Lagos, Portugal

Lagos
Municipality
Flag of Lagos
Flag
Coat of arms of Lagos
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 37°6′10″N 8°40′22″W / 37.10278°N 8.67278°W / 37.10278; -8.67278
Country Portugal
RegionAlgarve
Intermunic. comm.Algarve
DistrictFaro
Parishes4
Government
 • PresidentJoaquina Matos (PS)
Area
 • Total212.99 km2 (82.24 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total31,049
 • Density150/km2 (380/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC±00:00 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+01:00 (WEST)
Postal code
8600
Area code282
Websitehttp://www.cm-lagos.pt

Lagos (pronounced [ˈlaɣuʃ] ⓘ; Proto-Celtic: *Lacobriga) is a city and municipality at the mouth of Bensafrim River and along the Atlantic Ocean, in the Barlavento region of the Algarve, in southern Portugal.[1] The population of the municipality in 2011 was 31,049,[2] in an area of 212.99 km2.[3] The city of Lagos proper (which includes only the civil parish of São Sebastião e Santa Maria) has a population of approximately 22,000.[4] Typically, these numbers increase during the summer months, with the influx of visiting tourists and seasonal residents. While the majority of the population lives along the coast and works in tourism and services, the inland region is sparsely inhabited, with the majority of the people working in agriculture and forestry.

Lagos is one of the most visited cities in the Algarve and Portugal, due to its variety of tourist-friendly beaches, rock formations (Ponta da Piedade), bars, restaurants and hotels, renowned for its vibrant summer nightlife and parties.[5] Yet, Lagos is also a historic centre of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, frequent home of Henry the Navigator, historical shipyard and, at one time, centre of the European slave trade.[6] In 2012, travel website TripAdvisor, classified Lagos as the number one travel destination, on a list of "15 destinations on the rise" worldwide.[7]

Lagos, Nigeria may have been named after it since, at the time of the 15th century, Lagos, Portugal, was the main centre of Portuguese maritime expeditions down the African coast.[8]

  1. ^ Detail Regional Map, Algarve-Southern Portugal, ISBN 3-8297-6235-6
  2. ^ "Statistics Portugal". www.ine.pt. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-12-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Discover the Charm and Beauty of Lagos, Portugal: Beaches, Marina, Golf, and More!". www.elyseeum.com. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  6. ^ A Long and Uncertain Journey: The 27,000 Mile Voyage of Vasco Da Gama - Joan E. Goodman, Tom McNeely. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  7. ^ "15 destinations on the rise". Tripadvisor.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-21. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  8. ^ "Lagos, Nigeria (Ca. 1350- )". 6 July 2010.