Madeira has long been a British and later a
cosmopolitan tourist destination thanks to
its warm climate and oceanic influences.
Lying some 700km (440 miles) from the
coast of Africa, and 1000km (600 miles)
from mainland Portugal to which it
belongs, this is not one island, but many.
Collectively, the islands take their name
from the largest, but in addition are made
up of Porto Santo to the north-east, and
two groups of uninhabited islands: the
Desertas and the Selvagens, roughly to the
south-east.
The highest point of the island is Pico do
Ruivo at 1862m (6108ft). More than 50%
of Madeira lies above 700m (2295ft), and
the cliffs at Cabo Girão, at 589m (1932ft)
rank as the fourth highest sea cliffs in the
world.