″W / 32.73444°N 17.13444°W / 32.73444; -17.13444Coordinates: 32°44′4″N 17°8′4″W / 32.73444°N 17.13444°W / 32.73444; -17.13444
Highest point
 - elevation 1,412 m (4,633 ft)
Lowest point
 - elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Area 14.70 km2 (6 sq mi)
Population 3,168 (2011)
Density 216/km2 (559/sq mi)
Settlement fl. 1500
 - Parish c. 1572
LAU Junta Freguesia
 - location Sítio da Fonte Bugia
President Junta José Manuel Rodrigues Paulo (PPD-PSD)
Timezone WET (UTC0)
 - summer (DST) WEST (UTC+1)
Postal Zone 9370-024
Area Code & Prefix (+351) 291 XXX XXX
Location of the parish seat of Arco da Calheta in the municipality of Calheta, island of Madeira
Wikimedia Commons: Arco da Calheta

Arco da Calheta is a civil parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese island of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 3,168,[1] in an area of 14.70 km².[2] Arco da Calheta is the largest parish in Calheta in population.

Geography

The suburban residential homes near the main square in Arco da Calheta, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

The parish of Arco da Calheta is surrounded to the north and west by the parish of Calheta, and east by the municipality of Ponta do Sol (specifically the parishes of Canhas and Madalena do Mar), fronting the Atlantic Ocean along its southern border. Buildings are found in the amphitheatre-shaped valley, as well as on the escarpments overlooking the community, alongside Calheta (in Calhau Grande) and Madalena do Mar (Achada de Santo Antão). Its landscape within this semi-circular valley was the basis for its name; the early settlers, owing to the band/arch of settlements with the valley, baptized the region the "Arch of Calheta", or Arco da Calheta. A band of laurisilva forests subdivides the parishes built-up area from the barren vegetation of the mountains.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/14/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.