The European Space Agency (ESA) released yesterday an image of Madeira ‘seen from the sky’. The high-resolution image was taken by the Sentinel-2 satellite of the Copernicus Programme, the European Earth observation programme.
The European Space Agency (ESA) released yesterday an image of Madeira ‘seen from the sky’. The high-resolution image was taken by the Sentinel-2 satellite of the Copernicus Programme, the European Earth observation programme.
In the publication shared on its official page , ESA gives a brief description of the archipelago,
“Located off the northwest coast of Africa, the archipelago is an autonomous region of Portugal and comprises two inhabited islands, Madeira, the largest, and Porto Santo (top right), and two uninhabited groups, the Desertas (partially visible at the bottom) and the Selvagens (not pictured),” ESA begins by stating.
The Agency explains that “the Madeira Islands are of volcanic origin: they are the tops of mountains that rise from the bottom of the ocean in the depths. The Portuguese explorers called them Madeira, which means wood in Portuguese, inspired by the dense forests that covered the islands when they arrived”.
On the other hand, they highlight the exuberance of the Laurissilva.
ESA also highlights Funchal, the capital of Madeira, which “can be seen [in the satellite image] as a large, light brown area on the southeast coast of the island, on the lower slopes of mountains that reach 1,200 meters”. The runway at Madeira airport is also visible from space on the east coast of the island, the publication highlights.
Reference is also made to the nature reserve of the “narrow Desertas Islands in the background”. “Uninhabited by humans due to the scarcity and poor quality of water, the Desertas are home to numerous bird species, as well as the protected Mediterranean monk seal. The islands are relatively arid with their reddish and brown soil, a reminder of their volcanic origin,” writes ESA.
The ‘Golden Island’ could not be left out, of course. “Porto Santo, at the top, has white sandy beaches along its southern coast. Here you can also see the island’s main town, Vila de Porto Santo, with its airport visible to the north. There are hills at each end of the island. At 515 metres, Pico do Facho, in the east, is the highest”, explains the European Space Agency.