| Porto Santo Republic | |
|---|---|
| Island of Porto Santo | |
| Constituent Republic of Vekllei | |
 |
|
| Part of the Atlantic Region | |
| Population | 44,848 |
| Demographics | 75% Miran · 10% Costa Verde & Porto Santo · 6% European · 9% other |
| Accession | 1976, as part of the Azores Delegation |
| Area | 42.17 km² |
| Capital | Baleira |
| Languages | English, Portuguese |
The Porto Santo Republic is a constituent republic of Vekllei northeast of Mira, the smaller and drier of the two islands making up the Madeiran group. Much of its early history is shared with Mira, though the island itself is low and largely treeless, its interior a scatter of pale volcanic hills rather than Mira’s forested peaks. Its principal feature is a nine-kilometre beach of pale gold sand that runs the length of the southern coast, interrupted only by the occasional rocky headland, and is the longest beach in the Atlantic Region.
Christopher Columbus lived on Porto Santo from roughly 1478 to 1480, marrying the daughter of its governor and fathering his son Diego there. The house he is reputed to have lived in is maintained as a museum in Baleira.
The island is very dry. Vines and vegetables grow in the interior, where the terrain is hillier and catches more moisture, but the south coast – where most people live, along the beach – sees little rain for months at a time. The sand itself is said to have therapeutic properties, and is mineral-rich and fine. There is a long tradition of beach bathing for health complaints that continues in the republic’s small sanatorium, which sits in the dunes at the beach’s western end.
Porto Santo’s population has grown considerably under federalisation. The island was sparsely inhabited through much of the 20th century, and its growth followed the introduction of a regular ferry service from Mira, which brought Commonwealth artists on federal residency to the island for its sun and its beach. Baleira now has a proper hospital, schools, a “sand tram” along the beachfront, and clusters of new apartments in the hills above the coast.
- Adhesives
- Electronic Components
- Flour
- Glass
- Grain
- Grapes
- Milk
- Paper
- Printing Ink
- Pulp
- Salt
- Sugar
- Timber
- Water
Climate
Warm and dry year-round with minimal rainfall, especially in summer. Noticeably sunnier and drier than neighbouring Mira.
Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day 1 Jan
- Republic Day 18 Feb
- Good Friday
- Easter
- Commonwealth Day 1 May
- St. John’s Day 24 Jun
- Assumption Day 15 Aug
- All Saints Day 1 Nov
- Feast of Imm. Con. 8 Dec
- Christmas Day 25 Dec
| Occupation | Share | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Land & Sea | 15.0% | 4,251 |
| Education | 10.9% | 3,093 |
| Domestic | 9.1% | 2,591 |
| Skilled Trades & Construction | 8.8% | 2,513 |
| Healthcare | 8.7% | 2,471 |
| Government & Civil Administration | 5.4% | 1,528 |
| Transport | 5.3% | 1,509 |
| Hospitality & Participatory Trades | 4.7% | 1,322 |
| Arts & Media | 4.6% | 1,305 |
| Security & Defence | 4.5% | 1,283 |
| Retail, Distribution & Logistics | 4.2% | 1,202 |
| Industry | 3.6% | 1,026 |
| Sport & Recreation | 3.0% | 859 |
| Economic Planning | 3.0% | 851 |
| Law & Justice | 2.2% | 616 |
| Information & Communications | 2.1% | 595 |
| Science & Research | 2.0% | 567 |
| Energy & Resources | 1.9% | 531 |
| Religious & Ceremonial | 1.0% | 294 |
- Porto Santo Beach: Nine-kilometre golden beach stretching the entire southern coast of the island, the longest in the Atlantic Region.
- Casa Colombo: Museum in Baleira occupying the reputed former residence of Christopher Columbus, who lived on the island in the 1470s.
- Porto Santo Sanatorium: Therapeutic facility operating in the beach dunes, where a tradition of sand bathing for medicinal purposes continues under Vekllei auspices.
- Pico Ana Ferreira: The island’s highest point, with clear views across to [[Mira]]’s dramatic mountain interior.
- Airlink Porto Santo Station Commonwealth Airways 35
- Vila Baleira Sand Railway CommRail 290
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1982
Remaining Azores territories accede, including Costa Verde, Fayal, Flores, Graciosa, Maria, Mira, Pico, Porto Santo, Terceira, and Velas