Porto Santo Island

Porto Santo Island is a beautiful place that belongs to Portugal. It is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 43 kilometres northeast of Madeira Island. Porto Santo is the northernmost and easternmost island in the archipelago of Madeira, which lies west of Europe and Africa. The whole island and some small nearby islands make up one municipality, or local government area.

The island became a city on August 6, 1996. Its largest town is called Vila Baleira. In 2011, about 5,483 people lived there across an area of 42.59 square kilometres. Porto Santo is special because it is the only parish, or community area, in the municipality, and it shares the same name as the island.

History

People may have known about Atlantic islands like Madeira long before they were officially discovered. Maps from as early as 1339 show these islands, and some old books mention them too.

Porto Santo Island was officially discovered in 1418 by sailors who got lost in a storm. They were serving Infante Henrique of Portugal and had been sent by King John I to explore west of Africa. The island’s name, Porto Santo, means "Holy Harbour" because the sailors felt they were saved by finding a safe bay during the storm. The first settlers arrived in the 1420s.

One of the early leaders, Bartolomeu Perestrelo, brought rabbits to the island. Without natural predators, the rabbit population grew huge, damaging the plants and causing erosion. Life was also difficult because of limited fresh water, and pirates often attacked the island.

Geography

Porto Santo Island has two main areas. The northeast is mountainous with rocky ledges and cliffs. It has several peaks, such as Pico do Castelo and Pico do Facho. The southwest has a flat coastal plain with a long white sand beach, which makes it special compared to nearby Madeira.

The island has a semi-arid climate, meaning it is dry but still quite humid. Winters are mild to warm, and summers are warm to hot. July and August are the driest months, while November and December are the wettest. The sun shines most in August and September.

The main town is Vila Baleira, also called Porto Santo. Even though the island is small, it has schools, a health centre, police, a gym, churches, squares, a museum, shops, bars, hotels, and restaurants.

Economy

The main industry on Porto Santo Island is tourism. Many hotels have been built there over the past century, attracting visitors to its beautiful beaches and pleasant climate.

The island has a golf course designed by famous Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros. It even hosted a professional golf tournament in 2009. Porto Santo also has an international airport with daily flights to Madeira and connections to cities in Portugal and other countries. The airport sometimes serves as an alternate landing spot for planes that cannot land at Madeira Airport due to weather conditions.

Notable people

Porto Santo Island has been home to many interesting people throughout history.

Bartolomeu Perestrello was a Portuguese navigator and explorer who is said to have discovered and settled Porto Santo Island around 1419. Filipa Moniz Perestrelo was a noblewoman and the wife of Christopher Columbus. Stephen Peter Alencastre was a Roman Catholic bishop and the last Vicar Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands.