Madeira (pron. IPA [mɐ'deiɾɐ] or [mɐ'dɐiɾɐ]) is a Portuguese archipelago in the north Atlantic Ocean that lies between 32°22.3′N, 16°16.5′W and 33°7.8′N, 17°16.65′W. It is one of the Autonomous regions of Portugal, with Madeira Island and Porto Santo being the only inhabited islands. It is also part of the European Union. A topographical summit is a point on a surface which is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. ... The metre (or meter, see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height or shoulder drop (in America) or prime factor (in Europe), is a concept used in the categorization of hills and mountains, also known as peaks. ... The metre (or meter, see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Mountains can be characterized in several ways. ... Shield volcano A shield volcano is a large volcano with shallowly-sloping sides. ... // For other uses, see time scale. ... For other uses, see Volcano (disambiguation). ... Look up pronunciation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Not to be confused with the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... The Mergui Archipelago An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... Portugal has two autonomous regions: Azores and Madeira. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ...

Madeira, known originally to the Romans as the Purple Islands, was rediscovered, possibly accidentally, by Portuguese sailors and settled by Portugal as early as 1418 or as late as 1420. The archipelago is considered to be the first discovery of the exploratory period initiated by Henry the Navigator of Portugal. It is a popular year-round resort, famed worldwide for its Madeira wine, a perfect climate, striking scenery, flowers, embroidery artisans, and New Year's Eve celebrations with a spectacular fireworks show, recently considered the biggest fireworks show in the world, by the Guinness World Records. Infante Henrique, Duke of Viseu KG (Porto, March 4, 1394–Sagres, November 13, 1460); pron. ... Resorts combine a hotel and a variety of recreations, such as swimming pools A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. ... Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira. ... A fireworks event (fireworks display, fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ... A fireworks event (fireworks display, fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ... Antarctica Oceania Africa Asia Europe North America South America Middle East Caribbean Central Asia East Asia North Asia South Asia Southeast Asia SW. Asia Australasia Melanesia Micronesia Polynesia Central America Latin America Northern America Americas C. Africa E. Africa N. Africa Southern Africa W. Africa C. Europe E. Europe N... Guinness World Records 2007 edition front cover. ...

Geography and climate

Botanic Garden in Funchal

The Autonomous Region of Madeira is composed of Madeira Island, Porto Santo Island, Desertas Islands and Savage Islands. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2473x1790, 731 KB) Description: Botanical garden on Madeira with Funchal in the background Source: own work Date: 2006-04-07 Author: Hannes Grobe File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2473x1790, 731 KB) Description: Botanical garden on Madeira with Funchal in the background Source: own work Date: 2006-04-07 Author: Hannes Grobe File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are... Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... Image:3524-lg. ... Savage Island is also the former name of Niue in the Pacific Ocean. ...

Funchal, the capital of Madeira Island, is on the south coast of the principal island, in 32°37.75′N, 16°55.3′W. Other main cities are: Porto Santo Town also known as Vila Baleira, Ribeira Brava, Machico, Câmara de Lobos, Santa Cruz and Santana. Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... There are parishes that have the name Ribeira Brava (Portuguese meaning brave riviera) in Africa: In Cape Verde Ribeira Brava, a city in the island of São Vicente In the Madeira Islands Ribeira Brava, a parish and a city in the southern portion of Madeira. ... Machico (pron. ... Câmara de Lobos as seen from the Cabo Girao. ... Santa Cruz (pron. ... Santana during concert in Barcelona 2003 Carlos Santana (born July 20, 1947) is a famous Mexican rock and roll guitarist, originally from Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco. ...

The archipelago lies about 360.0 miles from the coast of Africa, 535 miles from Lisbon, 230 from Gran Canaria, and 480 from Santa Maria, the nearest of the Azores. Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ... Gran Canaria, rarely Grand Canary (archaic), is the third largest island of the Canary Islands, an archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean 210 km from the northwest coast of Africa and belonging to Spain. ... Motto Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos Rather die free than in peace subjugated Anthem A Portuguesa (national) Hino dos Açores (local) Capital Ponta Delgada1 Angra do Heroísmo2 Horta3 Largest city Ponta Delgada Official languages Portuguese Government Autonomous region  -  President Carlos César Establishment  -  Settled 1439   -  Autonomy...

