Agualva is a civil parish in the municipality of Praia da Vitória on the island of Terceira in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 1,432, in an area of 38.75 km². The parish lies at a mean of 186 metres above sea level. It contains the localities Ladeira de Nossa Senhora, Portela, Outeiro Filipe, Outeiros, Cabouco de Trás and São Joões. Geography Agualva is the largest civil parish on the island. The church of this village, Igreja Paroquial, is dedicated to the Our Lady of Guadalupe. The feast dedicated to her is celebrated beginning on the 15th of August each year. There are some mills that have been well preserved, which give Agualva beauty and charm. In this village, there are many orchards and groves as well as an abundance of water. To the west of the village of Agualva, on the border with Quatro Ribeiras, are the twin volcanic peaks of "Pico Alto", at 807 meters, and "Pico Agudo", at 798 meters, some of the highest mountains on the island. Along Agualva’s rivers, the Agualva River (Ribeira de Agualva) and its tributary the Filipe River (Ribiera de Filipe), there are 48 mills that formerly ground flour for the island's inhabitants. Agualva is the main civil parish that supplies the municipality of Praía da Vitória with water. Agualva’s well-irrigated and fertile land allows for large production of produce from its orchards of various fruits. Currently, the main economic activity is agro-livestock, followed by the sawing of wood thanks to the village's large forest, metal mechanics and arboriculture. About 200 years ago, Agualva was little more than a large orchard, with just a few houses. Back then, the produce cultivated in its orchards included chestnuts, walnuts, pears, apples, and oranges. Later on, this agricultural focus has changed, with the fields essentially being used only as pastures for dairy cows, including the cattle of Ramo Grande, which is a breed native to the Azores. In the past, cattle goats existed in Agualva in large numbers and would destroy and harm the natural vegetation. Because of this, Captain-General Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo forced a reduction of the goat population to a minimum. Agualva, also known as the land of Ramo Grande cattle, possesses some of the best and flattest lands on the island. In 1643, these lands yielded between 500 and 600 “moios” of wheat as a feudal payment to