FARO, the capital of a district bearing the same name, in southern Portugal ; at the terminus of the Lisbon-Faro railway, and on the Atlantic Ocean. Pop. (1930) 18,019. Faro is an episcopal see. Its broad but shallow harbour is protected on the south by the long island of Caes, and a number of sandy islets, which, being constantly enlarged by silt from the small river Fermoso, render the entrance of large vessels impossible. Fish, with wine, fruit, cork, baskets and sumach, are the principal ar ticles of export. Little has been done to develop the mineral resources of the district, which include tin, lead, antimony and auriferous quartz. Faro was taken from the Moors in 1249. It was sacked by the English in and nearly destroyed by an earthquake in The administrative district of Faro coincides with the ancient kingdom and province of Algarve (q.v.).