Madeira - Tourism and Travel

Madeira is a group of islands in the Atlantic that belongs to Portugal. It is considered an Autonomous Region of Portugal.

The archipelago of Madeira lies 323 miles (20 kilometers) from the coast of Africa, north of the Canary Islands.

Madeira has an area of 309 square miles (801 square kilometers.)

The largest islands of the archipelago are Madeira and Porto Santo.

Madeira Island is located on top of a volcano.

There are also two smaller groups of islands, the Desertas Islands and the Selvagens Islands.

The Desertas Islands is a chain of three small islands that are a protected breeding area for rare animals and birds. They are not accessible tot he public.

The Selvagens Islands are uninhabitable. They consist of an archipelago of two larger islands and several smaller islets.

Madeira has a subtropical Mediterranean climate.

About 270,000 people live in Madeira.

Funchal is Madeira's largest city.

Tourism is very important for the Madeira's economy.

Madeira also has a large services sector.

Wine, food and construction are important industries.

The euro is Madeira's official currency.

Madeira was colonized by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century. It was given autonomous status in 1976.