Madeira

Madeira, officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira, is one of two autonomous regions of Portugal, the other being the Azores. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under 400 kilometres (250 mi) to the north of the Canary Islands and 520 kilometres (320 mi) west of the Kingdom of Morocco. Madeira is geologically located on the African Tectonic Plate, although it is culturally, politically and ethnically associated with Europe, with its population predominantly descended from the original Portuguese settlers. Its population was 251,060 in 2021. The capital of Madeira is Funchal, which is located on the main island's south coast.

Some of the key events about Madeira

1419
The archipelago was officially discovered and claimed for Portugal
1425
The first settlers arrived on the island, beginning its colonization
1452
The first sugar cane was introduced to Madeira, starting a lucrative industry
1478
The first printing press in Portugal was established in Funchal
1508
Funchal was elevated to city status
1803
A devastating flood killed over 1,000 people in Funchal
1807
The Madeira wine industry received a significant boost due to the Napoleonic Wars
1815
A severe famine struck the island, causing widespread suffering
1891
The Madeira Island Natural Park was established, protecting unique flora and fauna
1921
A major landslide in Funchal resulted in numerous casualties and significant damage
1964
Madeira Airport was opened, significantly improving accessibility to the island
1974
The Carnation Revolution in Portugal led to political instability on the island
1976
Madeira gained political autonomy as an autonomous region of Portugal
1993
Severe flooding and landslides caused extensive damage and loss of life
1999
The Laurisilva of Madeira was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
2010
Catastrophic flooding and mudslides killed at least 42 people and caused widespread destruction
2012
Severe forest fires destroyed large areas of the island's natural habitat
2016
Major wildfires ravaged the island, forcing mass evacuations and causing extensive damage
2019
A tourist bus crash killed 29 German tourists near Caniço
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Madeira's tourism-dependent economy

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

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