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Madeira - Geography

Madeira is the largest of a small group of islands belonging to Portugal, situated in latitude 32°37' to 32°52' N., and longitude 16°39' to 170°17' W., and about 10° N. of the Tropic of Cancer. It is 1,164 sea miles (2,141 kms.) S.W. of the Lizard, 1,310 sea miles (2,300 kms.) from Southampton, and 520 sea miles (915 kms.) W.S.W. of Lisbon; is about 38 miles (60 kils.) long by 15 m. (24 kms.) broad, and its superficial area is about 240 sq. km. (574 sq. kms.).

The form is oval, and the surface mountainous, a number of deep ravines radiating on all sides from the central ridge, of which the highest points are grouped around the water-shed of the Grand Curral (Curral das Freiras). A narrow neck of considerably less elevation connects the before-mentioned mountains with the Paul da Serra, an extensive elevated moorland on the western side of the island. The highest mountain of all is the Pico Ruivo, 6,059 feet.

With its vertiginous topography and high mountain peaks, the main island has a sub-tropical climate which is very heavily influenced by altitude. The northern slopes are consistently wetter than the south and the uplands beyond the tree line are often exposed to blistering winds, driving rain and even snow in winter. The other islands, by contrast, lie below the rain belt and are semiarid as a result.

Madeira was once completely forested (hence the name Madeira = wood). Although now reduced to 20% of the land surface, the island still hosts the largest expanse of laurel forest in the world. Where the forest has been cleared, but not further developed, a Macaronesian heath landscape has developed, which is also of considerable ecological value.

The loose nature of the soil has led to great loss by denudation. Most of the ravines are more or less precipitous, especially on the north, where the greater power of the sea, and the greater prevalence of rain in the winter, both aided to a certain extent by the geological substratum, have worn away and hollowed out a succession of gorges, whose wooded summits, dripping rocks and bubbling streams are full of grandeur and beauty. Their loveliness is due to that wonderful fecundity seemingly peculiar to a volcanic soil, which is here aided by the mild climate, under which the yam and the sugar-cane at the bottom join hands with the pine-tree, the heather and the laurel at the top.

Madeira is, with some slight exceptions, an entire igneous mass. It had been projected upwards by volcanic agency at a remote period, and geologically consists of basalts, conglomerates, lava of various eras, and layers of scoriae, the whole presenting the external appearance of a range or mass of mountains rising abruptly from the sea.

The island of Madeira rises sharply out of the Atlantic Ocean, its highest peak reaching an altitude of 1,862 meters (6,100 feet). The sheer steepness of the terrain ensures that water will pour down the mountains to the coast during extreme rainstorms. Two topographic features characterize the Madeiran landscape: steep mountains and deep ravines. Deep ravines define the path the water routinely takes off the island.

In the central point of the island, the mountains rise to their greatest height; Pico Ruivo, the loftiest of the peaks, being 6164 feet above the level of the ocean. The great mountain ridge which runs along the island from east to west, is everywhere deeply cut up by ravines, which are separated from each other by branch ridges running down towards the coast, and terminating generally in precipitous cliffs overhanging the sea. There is no such thing as a level space for a pathway round or across the island.

The valleys are only the bottoms of ravines, and are nowhere flat. The only ground of any extent in the whole island which is nearly level, is two upland tracts of table-land, forming the mountain ridge from which the high peaks project: the largest, called the Paul de Serra, is situated in the western division, the other, called the Serra, is in the eastern division of the island.

Porto Santo, the other Madeira island, lies opposite to the kingdom of Morocco, and, though extremely fertile and productive, is only about ten miles in circumference. The Portuguese fleet, on a voyage of discoveries to the coast of Africa, in 1412, being surprised by a storm, were driven upon this island, which, on account of the protection it afforded them, they denominated Porto Santo, or the Holy Port. The East India ships generally touch here to procure water and fresh provisions, as there are several large and commodious harbours in which they may ride secure. The islands of Madeira are wholly exempted from venomous animals. The air likewise is extremely salubrious, and is often recommended for pulmonic complaints.

Porto Santo itself is famous for its large sandy beaches and excellent diving. The islets of Porto Santo were used intensively dating back to the 17th century. Mining of limestone became a very important economic activity. The Islets were also used to make pastures for goats and sheep, plants were extracted for the dyeing and soap-making industry and rabbits were introduced for hunting. Human activity over centuries had a strong negative impact on the local flora and fauna, almost completely deteriorated it. The islets were put under protection because of their great importance as nesting grounds for marine birds, to protect and restore endemic, as well as typical Macaronesian flora and fauna. The Desert Islands are a small group of islands that is part of the larger Madeira archipelago. The three small islands are located about 25 kilometers southeast of Madeira. They form a North to South chain with Chão Islet being the northernmost and smallest island, followed by Deserta Grande (yes, it’s the largest) and Bugio. The marine protected area (MPA) includes the marine area surrounding the islands up to 100 meter depth.

The islands consist mainly of rocks with little fertile soil. In the past, several attempts have been made to colonize the Desertas, but failed due to the lack of a permanent water source making agriculture impossible. The islands have a few research stations and Deserta Grande has a little house where wardens stay permanently and scientists use it temporarily to monitor the islands.

The Savage Islands are a small Archipelago belonging to the Madeira autonomous region. They mark the southernmost point of Portugal and lay 280 kilometres south-southeast of Madeira and 165 kilometres north of the Canaries. The archipelago consists of two areas, the Northeast and the Southwest group. The Northeast group is composed of Selvagem Grande (the largest of the islands) and three surrounding islets (Sinho Islet, Palheiro do Mar and Palheiro da Terra). The island of Selvagem Pequena, Ilhéu de Fora and a number of small to tiny islets surrounding them form the Southwest Group. Typical for Macaronesian islands, the Savage Islands were formed by volcanic activity and shaped by erosion and sedimentation.

Thanks to their reputation of being pirate treasure islands, several treasure hunters have tried their luck to recover gold and other valuables, but without success…

Through history, several attempts of colonising the islands were made. After being owned privately for a long time, the Portuguese government acquired the islands in 1971 and turned them into a Nature Reserve making it the oldest Portuguese nature reserve. Today a Portuguese family inhabits the islands (known as “the guardians of the Savages”), as well as a permanent team of wardens from Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza and a maritime police force.

Madeira’s capital city, Funchal, covers the gentlest slopes and largest area of low-elevation ground on the rugged island. The city center sits on slightly sloped ground, while outer suburbs perch on the mountain slopes around the city. On February 19-20, 2010, when heavy rain poured down on the island, the high suburbs suffered mudslides and floods. The slopes around Funchal surround the city in a semicircle, so water flowing down the mountains was concentrated in the bowl where the city is located. The devastating floods killed at least 42 with 18 still missing as of February 23, according to the government of Madeira.

The other community damaged by extreme flooding in February 2010 is Ribeira Brava, to the west of Funchal. This small town sits at the base of a ravine. Indeed, literally translated, the name means “rough stream or riverside.” The topographic map shows clearly how rain falling on the mountains on either side of the deep ravine would naturally converge near the town.

The smaller island of Porto Santo is not as rich or diverse as its neighbor, largely due to its drier climate. Nevertheless, this tiny island hosts no less than 36 endemic land snails of which 13 were listed on the Habitats Directive. Its waters are also important for marine species such as the bottlenose dolphin and sea turtles.

The remaining two island groups are further offshore and considerably smaller. The Ilhas Desertas harbor one of the last populations of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus in this part of Europe and the only EU breeding colony of the globally threatened Fea’s petrel Pterodroma feae, whereas the tiny De Selvagens (245 ha) are home to other large seabird colonies and many rare endemic plants.