An archipelago north of the Canary Islands and northwest of Morocco, Madeira is an autonomous region of
Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean. It includes the main island of Madeira (with the capital and largest city, Funchal, being located there), as well as the islands of Porto Santo and the Desertas, administered together with the separate archipelago of the Savage Islands. The region is a popular year-round resort, being visited by around a million tourists every year, is an important stopover for commercial and trans-Atlantic passenger cruises between the Caribbean, Europe and North Africa, is the second-richest region of Portugal next to Lisbon, and is known for its wine, embroidery artisans, gastronomy, cultural and historical value, natural landscapes and having the biggest fireworks show in the world with its annual New Year celebrations. As well as being the original home of football/soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo.
The region was first claimed by Portuguese sailors in the service of Prince Henry the Navigator in 1419 and settled after 1420, with the archipelago being considered to be the first territorial discovery of the exploratory period of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, which extended from 1415 to 1542. The island became a top sugarcane producer in that time, with African slaves being brought to the region to cultivate sugar cane. However, sugar production was shifted to Portugal's other colonies in the 17th century, and wine overtook sugar as the primary engine of the region's economy. The British briefly occupied the island in the early 1800's, and after the end of World War I, Charles (Karl) I, the last Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, went into exile in Madeira until his death, his coffin currently lying in a chapel of the church in Monte. After the Carnation Revolution of 1974, Portugal granted political autonomy to Madeira on the 1st of July, 1976, which is now celebrated every July 1st in the region on Madeira Day, and the region now has its own government and legislative assembly separate from Portugal's.
Nowadays the "Madeira International Business Center" is a very important part of its economy (read: Madeira has its own tax haven). As part of its "Business Center", Madeira also has the "Madeira International Ship Register" (read: Madeira is a flag of convenience on the French/German/Norwegian "second register" modelnote while ships registered on the "International Register" actually fly the regular Portuguese flag, the register is owned and operated by the "Business Center").
The Madeiran flag
This flag consists of a blue-gold-blue vertical triband with a red-bordered white Cross of Christ in the center, alluding the fact that the region was discovered by two knights of the Household Henry the Navigator: João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira; symbol of connection to the República Portuguesa.
Madeiran anthemDo vale à montanha e do mar à serra,
Teu povo humilde, estóico e valente
Entre a rocha dura te lavrou a terra,
Para lançar, do pão, a semente:
Herói do trabalho na montanha agreste,
Que se fez ao mar em vagas procelosas:
Os louros da vitória, em tuas mãos calosas
Foram a herança que a teus filhos deste.
Por esse Mundo além
Madeira teu nome continua
Em teus filhos saudosos
Que além fronteiras
De ti se mostram orgulhosos.
Por esse Mundo além,
Madeira, honraremos tua História
Na senda do trabalho
Nós lutaremos
Alcançaremos
Teu bem-estar e glória.
—
From the valley to the mountain and from the sea to the highlands,
Your humble, stoic and brave people
Between the hard rock the earth ploughed you,
To cast, from the bread, the seed:
Hero of labour in the harsh mountain,
Which made itself to the sea in tempestuous waves:
The laurels of victory, in your callous hands,
Were the heritage that you gave your children.
For this World beyond
Madeira your name continues
In your longing children
That beyond borders
Show themselves proud of you.
For this World beyond,
Madeira, we will honour your history
In the path of labour
We will struggle
Will reach
Your well-being and glory.
