Madeira Islands


Region Type Maps & Charts (if available, no international)
Africa, Europe, Atlantic Island Madeira Islands

Volcanic archipelago in North Atlantic 621 miles southwest of Lisbon and 495 miles off African coast(33N/17W), discovered by the Portuguese around 1420. Thereafter settled at urging of Prince Henry.

Early Portugueses settlers included Christopher Columbus's future father-in-law, Bartolomeu Perstreli. Islands later produced sugar and had active commerce with Britain's North American colonies. Turning point on Verrazzano's 1524 cruise to North America.

Sources

Robert A. McCaughey

Compiler

Peter Richards

Back to Locations Search