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Algarve

History

thumb|left|200px|Coat of Arms of kingdom of the Algarve
The Conii, influenced by Tartessos, were established by the sixth century BC in the region of the Algarve. They would be strongly influenced by the Celtici. The Phoenicians had established trading ports along the coast circa 1000 BC. The Carthaginians founded Portus Hanibalis — known today as Portimão — in circa 550 BC. The Romans in the 2nd century BC spread through the Iberian Peninsula, and many Roman ruins can still be seen in the region, notably in Lagos. Roman bath complexes and fish salting tanks have been found near the shore in several locations, for example the ones near Vilamoura and Praia da Luz.

In the 5th century the Visigoths took control of the Algarve until the beginning of the Moorish invasion in 711. When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716 it was called Zawaia. Faro, which the Christian residents had called Santa Maria, was renamed Faraon, which means "the settlement of the Knights." For several years, the town of Silves was the capital of the region under Moorish rule.

Due to the Moorish occupation of Iberia, the region was called "Al-Gharb Al-Andalus". Al-Gharb (الغرب) means "the west"; Al-Andalus is the Arabic name of Muslim Iberia.

A 16th century map of the Kingdom of Portugal, clearly showing the separated status of the Algarve at the time.

In the mid-12th century, the Moorish occupation ended in the region due to successful military campaigns of the Kingdom of Portugal. Under Christian domination, the "Al-Gharb" was known since then as the Kingdom of Algarve. It was not until the 13th century that the Portuguese finally secured the region against subsequent Moorish attempts to recapture the area - see Reconquista. King Afonso III of Portugal started calling himself King of Portugal and Algarve. Later on, after 1471, with the conquest of territories in Northern Africa (considered as the Algarve of abroad in Africa) the title became with Afonso V of Portugal, King of Portugal and the Algarves here (in Europe) and abroad in Africa, and it stayed so till the proclamation of the Portuguese Republic in 1910. The Algarve was a semi-autonomous area of Portugal with a governor from 1595 to 1808, as well as a separate taxation system until the end of the 18th century. From 1249 to 1910, to reflect the Algarve's unique status, Portuguese monarchs were known (amongst other titles) as "King/Queen of Portugal and The Algarves." Prior to the independence of Brazil, the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (1815 – 1822) was an official designation for Portugal which also alluded to the Algarve.

In the 15th century, Henry the Navigator based himself near Lagos and conducted various maritime expeditions which established Portugal as a colonial power. It was also from Lagos that Gil Eanes set sail in 1434 to become the first seafarer to round Cape Bojador in West Africa. The voyages of discovery brought Lagos fame and fortune. Trade flourished and Lagos became the capital of the historical province of Algarve in 1577 and remained so until 1756, the year following the destruction of much of the town by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The earthquake damaged several areas in the Algarve, where a tsunami dismantled some coastal fortresses and, in the lower levels, razed houses. Almost all the coastal towns and villages of the Algarve were heavily damaged, except Faro, which was protected by the sandy banks of Ria Formosa lagoon. In Lagos, the waves reached the top of the city walls. For many Portuguese coastal regions, including the Algarve, the destructive effects of the tsunami were more disastrous than those of the earthquake proper.

In 1807 when Junot was leading the first Napoleonic invasion in the north of Portugal, the Algarve was occupied by the Spanish troops of Manuel Godoy. The Algarve became the first part of occupied Portugal to liberate itself from the Spanish invaders, in the rebellion of Olhão in 1808. In 1910, with the Portuguese First Republic, the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarve ceased to exist as such. A historical province, the Algarve has been Continental Portugal's southernmost region.

Geography

Burgau, Algarve - a view of the Nature Park of Southwest Alentejo and Cape St. Vicente Coast.

The Algarve is hilly, but traversed with rich valleys. Its highest point is Fóia, , in the mountain range of Monchique. It is composed of 5,412 square kilometres with approximately 410,000 permanent inhabitants (density of 76 inhabitants per square kilometre). This figure increases to over a million people at the height of summer due to an influx of tourists. The Algarve has several cities, towns and villages. It also includes some islands and islets. The region is also the home of the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over 170 square kilometres and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds.

The region's capital is the city of Faro. Other cities are Albufeira, Lagoa, Lagos, Loulé, Olhão, Portimão, Quarteira, Silves, Tavira, and Vila Real de Santo António.

The length of the south-facing coastline is approximately 155 kilometres. Beyond the westernmost point of Cape St. Vincent it stretches a further 50 kilometres to the north. The coastline is notable for picturesque limestone caves and grottoes, particularly around Lagos, which are accessible by powerboat. There are many other beautiful and famous summer places such as Albufeira, Vilamoura, Praia da Rocha, Lagos, Armação de Pêra, Alvor, Monte Gordo, Tavira, and Sagres.

Municipalities

Faro is the chief city in the region of Algarve.

