Rabo de Peixe (Portuguese for "fish tail") is a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeira Grande in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 8,866, in an area of 16.96 km2. It is the most populous and most densely populated parish in the municipality. It contains the localities Charco, Custódio, Labardas, Nogueira, Pico da Madeira, Pico da Varanda, Pico do Bode, Pico do Refugio, Rebentão, Santana, São Sebastião, Senhora da Conceição and Tulha. History It is uncertain when the territory was settled, although it is assumed that the settlement of Ribeira Grande may have directly affected colonization of the area. Local sources put the colonization at around the 15th century, by Flemish and Moorish settlers. Its toponomy was first defined by Father Gaspar Frutuoso during the 16th century, who reflected on the fact that the area received its name owing to the physical topography. As he indicated, the terrestrial physiography, and specifically the land around one of its bays resembled a fish tail, or in Portuguese rabo de peixe (literally tail of the fish). Similarly, another reference by the priest and chronicler indicated that the area was also known for the discovery of the tail of a large unknown species of fish, and may have received its name from this legendary account. The Church of Senhor Bom Jesus was constructed in the 18th century: the project was started in 1690 and concluded in 1735 in the Baroque style typical of the islands. In the locality of Santana, a fertile plain that extends from Rabo de Peixe until the edge of the town of Ribeira Grande was used during the era of the Second World War as a military airfield. Following 1946, it was transformed into the islands first civilian airport, before being abandoned in favour of the Ponta Delgada-Nordela air strip along the southern coast. Rabo de Peixe was elevated to the status of town on 25 April 2004. Owing to the importance of the port the economy and life of the civil parish, on the 19 August 2012, then-president Carlos Cesar announced the remodelling and extension of the port facility, which includes two new wings: a southern dock, and the a northern dock, that runs perpendicular. The project who allow the shelter of ships and equipment within a area. In addition, the port facility would include a floating dock and three piers, in addition