Madeira 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 belongs politically and culturally to Europe, even if it can be considered to be a geographical part of the African Plate.
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, noted for its Madeira wine, flowers, and embroidery artisans, as well as its New Year's Eve celebrations that feature a spectacular fireworks show, which is the largest in the world according to the Guinness World Records.
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