ALGARVE - Geography and history
The Algarve region is situated in the far south of Portugal and is bounded on the north by the Alentejo region, on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the east by the Guadiana river, which forms the border with Spain. It comprises an area of 4 989 km2, with 16 municipalities. It is crossed by one of the main national roads, which links the north of Portugal with the Spanish border and runs through the Algarve from west to east.
In topographical terms, it is divided into three distinct regions - a mountainous area, an intermediate zone and the coastal strip. The hills extend from west to east as far as the Guadiana. The intermediate zone has a band of gentle slopes with many rocky outcrops, while the coastal strip is practically flat. The climate is Mediterranean, with an average temperature of 25°C in the hottest month and 11°C in the coldest month. Precipitation occurs mainly in the autumn and winter in the form of torrential rain. The summers are hot and dry, and average annual sunshine is over 3 000 hours. The hydrology is determined by the precipitation, which means that most of the watercourses are seasonal, with the exception of the Guadiana, whose catchment area is the only one of significance in the Algarve. The flora of the region is also determined by the climate and is extremely varied, the most common species being the cork oak, the holm oak, the almond, the carob, citrus species and the fig.
A Mediterranean region reaching out into the Atlantic
Despite the important traditions and trade and cultural links established in the past with the other peoples of the Mediterranean, the Algarve remained relatively isolated until the start of the 20th century. In the 1960s its tourist potential was discovered, leading to a new period of development. The Algarve has significant potential for further development, as witness the following:
- the Mediterranean climate, with its mild winters, can attract a vast number of visitors with easy access because of the good road and air links;
- the current urban and regional planning measures allow for the development of various types of activity adapted to the potential of the region and capable of ensuring the positive development of the Algarve;
- the specialisation of agriculture on the basis of strengthening business capacity and attracting major foreign investment.
There are, however, negative aspects - most of them deriving from the unbalanced development which has favoured the coastal strip at the expense of the interior.
These can be summarised as follows:
- uncoordinated urban development as a result of the construction of compact and high-density infrastructures over large expanses of the coastal strip;
- the existence of bottlenecks in the distribution chain for agricultural produce, impeding the independent development of this sector;
- the abandonment of large tracts of land in the interior, formerly used for farming and livestock rearing, as a result of the emigration of farm labour. This is now jeopardising the continued existence of systems of mixed agriculture (farming/livestock rearing, forestry), in which the availability of labour is of paramount importance.
Contrast between the coast and the hills
The problems of access to the hilly areas, the sparse population and the insufficient use of local resources have plunged this zone into social and economic decline, although the situation has improved in some respects in recent years. Despite the fact that the hill region represents 60% of the surface area of the Algarve, it accounts for little over 10% of the population. This imbalance in human settlement is reflected in the population density of the parishes, which ranges from 8 to several hundred inhabitants per square kilometer, while the average population density for the Algarve was 72 inhabitants per square kilometre in 2001. The development that the region has seen in recent years was essentially due to the growth of the tourism sector, especially in the coastal strip, and has led to a concentration of economic activities along the coast. The hilly sub-region has only a few complementary functions of the economic activities on the coast - some of them of long-term importance, such as the provision of residential areas and the maintenance and conservation of natural resources, particularly water. In addition to these, there are also recreational facilities and rural tourism. The contrast between the hilly and coastal areas is also reflected in the distribution of towns, since the main urban centres - with the exception of Loulé and Silves - are concentrated in the coastal strip. With some 59 000 inhabitants, Faro is the largest town in the region and the one with the most facilities and services of regional significance. Other important towns are: Olhao, the main fishing port in the region; Portimão, Loule, Albufeira, Tavira e Vila Real de Santo António which are important tourist centers. These towns have populations ranging from about 10 to 30 thousand people and different employment options.
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