Algarve

The Algarve is a region, sub-region and a historical province (or natural region)of Portugal, being the southernmost among all regions of the country. It has the city of Faro as the capital.

It coincides perfectly with the Faro District, with an area of 5,412 km² and a permanent population of 451,005 (2011 Census) (0.06% of Europe's population and 4.27% of Portugal's population). It is the most important tourist region of Portugal and one of the most important in Europe.

Its temperate Mediterranean climate, characterized by mild and short winters and long summers, warm and dry, the warm and calm waters that bathe its south coast, its natural landscapes, historical and ethnographic heritage and the recognized and healthy gastronomy, are attributes that attract millions of national and international tourists every year and that make the Algarve the most visited region and one of the most developed in the country.

The Algarve is currently the third richest region in Portugal, following the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and Madeira, with a GDP per capita of 86% of the European Union average.

Due to the above factors, the Algarve has become one of the Portuguese regions with the highest number of foreign residents, mainly from other European countries. In 2018, 69,000 of the inhabitants were not Portuguese.

The Cape of St. Vincent, located in the village of Sagres, is the most southwestern point in continental Europe.

Internally, the region is subdivided into two zones, one to the West (the Windward) and the other to the east (the Leeward)

A main hospital in each of the areas guarantees health care throughout the Algarve. In terms of infrastructure, the International Airport is in one area and the International Racetrack in another.