Area: 5,9 km2
Location: Ria Formosa, Algarve, South of Portugal
Number of inhabitants:
Yearly: 900
Number of visitors:
Tourists: 120,000 per year
Protected island: yes
Natural Park of Ria Formosa
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The island of Culatra is a Portuguese island, located in the Natural Park of Ria Formosa, in the southern Region of Algarve.
The local population lives mainly from fishing and tourism. The main challenges of the island is therefore the preservation of the fishery resources and a more sustainable energy production, storage and consumption.
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION
Culatra is a barrier island located in the Ria Formosa, Algarve, Portugal. It is located southwest of the island of Armona and northeast of the island of Barreta, opposite Olhão, although administratively it belongs to the municipality of Faro (União das Freguesias de Faro (Sé and São Pedro)).
It is part of the set of barrier islands that delimit the Ria Formosa. It has three population centres: Culatra – mostly inhabited by fishermen but also by some tourists in the summer -, Hangars, and Farol, mainly occupied in summer by tourists. The island has a coastline of a few kilometers of beach, being the most frequented area of Culatra.
SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT
The main inhabitated nucleus is that of Culatra, which counts around 700 people, most of whom are fishermen, nurserymen or shellfish gatherers. It can be compared to a fishing village, consisting of a school, a kindergarten, a church, several cafes and restaurants, a playground, a synthetic grass soccer field, several grocery stores, a medical clinic, among other infrastructures.
In this nucleus there are 4 institutions that support each other:
- The Association of Residents of Culatra;
- Clube União Culatrense which represents the sporting part of the island with a professional football team;
- The Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes Association, which represents the social part, with home support for the elderly and children with a nursery;
- The ProDiJo Association (Youth Association) that represents the youth part.
Culatra is a car-free island.