Madeira Island is the largest island of the group with 741 km², has a length of 30 geographical miles (57 km), an extreme breadth of 13 miles (22 km), and a coastline of 80 or 90 miles. Its longer axis lies east and west, in which direction it is traversed by a mountain chain, the backbone of the island, having a mean altitude of 4000 feet (1220 metres), from which many deep ravines radiate outward to the coast. The highest point on the island is Pico Ruivo, at 1862 meters (6107 feet)[1]. Its a peak located on the Madeira Islands, from wich an important family in Portugal had taken its name. ...

On the south there is very little left of the indigenous laurisilva forest which once clothed the whole island (until the original settlers decided to clear the land for farming by setting most of the island on fire) and gave it the name it bears (Madeira means "wood" in Portuguese), but on the north the valleys contain native trees of fine growth. These laurisilva forests, notably the forests on the northern slopes of Madeira Island, are designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Laurisilva on in the National Park Garajonay on La Gomera Laurisilva on La Palma Laurisilva is a type of humid subtropical laurel forest found on several of the Macaronesian islands of the north Atlantic, namely the Azores, Madeira Islands, and the Canary Islands. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ...

A long narrow and comparatively low rocky promontory forms the eastern extremity of the island, and here there is to be seen a tract of calcareous sand, known as the Fossil Bed, containing land shells and numerous bodies resembling the roots of trees, probably produced by infiltration.

Its geographical position and mountainous landscape permit a very pleasing climate. Temperatures are about 22 °C (72 °F) in the summer and about 16 °C (61 °F) during the winter [2]. With its mild humidity, the weather of the island is classified as subtropical. Influenced by the Gulf Stream, sea water temperature is 22 °C during the summer and 16 °C in the winter. For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ...

Geologic origin and volcanism

Madeira Island is the top of a massive shield volcano that rises about 6 km from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The volcano formed atop an east-west rift in the oceanic crust. Construction of the bulk of the volcano began during the Miocene Epoch over 5 million years ago and continued into the Pleistocene until about 700,000 years ago. This was followed by extensive erosion, producing two large amphitheaters open to south in the central part of the island. Volcanic activity later resumed, producing scoria cones and lava flows atop the older eroded shield. The most recent volcanic eruptions were on the west-central part of the island only 6,500 years ago, creating more cinder cones and lava flows. Shield volcano A shield volcano is a large volcano with shallowly-sloping sides. ... In geology, a rift is a place where the Earths lithosphere is expanding. ... Age of oceanic crust Oceanic crust is the part of Earths lithosphere which underlies the ocean basins. ... The Miocene Epoch is a period of time that extends from about 23. ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) is part of the geologic timescale. ... Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. For erosion as understood by materials science, see Erosion (materials science) For erosion as an English analogy, see Erosion (figurative) For erosion as an operation of Mathematical morphology, see Erosion (morphology) Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil... In computer programming jargon, lava flow is a problem in which computer code, usually written under less than optimal conditions, is put into production and then built on when still in a developmental state. ... Cinder Cone is a cinder cone volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park. ...

Municipalities

Funchal.

Funchal by night

Just like the districts of mainland Portugal, Madeira is also further subdivided into 11 municipalities: Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 459 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Madeira Funchal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 459 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Madeira Funchal Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 240 KB)A view of the city of Funchal, Madeira, from a nearby mountain. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 240 KB)A view of the city of Funchal, Madeira, from a nearby mountain. ... Municipio (Spanish and Italian) and Município (Portuguese) are the terms used for the following subnational entities: Municipalities of Argentina Municipalities of Columbia Município (Brazil) Municipio (Italy) Municipalities of Mexico Municipalities of Portugal Municipio (Spain) Municipalities of Venezuela Note: The municipalities of Chile are not municipios but comunas. ...

