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Ribeira GrandeParishesRibeirinha

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Ribeirinha

With a surface that spans 18.05 sq. Km, the township of Ribeirinha is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean and by the townships of Nossa Senhora da Estrela and Porto Formoso (municipality of Ribeira Grande).

According to the last census (2001), it has 2124 inhabitants.

The name of this town derives from the fact that the little river that crosses town is never abundant like others in the island. Gaspar Frutuoso says: “thus called with a diminutive name because it is smaller that Ribeira Grande, its neighbour, which is away from in into the west, a quarter league farther”.

In the XVI century, Gaspar Frutuoso thus refered to it: “a place of good and fresh water, with lots of people along which has its rich estate Rui Gago da Câmara, a relative of the Count of Vila Franca,, Captain of this island (…)”. It was Rui Gago da Câmara the first bearer of that nobility title.

Meanwhile, Ribeirinha grew in population and in 1674 it was elevated to the category of Curatorship. Frei Agostinho de Mont’Alverne says the following: “The bishop D. Frei Lourenço de Castro, considered that he outskirts of Ribeirinha has many dwellings an people in the year of 1674 and being in that town created in this neighbourhood a new curator-ship to relieve the charge on the Cures of Vila…”.

Ribeirinha steadly grew in population and infrastructure and by Decree of August 3, 1948 it was elevated to the category of township.

Demographic chart of Ribeira Grande Parishes