Olhão
Encyclopedia
Olhão or Olhão da Restauração, is a city and a municipality
in the Algarve region, in Southern Portugal
. It is located near Faro
, which is the district's capital and the capital of the Algarve. It is mostly a fishing port city ("Bela" (sardinhas) [sardines] are canned in Olhão). Faro, Olhão, Loulé
, and Tavira
form an urban conurbation around the city of Faro, in Sotavento
, in eastern and central Algarve.
Olhão takes his name from a big natural water fountain, an "eye of water", like the locals call it (Olhão means Big Eye).
The Olhaneses (inhabitants of Olhão) are more notorious for the trip to Brazil, in a small fishing boat (60-65 ft) with 17 fisherman, that, without maps or any guiding tools (but the stars), went to warn King John VI, who was exiled in that country, that the French had been defeated and banished from Portugal (being the last battles in Olhão and nearby territories).
The municipality of Olhão has a total area of 130.9 km² and 42,272 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of approximately 31,100. Olhão includes a mainland part and the Armona
island. It is bordered by the municipality of Tavira in the north and the east, by the municipality of Faro in the west, the municipality of São Brás de Alportel
in the northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean
in the south.
Municipalities of Portugal
In Portugal, municipality or concelho is the most stable subdivision of Portugal since the foundation of the country.Portugal has an entirely separate system of cities and towns. Cities and towns are located in municipalities, but often do not have the same boundaries, even if built-up is continuous...
in the Algarve region, in Southern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. It is located near Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
, which is the district's capital and the capital of the Algarve. It is mostly a fishing port city ("Bela" (sardinhas) [sardines] are canned in Olhão). Faro, Olhão, Loulé
Loulé
Loulé is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 764.2 km² and a total population of 62,295 inhabitants. The city proper has a population of 12,103.The municipality is composed of 11 parishes, and is located in the District of Faro....
, and Tavira
Tavira
Tavira is a Portuguese city, situated at 37°07' north, 7°39' west in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is 30 km east of Faro and 160 km west of Seville in Spain. The Gilão River meets the Atlantic Ocean in Tavira....
form an urban conurbation around the city of Faro, in Sotavento
Sotavento
The Sotavento islands , is the southern island group of Cape Verde archipelago.There are four main islands: Brava, Fogo and Santiago are rocky and volcanic agricultural islands, with the longest histories of human inhabitance and densest populations in the Cape Verdes...
, in eastern and central Algarve.
Olhão takes his name from a big natural water fountain, an "eye of water", like the locals call it (Olhão means Big Eye).
The Olhaneses (inhabitants of Olhão) are more notorious for the trip to Brazil, in a small fishing boat (60-65 ft) with 17 fisherman, that, without maps or any guiding tools (but the stars), went to warn King John VI, who was exiled in that country, that the French had been defeated and banished from Portugal (being the last battles in Olhão and nearby territories).
The municipality of Olhão has a total area of 130.9 km² and 42,272 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of approximately 31,100. Olhão includes a mainland part and the Armona
Armona
Armona can refer to:*Armona, California**Armona Union School District*Armona Island, Algarve, Portugal*Armona River, Lithuania...
island. It is bordered by the municipality of Tavira in the north and the east, by the municipality of Faro in the west, the municipality of São Brás de Alportel
São Brás de Alportel
São Brás de Alportel is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 153.4 km² and a total population of 11,205 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 1 parish, and is located in the District of Faro....
in the northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in the south.