• Calheta
• Câmara de Lobos
• Funchal
• Machico
• Ponta do Sol
• Porto Moniz
• Porto Santo
• Ribeira Brava
• Santa Cruz
• Santana
• São Vicente

Calheta (pron. ... Câmara de Lobos as seen from the Cabo Girao. ... Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... Machico (pron. ... There is also Ponta da Sol in Cape Verde, see Ponta da Sol, Cape Verde Ponta do Sol (Portuguese meaning the point of the sun) is a municipality in the west-central part of Madeira. ... Porto Moniz (pron. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... Ribeira Brava (pron. ... Santa Cruz (pron. ... Santana (pron. ... São Vicente (Portuguese meaning Saint Vincent) is a town located in the west northwestern part of the Madeira Islands. ...

Capital city

Today Funchal is a modern city with about 140,000 inhabitants. Funchal is located in a unique area; the natural geological features form an "amphitheatre" surrounding the city, which begins at the harbour and rises almost 1200 metres high on gentle slopes. This provides a natural shelter and was what attracted the first settlers. Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... Modern can simply mean something that is up-to-date, trendy, new, or from the present time. ... Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ... The Colosseum in Rome, Italy. ...

Madeira's capital for more than five centuries, Funchal is said to have been named as such because of the abundance of fennel (funcho - in Portuguese) that was growing there. In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has a second meaning based on an alternative sense of capital) is the principal city or town associated with a countrys government. ... Binomial name Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ...

The harbour and climate combined with an excellent geographical position allowed Funchal to have a rapid population growth.

Probably the most central point is the Sé Cathedral. Built between 1493 and 1514 by Pêro Annes in Manueline style it represents one of Madeira's numerous treasures. A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1514 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In architecture, manueline is the sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century, incorporating maritime elements and discoveries brought from the voyages of Vasco da Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral. ...

Culture and people

The busy Funchal`s port

Madeirian typical flowers

Cathedral Sé

Statue of João Gonçalves Zarco, the firt portuguese to settle Madeira

The islands are noted as the source of Madeira wine. The islands are also known for its flowers, sub-tropical fruits and New Year's Eve celebrations with a spectacular fireworks show, considered the biggest in the world. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2362x2362, 1199 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Madeira Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2362x2362, 1199 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Madeira Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (600x800, 269 KB) Sé church in Funchal, Madeira. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (600x800, 269 KB) Sé church in Funchal, Madeira. ... A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... João Gonçalves Zarco João Gonçalves Zarco (c. ... Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira. ... A fireworks event (fireworks display, fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions. ...

Traditional pastries in Madeira usually contain local ingredients, one of the most common being mel de cana, literally sugarcane honey - molasses. The traditional cake of Madeira is called 'Bolo de mel', which translates as (Sugarcane)'Honey Cake' and according to custom is never cut with a knife but broken into pieces by hand. It is a rich and heavy cake. Visitors to the island will see plentiful examples of handicraft on sale in shops.

There are around 250,000 inhabitants (1991) in the two main islands, while only 4,800 live on Porto Santo Island. The population density is 337 inhabitants per square kilometre in Madeira and 112 in Porto Santo. Most of the early settlers were from the Portuguese regions of the Algarve and Minho. The islands have historical monuments, streets and plazas (praças) with many gardens and typical small towns. Algarve NUTS II region, and the district of Faro in Portugal Vilamouras marina Algarve chimney Vale do Lobo Beach Golf in Algarve Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Algarve The Algarve (pron. ... Miño/Minho designates both the river as well as an adjacent Portuguese region Miño/Minho River The river is the longest in Galicia with an extension of 340 km. ...

Biodiversity

Madeira has three endemic birds: Zino's Petrel, Trocaz pigeon and Madeira Firecrest. This article is a parent page for a series of articles providing information about endemism among birds in the Worlds various zoogeographic zones. ... Binomial name Pterodroma madeira Mathews,, 1934 The Zinos Petrel (Pterodroma madeira) is a small seabird in the gadfly petrel genus. ... Binomial name Columba trocaz Heineken, 1829 The Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz) is a member of the family Columbidae (doves and pigeons) which is endemic to Madeira. ... Binomial name Regulus madeirensis (Harcourt, 1851) The Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family, closely allied to the Firecrest, and until recently considered a subspecies of it. ...

