Madeira
Madeira is an autonomous Portuguese archipelago which lies in the North Atlantic to the north of the Spanish Canary Islands. 2 of these islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, are inhabited. Madeira has a population of around 250,000 people. The capital city, Funchal, houses around 140,000 of this population.
Madeira has one of the most perfect climates in the world. The islands are sub-tropical and awash with lush green vegetation and fruits. Temperatures average around a maximum of 24 °C during the summer months (July through to October) and a minimum of 17 °C in the winter. The waters around Madeira are warmed by the Gulf Stream and reach 22°C during the summer.
Madeira has a modern, thriving economy with leisure and tourism as its main contributors to its success. Madeira is enjoyed by visitors from all over the world and is especially popular with British, German, Scandinavian and Portuguese tourists.
Porto Santo
Porto Santo, known as the golden island, is 14km by 4km wide and is situated north east of Madeira. Blessed with the only sandy beaches in the Madeiran archipelago, the island's economy is dedicated to the tourism and leisure retail industries due to the much acclaimed PGA Seve Ballesteros-designed golf course. A further 18 holes are currently under construction.
