It is located along the southern coast (approximately centre), and is west of Câmara de Lobos and the regional capital Funchal, south of São Vicente, and east of Ponta do Sol.

In rainy seasons, the river had an extremely strong and powerful current, that often wreaked havoc over the entire eight kilometres of the route.

The municipality's namesake, the Ribeira Brava ravine and river valley extends from the slopes of the west-central mountains of Madeira.

Its waters provide the primary sources of drinking-water (a small reservoir collects surface run-off) to the area and electricity to the island of Madeira.

Approximately ten tributaries feed this river, whose course ends in the Serra de Água and which much later empties into the Atlantic along the village's coast.