Machico, Madeira of Santana and west-southwest of Porto Santo in the extreme eastern portion of the island of Madeira. It is linked by road from Funchal (the regional capital), to the Santana and the villages of Ribeira Seca and Caniçal. To the existence of mountains on the western coast, it is sandwiched along the coast from the rest of the islands' settlements, while forests lie towards the interior and grasslands cover the north-eastern corner of the municipality. Geomorphologically, the municipality is dominated by steeped and inclined topography, except in the Machico valley (where slopes are gentle), formed by two mountain ranges: in
Maritime history of the Channel Islands Maritime history of the Channel Islands The Channel Islands comprise a group of islands off the coast of France. The largest island is Jersey, followed by Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and a number of smaller islands, islets and rocky outcrops. The islands were separated from mainland Europe with rising sea levels in the Neolithic period, thereafter maritime activity commenced. Needing to trade, the Islands were innovative and changed with times, building up skills, earning money and investing capital in maritime businesses. The presence of Statue menhirs on the islands, such as at St Martin church on Guernsey and the burial mound