Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, is an archipelago comprising 4 islands off the northwest coast of Africa. It is known for its namesake wine and warm, subtropical climate, historical and cultural value, flora and fauna, landscapes (laurel forest) that are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main island of Madeira is volcanic, green and rugged, with high cliffs, pebbly beaches. The capital is Funchal.
Madeira was claimed by Portuguese sailors in the service of Prince Henry the Navigator in 1419 and settled after 1420. The archipelago is considered to be the first territorial discovery of the exploratory period of the Age of Discovery.
Its total population was estimated in 2016 at 289,000.Today, it is a popular year-round resort, being visited every year by about 1.4 million tourists, almost five times its population.