Dona Ana Beach in Lagos, Portugal.

Maps:
The region is divided into 16 municipalities:

Albufeira

Alcoutim

Aljezur

Castro Marim

Faro

Lagoa

Lagos

Loulé

Monchique

Olhão

Portimão

São Brás de Alportel

Silves

Tavira

Vila do Bispo

Vila Real de Santo António

Note: the Algarve region and the Faro District are coexistent (comprise exactly the same territory).

Economy

Agricultural products of the region include fig, almond, orange (laranja do Algarve), carob bean, strawberry tree and cork oak. Horticulture is important and the region's landscape was known for the large areas of land covered with plastic greenhouses which are used for that end. Fishing and aquaculture are important activities in the coastal area of Algarve, with sardines, soles, cyprinids, gilt-head bream and various seafood, including the grooved carpet shell, being the major productions. Algarve's wines are also renowned. There are four wines in the region which have Protected Designation of Origin (Denominação de Origem Controlada - DOC): Lagoa DOC, Lagos DOC, Portimão DOC and Tavira DOC. Food processing, cement and construction, are the main industries. Tourism related activities are extensive and make the bulk of Algarve's economy during summer time. The Algarve's economy has always been closely linked to the sea, and fishing has been an important activity since ancient times. Only since the 1960s, has the region embraced tourism, which has become its most important economic activity.

Tourism and immigration in the Algarve

thumb|left|200px|Lagoa city, Algarve./" class="wiki">Praia da Marinha (English: Beach of the Navy) near Lagoa city, Algarve.
In the 1960s the Algarve became a very popular destination for tourists, mainly from Britain. It has since become a common destination for Germans, Dutch and Irish people. Many of these tourists own their own property in the region. There are Algarve-based English-written publications and newspapers specifically addressed to this community. In addition to the natural beauties and plenty of beaches, the Algarve has invested in the creation of a network of golf courses. Well-known beaches in the Algarve range from Praia da Marinha to Armação de Pêra. A well known spa town is Caldas de Monchique.

Algarve is also famous for its luxury resort & hotel spas by the beach.

The Algarve is a popular destination for tourism, primarily because of its beaches, Mediterranean climate, safety and relatively low costs.

Algarve's mild climate has attracted interest from Northern Europeans wishing to have a holiday home or residence in the region. Being a region of Portugal, and therefore in the European Union, any EU citizen has the right to freely buy property and reside with little formality in the Algarve. British expatriates, followed by German, Dutch and Scandinavians, are among the largest groups wishing to own a home in this sunny region of Portugal.

Tourism plays an important role in the economy of the Algarve. A large number of seasonal job opportunities are tourism-related and are fulfilled by thousands of immigrant workers from countries like Brazil, Ukraine and Cape Verde, among others.

In March 2007, the Minister of Economy, Manuel Pinho, announced the creation of the "Allgarve" brand, as a part of a strategical promotion of the Algarve as a tourism destination for foreign citizens.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the Algarve ranges from high rise resorts in places like Albufeira to traditional guesthouses, located in the small towns and villages surrounding the Algarve coast. Over the past 50 years the Algarve has seen an increase in development, particularly from non-Portuguese developers. Over the past few years many tourists visiting the Algarve have moved away from the resorts, and have chosen the comfort of a traditional Algarve guesthouse, many of these run by ex-pats from England, Holland, and Germany who have escaped to the Algarve for a higher quality of life.

Education in the Algarve

The University of the Algarve, headquartered in Faro with an extension in Portimão, is a public university which awards all academic degrees in fields ranging from marine biology to economics to environmental engineering. There are also several higher education private institutions, state-run and private secondary education schools, including a number of international schools, and a wide network of kindergartens and primary schools.

Sports

The 30,000-seater Algarve Stadium (<i><a href="http://reference.findtarget.com/search/Estádio Algarve/" class="wiki">Estádio Algarve</a></i>).

The 30,000-seater Algarve Stadium (Estádio Algarve).

The Algarve has many sports clubs, including football teams which play in the second and third layers of the main national football championships' pyramid. Examples include the football teams of Portimonense, Olhanense, and Louletano. SC Farense is the most successful football club in the Algarve, however, after financial troubles it is currently (season 2008/2009) playing in the 4th level of Portuguese football. The Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira is a noted Portuguese cycling team. The major stadium in the Algarve is the Estádio Algarve, where SC Farense and Louletano play their home matches. The region is also host to the annual Algarve Cup invitational tournament for national teams in women's football. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, a 4.692 kilometers (2.915 mi) race circuit, is located in Portimão.

Weather

The maximum temperatures in the Algarve fluctuate between 15 °C in winter and 31 °C in summer, with the temperature never usually falling below zero in the winter months. The winter of 2008/2009 was exceptionally cold and wet. Temperatures below 0 °C were recorded for the first time in many years.