Gaula is inhabited since the 15th century and its first settlers where northern Portuguese, northern Italians, French and Scotish.
Gaula was granted the rank of freguesia in 1558 and its name may derive from Amadis de Gaula.
Geography
The population in 2001 was 3092, its density was 437.3/km² and the area is 7,07 km². It is located about 8 km NE of Funchal and about 8 km SW of Machico.
The main industry are agriculture. Fruit trees are planted around Gaula. Gaula is surrounded with several streams and the land is sloped mainly at the 20° to a 30° angle. Farmlands and pastures dominate Gaul while the forests and some grasslands and barren lands cover the rest of it. It is connected with a road linking Funchal and Machico and a small road linking to Camacha and Santo António da Serra. The Atlantic Ocean is to the southeast. The mountains are to the northwest.
