Ribeira Brava (; ) is a municipality on the island of Madeira, in the Portuguese Autonomous Region of Madeira. It is located along the southern coast (approximately centre), and is west of Câmara de Lobos and the regional capital Funchal, south of São Vicente, and east of Ponta do Sol. The population in 2011 was 13,375, in an area of 65.41 km<sup>2</sup>.
The municipality gained its name due to its river, which translates as "angry river". In rainy seasons, the river had an extremely strong and powerful current, that often wreaked havoc over the entire eight kilometres of the route.
Geography
The municipality's namesake, the Ribeira Brava ravine and river valley extends from the slopes of the west-central mountains
of Madeira. Its waters provide the primary sources of drinking-water (a small reservoir collects surface run-off) to the area and
electricity to the island of Madeira. Approximately ten tributaries feed this river, whose course ends in the Serra de Água and
which much later empties into the Atlantic along the village's coast.
The primary urban agglomerations are the five civil parishes, constituted with their own local government. They include:
- Campanário
- Ribeira Brava
- Serra de Água
- Tabua
Buildings and structures
The Centro Desportivo da Madeira stadium is located in the municipality.
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Notable people
- Nadia Almada (born 1977 in Ribeira Brava) a transgender British TV personality; won the fifth series of Big Brother.
- Marquinho (born 1989 in Ribeira Brava) a footballer with over 250 club caps
Gallery
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File:Ribeira Brava (Miradouro de São Sebastião) 01.jpg|Ribeira Brava, from São Sebastião viewpoint
File:Ribeira Brava (Miradouro de São Sebastião) 02.jpg|Ribeira Brava, from São Sebastião viewpoint
File:Ribeira Brava (Miradouro de São Sebastião) 03.jpg|Beach, seen from São Sebastião viewpoint
File:Ribeira Brava and Campanario (from Miradouro de São Sebastião) 2.jpg|Ribeira Brava, from São Sebastião viewpoint, looking east
File:Madeira Tabua.JPG|The village of Tabua over one of the tributaries of the Ribeira Brava ravine
File:The Ribeira Brava living up to its name (Angry River) following heavy rain, Ribeira Brava, Maderia, Portugal.jpg|The Ribeira Brava river, living up to its name, Angry river
File:Ribeira Brava, Madeira, Portugal - January 2024 18.jpg
File:2016. Igrexa de San Bieito. Século XV. Ribeira Brava. Madeira. Portugal 2.jpg|São Bento church
File:Igreja Ribeira Brava - Detalhe.jpg|São Bento church's clock
File:Interior da Igreja da Ribeira Brava - Porta - Janeiro 2024.jpg|Interior of Ribeira Brava's church
File:Ribeira Brava to Tabua, January 2024 1.jpg|Road between Ribeira Brava and Tabua
File:Ribeira Brava, Madeira, Portugal - January 2024 07.jpg|Beach
File:Ribeira Brava, Madeira, Portugal - January 2024 06.jpg|Road in the centre of the town, with Christmas lights
File:Ribeira Brava, Madeira, Portugal - January 2024 04.jpg|Christmas lights, seen from Ribeira Brava's lighthouse
File:Farol da Ribeira Brava 1.jpg|Breakwater
File:Farol da Ribeira Brava 2.jpg|Light house at night
File:Centro Desportivo da Madeira, Campo Principal, Janeiro 2024.jpg|Centro Desportivo da Madeira
</gallery>