It is also of importance for other breeding seabirds, including Madeiran Storm-petrel, North Atlantic Little Shearwater and Cory's Shearwater. The Sooty Tern is highly aerial and marine and will spend years flying at sea without returning to land. ... Genera Subfamily Oceanitinadae Oceanites Pelagodroma Fregatta Neofregatta Subfamily Hydrobatinae Garrodia Hydrobates Oceanodroma Halocyptena The storm-petrels are seabirds in the family Hydrobatidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. ... Binomial name Puffinus baroli Bonaparte, 1857 The North Atlantic Little Shearwater (Puffinus baroli), also known as the Macaronesian Shearwater, is a species of shearwater. ... Binomial name Calonectris diomedea (Scopoli, 1769) The Corys Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. ...

The Macaronesia region harbours an important floristic diversity. In fact, their forests composition and antiquity are quite similar to the one found in the Tertiary period that has covered the Southern Europe and Northern Africa millions of years ago. Macaronesia Macaronesia, not to be confused with Micronesia, is a modern collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. ... The Tertiary period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, from the end of the Cretaceous period about 64 million years ago to the start of the Quaternary period about 1. ... Southern Europe is a region of the European continent. ... Categories: Africa geography stubs | North Africa ...

The great biodiversity of Madeira is phytogeographically linked to Mediterranean region, Africa, America and Australia, and its phytogeographical interest has been increasing in recent years due to the discovery of some bryophyte epiphytic species with disjunctive distribution. Rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity is the variation of taxonomic life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1] and South America with their associated islands and regions. ...

History

It has been conjectured, but on insufficient evidence, that the Phoenicians discovered Madeira at a very early period.^{[citation needed]} Pliny mentions certain Purple Islands, the position of which with reference to the Fortunate Islands or Canaries might seem to indicate Madeira islands. Plutarch (Sertorius, 75 AD) referring to the military commander Quintus Sertorius (d. 72 BC), relates that after his return to Cadiz, "he met seamen recently arrived from Atlantic islands, two in number, divided from one another only by a narrow channel and distant from the coast of Africa 10,000 furlongs. They are called Isles of the Blest." The estimated distance from Africa, and the closeness of the two islands, seem to indicate Madeira and Porto Santo. Phoenician sarcophagus found in Cadiz, Spain; now in Archaeological Museum of Cádiz. ... Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19c portrait. ... The Canaries is the nickname of Norwich City FC. The Canaries is also the nickname of Hitchin Town F.C.. Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 13th  7,447 km²  1. ... Quintus Sertorius (died 72 BC), Roman statesman and general. ... This article is about the Spanish city. ...

There is a romantic tale about two lovers, Robert Machim and Anna d'Arfet in time of the King Edward III of England, fleeing from England to France in 1346, were driven off their course by a violent storm, and cast on the coast of Madeira at the place subsequently named Machico, in memory of one of them. On the evidence of a portolan dated 1351, preserved at Florence, Italy, it would appear that Madeira had been discovered long before that date by Portuguese vessels under Genoese captains. This article is about the King of England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... // Events Serbian Empire was proclaimed in Skopje by Dusan Silni, occupying much of the South-Eastern Europe Foundation of the University of Valladolid Foundation of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge August 26 Battle of Crecy after which Edward the Black Prince honored the bravery of John I, Count of Luxemburg... Machico (pron. ... A portolan is an early modern European navigation chart, dating from the fourteenth century or later, in manuscript, usually with rhumb lines, shorelines and place names. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Suko of Japan, third of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders Start of the reign of Emperor Go-Kogon of Japan, fourth of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders May 1 Zürich joins the Swiss Confederation. ... Florence (Italian, Firenze) is a city in the center of Tuscany, in central Italy, on the Arno River, with a population of around 400,000, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000. ... Genoa (Genova in Italian - Zena in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ...

In 1419 two of the captains of Prince Henry the Navigator, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira, were driven by a storm to the island called by them Porto Santo, or Holy Port, in gratitude for their rescue from shipwreck. The next year an expedition was sent to populate the island, and, Madeira being described, they made for it, and took possession on behalf of the Portuguese crown. Infante Henrique, Duke of Viseu KG (Porto, March 4, 1394–Sagres, November 13, 1460); pron. ... João Gonçalves Zarco João Gonçalves Zarco (c. ... Tristão Vaz Teixeiras Coat of Arms Tristão Vaz Teixeira (c. ...

The islands started to be settled circa 1432 or 1433. In September 23, 1433, the name Ilha da Madeira (Madeira Island or "island of the wood") appears in a map, by the first time, in a document. September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... Events Births June 23 - Francis II, Duke of Brittany Kettil Karlsson Vasa, later Regent of Sweden. ... Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is a solid material derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ...

The three captain-donees had led, in the first trip, the respective families, a small group of people of the minor nobility, people of modest conditions and some old prisoners of the kingdom. To gain the minimum conditions for the development of agriculture, he had to rough-hew a part of the dense forest of laurisilva and to construct a great number of canal (levadas), since in some parts of the island he had water in excess while in other parts this became scarce. In the earliest times, fish constituted the main one half of subsistence of the settlers as well as the vegetable-fruit products. The first local agricultural activity with great relief was the raising of wheat. Initially, the colonist produced wheat for his own subsistence but, later, this started to be a product of exportation for the kingdom of Portugal. Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... Laurisilva on in the National Park Garajonay on La Gomera Laurisilva on La Palma Laurisilva is a type of humid subtropical laurel forest found on several of the Macaronesian islands of the north Atlantic, namely the Azores, Madeira Islands, and the Canary Islands. ... Levadas provide a remarkable network of walking paths A levada (Portuguese for led) is an irrigation channel or aqueduct on the island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ...

However, inexplicably, the grain production began to fall. To get past the new crisis Henry decided to order the planting in the island of Sugarcane - rare in Europe and, therefore, considered a spice - promoting, for this, the introduction of Sicilian beets as the first specialized plant and the technology of its agriculture. The sugar production attracted to the island Jewish, Genoese and Portuguese traders. The culture of the sugarcane was par excellence a leading factor of the island's economy. The production of sugar grew in such a way that there was a great need of man power. The culture of the sugarcane and the industry of the sugar production would develop until the 17th century, following it industry of the transformation - upright prop - making the extraction of the juice for, later, to come to become annealing of meles as then it was called to the phase of the refinement. Infante Henrique, Duke of Viseu KG (Porto, March 4, 1394–Sagres, November 13, 1460); pron. ... Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical regions... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Screen shot of Spice OPUS, a fork of Berkeley SPICE SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) is a general purpose analog circuit simulator. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...

From 17th century the most important product of the Madeira exploration, will be the wine, since the culture of the sugarcane was, however, stimulated in Brazil and São Tomé and Principe. A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... Look up São Tomé and Príncipe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Government Assembleia Nacional de São Tomé e Príncipe official site São Tomé and Príncipe Government & Political Resources Page News allAfrica - São Tomé and Principe Overviews BBC News - Country Profile: Sao Tome and...

In 1921, the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Charles I was deported to Madeira, after an unsuccessful coup d'état. He died there one year later. Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... Emperor Charles I of Austria The Blessed Charles I (Karl Franz Josef Ludwig Hubert Georg Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen) (17 August 1887 – 1 April 1922) (Hungarian: IV. Károly (Károly Ferenc József)) was (among other titles) the last Emperor of Austria, the last King of Hungary and Bohemia... A coup détat (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government through unconstitutional means by a part of the state establishment — mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ...

In July 1, 1976, following the democratic revolution of 1974, Portugal granted political autonomy to Madeira. The region has now its own government and legislative assembly. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... The Carnation Revolution (Portuguese, Revolução dos Cravos) was an almost bloodless, left-leaning, military-led revolution started on April 25, 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, that effectively changed the Portuguese regime from an authoritarian dictatorship to a liberal democracy after a two-year process of a Left-wing semi-military...

Economy

Madeira`s Casino, Funchal

Madeira`s port

Levadas provide a remarkable network of walking paths on Madeira

Funchal`s marina.

Funchal`s panoramic balloon.

New impressive international airport of Madeira

The setting-up of the Free Industrial Zone has led to the installation, under more favourable conditions, of infrastructures, production shops and essential services for small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. The Free Zone of Madeira, also called the Madeira International Business Centre, being a tax-privileged economic area, provides an incentive for companies, offering them financial and tax advantages via a whole range of activities exercised in the Industrial Free Zone, the Off-Shore Financial Centre, the International Shipping Register organisation, and the International Service Centre. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 729 KB) Summary Description: Casino in Funchal, Madeira; Architect Oscar Niemeyer Source: from author Author: Hannes Grobe Date: 2006-04-07 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Oscar Niemeyer Funchal Metadata This file contains additional information... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 729 KB) Summary Description: Casino in Funchal, Madeira; Architect Oscar Niemeyer Source: from author Author: Hannes Grobe Date: 2006-04-07 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Oscar Niemeyer Funchal Metadata This file contains additional information... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The services sector makes the largest contribution to the formation of the regional gross value added as opposed to the agricultural sector, for which the share has continuously declined in the regional economy. Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ...

Over the last few years, the regional economy has managed to open up and establish more internal and external competitiveness, so that its companies have become internationalised.

The largest industries are associated with the activities of food, beverages (and especially Madeira wine) and construction. The word drink is primarily a verb, meaning to ingest liquids, see Drinking. ... Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Madeira Islands of Portugal, which is prized equally for drinking and cooking; the latter use including the dessert plum in Madeira. ... In large construction projects, such as skyscrapers, cranes are essential. ...

Tourism, one of the main activities

Tourism is an important sector in the region's economy since it contributes 20% to the region's GDP, providing support throughout the year for commercial, transport and other activities and constituting a significant market for local products. The share in Gross Value Added of hotels and restaurants (9%) also highlights this phenomenon. The island of Porto Santo, with its 9 km long beach and its climate, is totally devoted to tourism. Over the past decade it has recorded a substantial increase in its hotel accommodation capacity. The Madeira has considerable potential since the necessary infrastructure has been established and adequate investment incentives introduced for expanding its hotel and catering structure in a controlled manner, without disturbing the socio-economic and environmental balance, and without neglecting the conservation of its nature, which is one of tourists' main reasons for visiting Madeira. Tourists on Oʻahu, Hawaii Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A typical restaurant in uptown Manhattan A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to be consumed on the premises. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Scalar potential. ...

Visitors are from the European Union, with Germany, United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Portuguese tourists providing the main contingents. The average annual occupancy rate was 57.4% in 2001, reaching its maximum in March and April, when it exceeds 70%. Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe and includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ...

Levadas

Main article: Levada

The island of Madeira is wet in the northwest but dry in the southeast. In the 16th century the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to the agricultural regions. The most recent was made in the 1940s. Madeira is very mountainous, and building the levadas was often difficult. Many are cut into the sides of mountains, and it was also necessary to dig 25 miles of tunnels. [1] Today the levadas not only supply water to the southern parts of the island but provide hydro-electric power. There are over 1350 miles of levadas and they provide a remarkable network of walking paths. Some provide easy and relaxing walks through beautiful countryside, but others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in serious injury or death. Two of the most popular levadas to hike are the Levada do Caldeiro Verdeand the Levada Caldeirão do Infernowhich should not be attempted by hikers prone to vertigo or without torches and helmets. The Levada do Caniçalis a much easier walk, running 7.1 miles from Maroçosto the Caniçal Tunnel. It is known as the mimosa levadabecause mimosa treesare found all along the route. Levadas provide a remarkable network of walking paths A levada (Portuguese for led) is an irrigation channel or aqueduct on the island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal. ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... Species Mimosa hostilis Mimosa nuttallii Mimosa pudica Mimosa strigillosa and about 400 other species. ...

Sport

Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH (pron. ... Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ...

