Areas in Machico PSP Division

Machico

Machico is a historic city and the second most populated on the Island. Situated towards the eastern part, Machico was the first capital of Madeira from 1440 – 1496 under Tristão Vaz Teixeira. This is where explorers first settled in 1420. The easternmost municipality on the island, it is also the third most populous area; its population was 21,828. It is linked by road from Funchal (the regional capital), to the Santana and the villages of Ribeira Seca and Caniçal. For policing purposes it comes under the jurisdiction of the PSP with a Divisional Headquarters located in the town.

Ponto Santo

João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira discovered the island of Porto Santo in 1418 during the reign of Dom João I of Portugal. It lies 43 kilometres northeast of Madeira Island and has an area of 42.17 km². Being one of the islands constituting the archipelago of Madeira, Porto Santo is different from the island of Madeira. Porto Santo is almost stripped of vegetation and the southern coast is bordered by a 9 km long beach of soft golden sand, which makes it a highly esteemed resort area. Ponto Santo has its own airport with flights to and from Madeira which take around 15 minutes. It can also be reached by sea. For general policing, it comes under the jurisdiction of the PSP.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is a municipality, a parish and a city in the eastern part of the island of Madeira. It is the second most populous municipality, behind Funchal. The population in 2011 was 43,005, in an area of 81.50 km². It is linked by an expressway to Funchal and Machico, as well as an ancillary road linking it to Santana. Agriculture and fishing are still considered the primary industries in this region, although widespread expansion of tourism in the south, and the development of the international airport has increased the number of commercial and tourist-related activities (primarily in the city of Santa Cruz).

Santana

Santana, short form for Santa Ana is a municipality along the northern coast of the island of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 7,719, in an area of 95.56 square kilometres. Santana includes six parishes, within a rugged mountainous environment, most occupying river-valleys. Santana is known for the traditional homes constructed with sloping triangular rooftops, and protected with straw. These were mainly rural homes, used by local farmers, during the settlement of the island, with white-painted walls, red doors and windows with blue trim. Most of the surviving buildings are tourist attractions.