Lagos, Portugal

Lagos is a city and municipality in the Barlavento region of the Algarve, southern Portugal, situated at the mouth of the Bensafrim River along the Atlantic Ocean. As of the March 2021 census, the municipality had a population of 33,494 across an area of 212.99 km². The coastal area is densely populated and oriented toward tourism and services, while the inland region is sparsely inhabited with an economy based largely on agriculture and forestry. The population increases significantly during summer months due to tourism. Lagos is one of the most visited cities in the Algarve, attracting tourists with its beaches, rock formations such as Ponta da Piedade, and summer nightlife. The city also holds significant historical importance as a centre of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, a frequent residence of Henry the Navigator, a historical shipbuilding hub, and, at one point, a centre of the European slave trade. Lagos, Nigeria, may derive its name from the Portuguese city, as Lagos was the principal base for Portuguese maritime expeditions along the West African coast during the 15th century.