Ribeira Grande
Encyclopedia
There is also Ribeira Grande in Cape Verde
, see Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde
Ribeira Grande (ʁiˈβɐjɾɐ ˈɣɾɐ̃d(ɨ)) is a municipality in the northern part of the island of São Miguel
in the Portuguese
Azores
, considered the largest and most populous of the archipelago's municipalities, with a population of 30852 inhabitants (2008). The parish of Matriz, is the municipal seat with a population of about 5300 inhabitants, located in the urbanized core of what is commonly referred to as the city of Ribeira Grande.
in 1507.
Ribeira Grande's relief is dominated by the Serra de Água de Pau volcanic massif
, and lying within its caldera the crater lake Lagoa do Fogo (the highest altitude here is Pico da Barrosa at 947m or Monte Escuro, at 890m), but also extends to the Graminhais Plateau in the eastern border with Nordeste (Pico do Salto do Cavalo, 954m). These elevations, and the existence of many springs in the foothills, have been responsible for the fast-flowing ravines, one of which gave rise to the municipalities name. Other volcanic aspects manifest themselves in the fumaroles, such as Caldeira Velha or Caldeiras, and also the warm mineral springs in Lombadas, Gramas and Ladeira da Velha.
In addition to many river-valleys that carve the landscape in this region, the municipality is also dotted by several beaches, including the main beach in Ribeira Grande (Santa Bárbara and Monte Verde beaches), Moinhos Beach (Porto Formoso) and Viola Beach, secluded in the shadow of Lomba da Maia.
The municipality is divided into 14 sub-regional administrative units, or freguesias, equivalent to civil parishes:
The largest parish in population and density is Rabo de Peixe smallest parish in population is São Brás. The leastly populated parish in density and population is Lomba de São Pedro. The largest parish is Maia and the smallest is Calhetas. The highest parish is Lomba da Maia.
with: Porto Alegre
, Brazil
Somerville
, United States
Lagos
, Portugal
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, see Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde
Ribeira Grande, Cape Verde
Ribeira Grande is a municipality on the island of Santo Antão of the Barlavento group in Cape Verde. It covers one-third of the island and is home to two-thirds of the population....
Ribeira Grande (ʁiˈβɐjɾɐ ˈɣɾɐ̃d(ɨ)) is a municipality in the northern part of the island of São Miguel
São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island , nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, 45,000 of these people located in the largest city in the archipelago: Ponta Delgada.-History:In 1427, São Miguel...
in the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, considered the largest and most populous of the archipelago's municipalities, with a population of 30852 inhabitants (2008). The parish of Matriz, is the municipal seat with a population of about 5300 inhabitants, located in the urbanized core of what is commonly referred to as the city of Ribeira Grande.
History
The settlement received a town charter from King ManuelManuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
in 1507.
Geography
The municipality is one of six municipalities that make-up the island of São Miguel, an area that extends from the northern communities along the Atlantic coast to the volcanic mountains along the center of the island. It is situated between the municipalities of Nordeste (on the east), Povoação (in the southeast), Ponta Delgada (in the west), Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo (in the south). All these communities are linked by several regional roads that circle the island, as well as intersecting the mountains in the central zone.Ribeira Grande's relief is dominated by the Serra de Água de Pau volcanic massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
, and lying within its caldera the crater lake Lagoa do Fogo (the highest altitude here is Pico da Barrosa at 947m or Monte Escuro, at 890m), but also extends to the Graminhais Plateau in the eastern border with Nordeste (Pico do Salto do Cavalo, 954m). These elevations, and the existence of many springs in the foothills, have been responsible for the fast-flowing ravines, one of which gave rise to the municipalities name. Other volcanic aspects manifest themselves in the fumaroles, such as Caldeira Velha or Caldeiras, and also the warm mineral springs in Lombadas, Gramas and Ladeira da Velha.
In addition to many river-valleys that carve the landscape in this region, the municipality is also dotted by several beaches, including the main beach in Ribeira Grande (Santa Bárbara and Monte Verde beaches), Moinhos Beach (Porto Formoso) and Viola Beach, secluded in the shadow of Lomba da Maia.
The municipality is divided into 14 sub-regional administrative units, or freguesias, equivalent to civil parishes:
- CalhetasCalhetasCalhetas is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 780, its density is 166/km² and the area is 4.7 km². Calhetas is the smallest parish in area in Ribeira Grande.-Geography:...
- Conceição (Ribeira Grande)Conceição (Ribeira Grande)Conceição is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 1,797, its density is 141.1/km² and the area is 12.74 km².-Geography:Conceição has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasia, a church and a square ....
- Fenais da AjudaFenais da AjudaFenais da Ajuda is a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population as of 2001 was 1,269, giving it a population density of 94.63 persons/km²; the land area is 13.41 km².-History:...
- Lomba da MaiaLomba da MaiaLomba da Maia is a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande in the Portuguese Azores. In 2001 there were 1,174 in an area that covers 20.3 km² from the northern coast to the interior , on a plateau that overlooks the neighboring parish of Maia...
- Lomba de São PedroLomba de São PedroLomba de São Pedro is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 309, its density is 44.2/km² and the area is 6.99 km². Lomba de São Pedro is the leastly populated parish in population and density in Ribeira Grande...
- MaiaMaia (Ribeira Grande)Maia is a civil parish in Ribeira Grande Municipality in the Portuguese Azores. The population in 2001 is 1,901, its density is 86.5/km² and the area is 21.97 km²...
- Matriz (Ribeira Grande)Matriz (Ribeira Grande)Matriz is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 3552, its density is 328.3/km² and the area is 10.82 km².-Geography:Matriz has a school, a lyceum, a gymnasia, a church and a square ....
- Pico da Pedra
- Porto FormosoPorto FormosoPorto Formoso is a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2001 was 1267, covering an area of 11.46 km² .-History:...
- Rabo de PeixeRabo de PeixeRabo de Peixe is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 7407, its density is 437.7/km² and its area is 16.92 km². It is the most populous and most densely populated parish in Ribeira Grande. It has an altitude of 29 m .-Geography:Rabo de...
- Ribeira SecaRibeira Seca (Ribeira Grande)Ribeira Seca is a parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 2550, its density is 340.9/km² and the area is 7.48 km². It is located in the southern part of Ribeira Grande.-Geography:...
- RibeirinhaRibeirinha (Ribeira Grande)Ribeirinha is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 2124, its density is 118/km² and the area is 18 km²....
- Santa BárbaraSanta Bárbara (Ribeira Grande)Santa Bárbara is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population according to the 2001 census was 1271, its density was 99.8/km² and the area is 12.73 km²....
- São BrásSão Brás (Ribeira Grande)São Brás is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 635, its density is 78.4/km² and the area is 8.1 km². São Brás is the smallest parish by population in Ribeira Grande....
The largest parish in population and density is Rabo de Peixe smallest parish in population is São Brás. The leastly populated parish in density and population is Lomba de São Pedro. The largest parish is Maia and the smallest is Calhetas. The highest parish is Lomba da Maia.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Ribeira Grande, São Miguel is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Lagos
Lagos, Portugal
Lagos is a municipality at the mouth of Bensafrim River and along the Atlantic Ocean, in the Barlavento region of the Algarve, in southern Portugal....
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...