Camacha

For the settlement in the northeastern portion of Porto Santo Island, see Camacha (Porto Santo).

Camacha (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɐˈmaʃɐ]) is a parish in the district of Santa Cruz in the Madeira Islands. It is about 6.5 km northeast of Funchal, 12 km south of Porto da Cruz and 7.5 km southwest of Santo António da Serra. The population in 2001 was 7,991, its density 408.1/km² and the area is 19.58 km².

The parish of Funchal is bordered to the west and Machico to the north. Camacha has a stream located less than 1 km NE. The main industry is agriculture with a few businesses. Camacha is also home to a thriving and internationally famous wicker-basket industry. It is connected with a road linking Funchal and two parts of Santo António da Serra. The parish are surrounded by laurisilva forests while farmlands are to the south and grasslands are to the northwest.

Monument in Camacha, celebrating the first ever organised football game in Portugal.

The first organised game of football in Portugal took place in 1875 in Camacha, organised by the Madeira born Harry Hinton.

Nearest parishes

• Santo António da Serra, northeast
• Santa Cruz, northeast
• Gaula, east
• Caniço, southeast
• Santa Maria Maior, southwest
• Monte, west and northwest

Geography

• Location:
  • Latitude: 32°40' N
  • Longitude: 16°50'20" W
• Altitude:
  • Lowest: about 350 m (valley)
  • Centre: around 700 m

Camacha has 4 Primary schools, a Middle school, a gymnasium, a church and a square (praça).