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Statistics
Region:	Madeira Islands
District:	Madeira Island
Population:	103,962 2001
Area:	76.25 km²/ ha
Density	1,363.44/km²
Altitude:	Lowest and Centre: Atlantic Ocean Highest: about 1,400 m (northwest)
Number of parishes:	10
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Funchal, population approx. 110,000 (1991), is the capital of the Madeira Islands of Portugal. Funchal is also the largest city on the island and is ranked after Câmara de Lobos and Machico. It was founded by João Gonçalves Zarco in 1421 and was elevated to city by King Manuel I in 1508.

The city is named after fennel, which grows on the island.

Funchal is passed with a main road linking to both parts of the island and another road linking north to Faial and Santana. Funchal is located 21 km south of Faial, about 25 km S of Santana, 17 km SW of Machico, about 7 km E of Câmara de Lobos and about 37 km ESE of Calheta.

Part of Funchal Municipality is Ilhas Selvagens (Salvages Islands), two nature reserve islands 100 miles South of Funchal.

• Location:
  • Latitude: 32.633 (32°38') N
  • Longitude: 16.9 (16°54') W

Parishes

Here are the ten boroughs of Funchal:

• Imaculado Coração de Maria
• Monte
• Santa Luzia
• Santa Maria Maior
• Santo António
• São Gonçalo
• São Martinho
• São Pedro
• São Roque
• Sé

A crater named Funchal is founded on planet Mars.

History

In the early 1400s, Alvaro Fernandes was the commander of Funchal.

In the 16th century Funchal was important as a stopping place between the Indies and the New World, and was known as a wealthy place. It was also the port for Madeiran sugar and wine.

Some Navy ships including USS Arkansas, USS Chicago, USS John Hancock, USS Salem, CSS Shenandoah, USS Shenandoah, USS Yorktown visited the port.

Funchal hosted the Funchal Island Tournament in 1981 with Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama of the Brazilian League.

Coat of arms

Its coat of arms are made up of a green shield with four golden grapes on each side with a shield over the grapes. In the middle has five fennels?

Postage stamps

Between 1892 and 1905, Portugal issued postage stamps inscribed "Funchal", but then reverted to the stamps of Madeira.

Sites of interest

• Estádio dos Barreiros , home of CS Marítimo
• Sé cathedral in Sé
• Mercado dos Lavradores
• Jardins do Monte, in Monte
• Stadium for CD National

Twinnings

• Leichlingen , North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Other

Funchal has a few schools, a few lyceums, a gymnasium, banks, a post office, beaches and squares or plazas (praças).

Persons

• José Vicente Barbosa (May 2, 1823 - November 3, 1907) Portuguese zoologist
• Alberto João Jardim

External links

• Map and aerial photos
  • Street map from Mapquest
  • Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver
  • Madeira Photos more than 70 from Funchal
• Coordinates: