Figure 1.--This is a scene at Funchal, the capital of Madeira in the early-20th century. A boy with a wide-brimmed hat and white outfit is riding in a an ox sled. We were not sure why a sled rather than cart is being used. A reader tells us, "Maderia is a hilly place and sledge wagons are used for coming downhill. The hills are steep on this island. It is an exciting ride down hill. Done this run. It is a tourist activity. I think the boy in the picture might be on vacation there which means that the island had already become a tourist attraction." The image is useful for HNC because we see a tourist boy in the sled and aoval boy leading the ox.
Portugal is commonly divided into seven regions. These include five mainland regions Porto and North, Coimbra and Central, Lisbon, Alientiejo, and Algrave) and and two autonomous insular regions (Azores and Medeira). The Mainland and insuar rgions face or are located in the Atlantic. The mainland regions are located along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, wedged between Spain which one annexed the country and the Atlantic Ocean.
Porto and North includes the historic port of Oporto and the mountenous northeast. Opotto includes the Costa Verde (Green Coast). There are lush valleys and mountains with a cover of green. The region is home to some spectacular buildings, beaches and vineyards. Porto, Braga and Viana do Castelo are some of the well known cities of this region. In the northeast there are spectacular views of the hills. Visitors enjoy trekking and enjoyong the beautiful scenery. Vila Real, Braganca, Castelo Branco and Viseu are important attractions.
Coimbra and Central features the Costa de Prata (Silver Coast). Traditional Portuguese architecture has been preserved throughout the region. There are many places of religious and historic interest. Major attractiins include Coimbra, Leira and Aveiro.
Costa de Lisboa or Lisbon Coast: is the area around the capital. This region is steeped in culture and history.
Alientiejo includes Planicies (the Plains). Notable places include Tomar, Alentejo, Santarem, Portalegre and Monsaraz. There are important historical sites, including castles and churches. The Roman temple is one of the most interesting historical site.
The Algarve in the south is perhaps the best known regions of Portugal. It has long, beautiful streaches of golden beaches. Tourists visit the Algrave from all over the world, especially northern Europe. The climate allows the tourist economy to operate yearround. There are also interesting castles, rivers, fishing villages, and the local cusine. The two insuar regions are located some distbnce from the mailand. The Azores are located west of southern Portugal. Madeir is even frher way to the southwest, off the close of Morocco.
Mainland Regions
Portugal's seven regions include five mainland regions. These are: Porto and North, Coimbra and Central, Lisbon, Alientiejo, and Algrave) The Mainland regions face the Atlantic, the westernmost projection of continental Europe and very close to the same longitude as the coast of Ireland. The mainland regions are located along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, wedged between Spain which one annexed the country and the Atlantic Ocean.
Porto and North
Porto and North includes the historic port of Oporto and the mountenous northeast. Opotto includes the Costa Verde (Green Coast). There are lush valleys and mountains with a cover of green. The region is home to some spectacular buildings, beaches and vineyards. Porto, Braga and Viana do Castelo are some of the well known cities of this region. In the northeast there are spectacular views of the hills. Visitors enjoy trekking and enjoyong the beautiful scenery. Vila Real, Braganca, Castelo Branco and Viseu are important attractions.
Coimbra and Central
Coimbra and Central features the Costa de Prata (Silver Coast). Traditional Portuguese architecture has been preserved throughout the region. There are many places of religious and historic interest. Major attractiins include Coimbra, Leira and Aveiro.
Costa de Lisboa
Costa de Lisboa or Lisbon Coast: is the area around the capital. This region is steeped in culture and history.
Alientiejo
Alientiejo includes Planicies (the Plains). Notable places include Tomar, Alentejo, Santarem, Portalegre and Monsaraz. There are important historical sites, including castles and churches. The Roman temple is one of the most interesting historical site.
Algarve
The Algarve in the south is perhaps the best known regions of Portugal. It has long, beautiful streaches of golden beaches. Tourists visit the Akgrave from all over the world,especially northern Europe. The climate allows the tourist economy to operate yearrond. There are also interesting castles, rivers, fishing villages, and the local cuiine.
Insular Regions
Portugal's two insular regions are: the Azores and Medeira, both autonomos regions located west of Portugal in the Atlantic. The two insuar regions are located some distance from the mailand. The Azores are located west of southern Portugal. Madeira is even frher way to the southwest, off the close of Morocco. The climate of both is somewhat different to Potugal itself.
The Azores are a widely-separated arcipelago located some 970 miles (1,560 km) directly due west from Lisbon out into the Atlantic Ocean. North America is another 3,900 kilometers. The archipelago is made up of nine volcanic islands arranged on an east-west axis. The nine islands are divided into three groups. The Eastern group includes Santa Maria and S�o Miguel, the Central group includes Terceira, Graciosa, S�o Jorge, Pico and Faial and the Western group includes Flores and Corvo. It is not yet clear if the Azores were inhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese. The Portuguese settled the Azores as part of the voyages of discovery (mid-15th century). The islands position in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean makes them territory of considerable strategic importance. They played an important role in the World War II Battle of the Atlantic. The Azores were granted the status of an Autonomous Region (1976). Self government was instituted through an amendment to the Portuguese Constitution .
The Azores are an important mid-ocean refueling and supply point for commercial airlines, cruise ships, international shipping, and private yachts. The Azores are well known for flavorful cheeses, red and white wines, and many varieties of tropical fruit. The economy is increasingly a popular tourist attraction. Deepsea fishing is a major attraction.
Madeira
Madeira Island is located in the eastern Atlantic Ocean southeast of Portugal, about 600km off the Morocco coast. Madeira as it is limited at some distance south of Portugal has a perpetual summer climate. One author describes it as wre Europe meets the tropics. The island is today called a floating garden and is a popular tourist destination. Here we can see that tourists were akready enjoying the island at the turn of the 20th century (figure 1). There are many public parks taking advatage of the warm climare an adequate water. The islan is volcanic in origin creating some stunning scenery. The mountain village of Monte gives a breath-taking panoramic views of Madeira's capital city, Funchal. Adventurous tiouristv can travel even further inland and climbing peaks often above the clouds. The coastline is also stunning. The southern coast offers the second highest sea cliff in Europe. Thre are volcanic salt water pools at Porto Moniz. The island ids perhaps best known for Madeira, a fortified dessert wine.
The modern history of Madeira began when the Infante Dom Henrique (Prince Henry the Navigator) drew togeter a small group of cartographers and navigators (early-15th century). He wantd to learn more about the coast of Africa hoping that he could navigate around it and open a maritime route to the East, going arojnd the Ottoman trritory blocking direct trade. Portuguese ship captains set out with the square-rigged ships of the day, compass, hourglass and astrolabe.
The Portuguese led the European maritime outreach with voyages south along the Atlantic coast of Africa. The primary interest at this time was to establish outpodts for trade and to provide secure ports to support voyages further south. The ultimate goal was to establish a sea route to trade with the East--India and China. At the time trade with the East passed through Arab and Ottoman lands, giving them highly advantageous control over this emenselly valuable commerce. It was the Portuguese who first rounded the Cape of Good Hope and established trade with first India and eventually China and Japan. There were more than commercial consequences. The character of Islam was changing from an emlighted outlook oromoting enquiry and learning to a closed theocratic sociry that supressed secilarblearning. Portugal was one of two tiny European countries that were able to establish vast trading and colonial empire. The Portugese eventually built one of longest-lived empires in history, enduring nearly 6 centuries. The Portugese Kingsom was fouded durung the Reconquista (1139). The Kingdom's Empire began with the seizure of Ceuta in North Africa (1415), but this was more an extension f the Reconquista. The creation of an empire beagn as part of Age of Discovery. The foundation of the Empire began in the 15th century and from the early 16th century it stretched across the globe, with possessions in the Americas, Africa, Asia, amd extending into Oceania, mearly encircking the globe. Firedwith the Catholic spirit of the Reconquista and the knowlwdge acquired by Prince Henry the Navigator and his School of Navigation, Portuguese sailors began temtatively exploring the coast of Africa and Atlantic Atlantic islands (1418-19). They benefitted from developments in navigation, cartography and maritime technology in which they played annimportant role. This led to the famed caravel which the Portuguese used to find a sea route to the East seeking spices, silks, porrcelin and other valuable products. As Portuhguese navigators moved south aling the African Atlanric ciast it set up trading posts which evebtually became collomies. As Brazil bulges out into the Atalantic, they also discobered the America at about the same time Columbus made his famous voyage, perhaps earlier. After Vasco de Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope (1498) the Portuguese began to expand east. The destruction of Arab sea power at the Battle of Diu left Portugal in control of the India Ocean (1509). Bartolomeu Dias finally reached the Cape of Good Hope (1488). Vasco da Gama reached India (1498). Pedro Ãlvares Cabral discovered Brazil (1500). Some believe Brazil was actually discovered earlier. It was tiny Portugal that first reached China and first dominated the Oriental trade (16th and 17th century). Portugal ammased a huge empire, but in the long run it could not match the power of the other European maritime countries. This was in part becuause Portugal was a small country, but size was not the only factor. Portugal was first displaced in many areas by the eqaually small, embattled Dutch Republic. The Porthugese Empire essetially ended with the indeprndence of Angola and Mizambique (1970s). The final outpost, Macau, was returndto China (1999).