Madeira also has two football teams called C.S. Marítimo, being the biggest one, and C.D. Nacional where Cristiano Ronaldo signed after C.S. Marítimo missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos manager of Andorinha where he first played. Maritimo has also revealed other great players such as Pepe, now at FC Porto, Tonel now at Sporting Clube de Portugal and Manduca who was transferred to Benfica. Maritimo has also enjoyed various campaigns in the UEFA cup having played teams such as Juventus and Leeds. Club Sport Marítimo commonly shortened to CS Marítimo and just Marítimo (pron. ... Clube Desportivo Nacional, founded in 1910, is a Portuguese football club, that plays in Funchal, Madeira Islands. ... Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH (pron. ... Club Sport Marítimo commonly shortened to CS Marítimo and just Marítimo (pron. ... FC Porto emblem (Larger version) Futebol Clube do Porto (short: FC Porto, FCP) is a Portuguese sports club, best known for its football section. ... Sporting Clube de Portugal (pron. ... Benfica is a civil parish of the Portuguese capital, Lisboa (Lisbon). ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... Leeds United F.C. is the only professional association football club in Leeds. ...

Transport

The Islands have two airports, one in Santa Cruz (known as Funchal Airport (FNC)) on the Island of Madeira and the other in the city of Vila Baleira on Porto Santo Island. Flights to the islands are mostly made from Lisbon and Porto, but there are also direct flights from other major European cities and other countries, like Brazil, Venezuela and South Africa. Funchal airport was infamous for its runway built on a high embankment, falling away abruptly to the sea and with difficult upwinds causing to uplift the aircraft when landing. It was a short runway, but now has been extended to support Boeing 747-400 (one of the biggest airliners today). The largest airliners to use the airport were the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. Recently the runway has been realigned and extended to 2.7km, allowing almost any modern airliner to visit the island. European Union citizens of the Schengen Treaty area can enter the islands freely, while those from other regions need identification. Santa Cruz (pron. ... Funchal Airport (IATA airport code: FNC, ICAO airport code: LPFU) is an international airport located at Funchal, Madeira. ... Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. ... Porto Santo Island (pron. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Norte  - Subregion Grande Porto  - District or A.R. Porto Mayor Rui Rio  - Party PSD Area 41. ... The Boeing 747-400 is the latest passenger model of the Boeing 747 in service and will remain the largest commercial airliner in service until the introduction of the Airbus A380 in 2007. ... The Airbus A320 is a short-to-medium range commercial passenger aircraft manufactured by Airbus. ... The Boeing 737 is the worlds most popular medium to long range, narrow body commercial passenger jet aircraft. ... Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ...

Transport between the two main islands is done by plane or by ferries which allow for the transportation of vehicles. Visiting the interior of these islands is now very easy, due to large developments on the islands during Portugal's economic boom. There are modern roads, reaching all points of interest on the islands and there is also a good transportation network.

Postage stamps

In 1868, Portugal issued postage stamps for Madeira, consisting of the current stamps of Portugal overprinted "MADEIRA". This continued until 1928, when a series for Madeira was issued; but this was the last to be produced until 1980 (stamps of Portugal having been valid in Madeira since 1898), when Portugal began issuing stamps inscribed "Portugal Madeira" that were valid in both Madeira and Continental Portugal, similar to those issued for the Azores. A selection of Hong Kong postage stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... An overprint is the addition of text (and sometimes graphics) to the face of a postage stamp after it has been printed. ... Motto Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos Rather die free than in peace subjugated Anthem A Portuguesa (national) Hino dos Açores (local) Capital Ponta Delgada1 Angra do Heroísmo2 Horta3 Largest city Ponta Delgada Official languages Portuguese Government Autonomous region  -  President Carlos César Establishment  -  Settled 1439   -  Autonomy...

Famous people

The following people were either born or have lived part of their lives in Madeira:

• Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos, former Archbishop of the former Portuguese colonial enclave Goa (in India)
• Alberto João Jardim, President of the Regional Government
• António de Abreu, military and navigator
• Artur de Sousa Pinga, former CS Marítimo and FC Porto football player
• Christopher Columbus, explorer
• Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United and Portugal midfielder
• Fátima Lopes, fashion designer
• Francisco de Vasconcelos, poet
• Henrique Franco, painter
• Jaime Ornelas Camacho, first and former President of the Regional Government
• Jardim Gonçalves, businessman
• João Fernandes Vieira, military in Brazil and Angola
• Joe Berardo, Portuguese millionaire, art collectionist
• José Vicente de Freitas, military and politician
• Karl of Austria, Austrian monarch
• Luís Jardim, musician
• Moisés Henriques, Former Australian Under-19 Captain and current NSW Blues cricketer
• Nadia Almada, a winner of the British reality show Big Brother
• Paul Langerhans, German pathologist and biologist.
• Stephanie Ferreira, H&M's top models
• Teodósio Clemente de Gouveia, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
• Virgilio Teixeira, actor

Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos (1837-1880) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Goa. ... Goa   (Konkani: गोंय goṃya; Marathi: गोवा govā; Portuguese: Goa) is Indias smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population (after Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh). ... Alberto João Cardoso Gonçalves Jardim, GCIH, pron. ... António de Abreu was a Portuguese navigator and military (16th century, born in Madeira), participate with Afonso de Albuquerque in the conquest of Ormus in 1507 and Malacca in 1511, where stay injured. ... Artur de Sousa, known for his nickname Pinga (born July 30, 1909 in Funchal, Portugal) was a footballer and later coach who made his name in FC Porto, club he served until his death in 1963. ... Club Sport Marítimo commonly shortened to CS Marítimo and just Marítimo (pron. ... Futebol Clube do Porto (pron. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator and maritime explorer credited as the discoverer of the Americas. ... Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH (pron. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Fátima Lopes. ... Jaime Ornelas Camacho, (born 1911), was the first President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Portugal, and a member of the Madeirense branch of the popular centre-right-wing Portuguese party PSD. In 1978, he was forced out of office and succeeded by Alberto João Jardim, the current President... José Berardo, born in 1944, in Madeira island, Portugal, is a Portuguese businessman and stock investor. ... José Vicente de Freitas José Vicente de Freitas, pron. ... Karl I, a. ... Moisés Mo Constantino Henriques (born February 1, 1987, Funchal, Portugal) is an Australian cricketer who has represented the NSW Blues and captained the Australian team at the U/19 cricket World Cup in 2005. ... // History The New South Wales Blues are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales. ... Nadia Almada (born January 28, 1977) is a Portuguese woman, best-known for being the first transexual winner of the reality show Big Brother UK, in 2004. ... // Big Brother 5 in 2004 was the fifth season of Big Brother in the UK, a reality show shown on Channel 4 in which a number of contestants live in an isolated house trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of winning a large cash prize... Paul Langerhans (1847 - 1888) was a famous German pathologist and biologist. ... Pathology (from Greek pathos, feeling, pain, suffering; and logos, study of; see also -ology) is the study of the processes underlying disease and other forms of illness, harmful abnormality, or dysfunction. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually a bishop, of the Roman Catholic Church, a member of the College of Cardinals which as a body elects a new pope. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...

Islands and main Islets

Madeira Islands

1. Madeira Island
2. Porto Santo Island

Porto Santo Island (pron. ...

Desertas Islands (Madeira)

1. Deserta Grande Island
2. Bugio Island
3. Chão Islet

The Deserta Grande Island is the main island of the Desertas Islands, a small chain of islands in the archipelago of Madeira, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. ... The Bugio Island is the one of the island of the Desertas Islands, a small chain of islands in the archipelago of Madeira, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. ... The Chão Islet is a small islet in the Desertas Islands, a small chain of islands in the archipelago of Madeira, located to the southeast of the island of Madeira. ...

Selvagem Islands (Madeira)

Also known as the Dry Salvages.

1. Selvagem Grande Island
2. Selvagem Pequena Island
3. Palheiro da Terra islet
4. Palheiro do Mar islet
5. Fora Islet
6. Alto islet
7. Comprido islet
8. Redondo islet
9. Norte Islets

The Selvagem Grande Island. ... The Savage Islands. ...

See also

• Macaronesia
• Madeira Island Open, an annual European Tour golf tournament.

Image File history File links Flag_of_Portugal. ... Macaronesia Macaronesia, not to be confused with Micronesia, is a modern collective name for several groups of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean near Europe and North Africa belonging to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. ... The Madeira Island Open is a mens professional golf tournament on the European Tour, played on the Madeira Islands in Portugal. ...

References

• Global Volcanism Program: Madeira

External links

• Madeira's Official Tourism Website