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Portugal lies south and west of Spain and the two countries share the
Iberian Peninsula. Portugal also includes two archipelagos in the Atlantic approximately
1000 km from the mainland - the Azores and the Madeira Islands. The northern part of Portugal's mainland has many mountains and rivers, lots of rain, and cool temperatures. The valley of the River Douro is famous for its grapes, which are used to make port. In the central part of Portugal, near Lisbon and around the river Tejo, there are rice fields and gardens. In the area known as Ribatejo, fighting bulls are raised. South of Lisbon, in the area known as Alentejo, the temperature is warmer and the climate is drier. There are cork trees, olive plantations, wheat fields and sheep farms. The southernmost part of mainland Portugal is called Algarve. There are miles of sunny beaches on the coast, which attract many tourists. The Portuguese discovered the islands of Madeira in 1418. The islands at the time were uninhabited and covered with dense forests, where lizards and birds lived. Madeira means "wood" in Portuguese. Now the islands are a popular destination for tourists, and are known for their lush vegetation and scenery. About 275,000 people live on the islands. The nine islands making up the Azores were discovered in 1427. They have a warm climate, but severe earthquakes are common. About 260,000 people live in this archipelago. Many different species of birds inhabit the islands and whales can be seen in the waters around the islands.
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