Azores 3226 223320529 2008-07-03T15:33:21Z The Ogre 307408 moving ext link to proper section and rm spam or irrelevant ext links {{Infobox Country |native_name = {{lang|pt|''Região Autónoma dos Açores''}} |conventional_long_name = Azores Autonomous Region |common_name = Azores |image_flag = Flag of the Azores.svg |image_coat = Azr.png |image_map = LocationAzores.png |national_anthem = {{lang|pt|''[[A Portuguesa]]''}}&nbsp;<small>(national)</small><br/>{{lang|pt|''[[Hino dos Açores]]''}}&nbsp;<small>(local)</small> |national_motto = "{{lang|pt|''Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos''}}"<small><br/>(Portuguese for "Rather die free than in peace subjugated")</small> |official_languages = [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] |capital = [[Ponta Delgada]]{{smallsup|1}}<br/>[[Angra do Heroísmo]]{{smallsup|2}}<br/>[[Horta (Azores)|Horta]]{{smallsup|3}} |ethnic_groups = [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]]<br> |largest_city = [[Ponta Delgada]] |government_type = [[Autonomous region]] |leader_title1 = President |leader_name1 = [[Carlos César]] |accessionEUdate = |area_rank = n/a |area_magnitude = |area_km2 = 2,346 |area_sq_mi = 911 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] NB: (math was BAD! must convert areas correctly, a factor of 1.6^2, not 1.6) --> |percent_water = |population_estimate = 243,018 |population_estimate_year = 2006 |population_estimate_rank = n/a |population_census = 241,763 |population_census_year = 2001 |population_density_km2 = 104 |population_density_sq_mi = 266 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] (math was BAD; must convert areas correctly) --> |population_density_rank = n/a |GDP_PPP_year = |GDP_PPP = |GDP_PPP_rank = |GDP_PPP_per_capita = |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = |sovereignty_type = Establishment |established_event1 = Settled |established_date1 = 1439 |established_event2 = [[Self-governance|Autonomy]] |established_date2 = 1976 |HDI_year = |HDI = |HDI_rank = |HDI_category = |currency = [[Euro]] (€)<sup>4</sup> |currency_code = EUR |country_code = |time_zone = [[UTC]]-1 |utc_offset = |time_zone_DST = UTC in [[European Summer Time|EST]] |utc_offset_DST = |cctld = [[.pt]] |calling_code = 351 |footnote1 = Location of the Presidency of the Regional Government ({{coor dm|37|44|N|25|40|W}}). |footnote2 = Location of the Supreme Court ({{coor dm|38|39|N|27|13|W}}). |footnote3 = Location of the Legislative Assembly ({{coor dm|38|32|N|28|38|W}}). |footnote4 = Prior to 2002: [[Portuguese escudo]] }} The '''Azores''' ({{lang-pt|'''Açores'''}} {{pronounced|ɐˈsoɾɨʃ}} or {{IPA|[ɐˈsoɾʃ]}}) are a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[archipelago]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]], about 1,500&nbsp;km (950&nbsp;[[mile|mi]]) from [[Lisbon]] and about 3,900&nbsp;km (2,400&nbsp;mi) from the east coast of [[North America]]. The two westernmost Azorean islands ([[Flores Island|Flores]] and [[Corvo Island|Corvo]]) actually lie on the North American plate and are only 1,925&nbsp;km (1,200&nbsp;mi) from [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]] in the [[Canadian]] province of [[Newfoundland and Labrador]]. The Azores' most significant industries are tourism, cattle raising for milk and meat, and fishing. The nine major Azorean islands and the eight small [[Formigas]] extend for more than {{convert|600|km|mi|-0|abbr=on}} and lie in a northwest-southeast direction. The vast extension of the islands defines an immense [[exclusive economic zone]] of 1.1&nbsp;million&nbsp;km². The westernmost point of this area is {{convert|3380|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the North American continent. All of the islands have [[volcanic]] origins, although Santa Maria also has some [[reef]] contribution. The mountain of Pico on [[Pico Island]], at {{convert|2351|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in altitude, is the highest in all of Portugal. The Azores are actually the tops of some of the tallest mountains on the planet, as measured from their base at the bottom of the ocean. The archipelago forms the '''Autonomous Region of Azores''', one of the two [[autonomous regions of Portugal]]. Although it is commonly said that the archipelago is named after the [[goshawk]] ({{lang|pt|''Açor''}} in Portuguese) because it was supposed to be a common bird at the time of discovery, the bird actually never existed on the islands. Some historians indicate the archaic Portuguese word "{{lang|pt|azules}}" (the plural of blue) because of the colour of the islands when seen from afar. Most, however, insist that the name is derived from birds, pointing to a local subspecies of the [[common buzzard|buzzard]] ({{lang|pt|''Buteo buteo''}}), as the animal the first explorers erroneously identified as goshawks. == History == {{main|History of the Azores}} [[Image:Azores old map.jpg|thumb|left|210px|[[Sixteenth-century]] map of the Azores Islands.]] The islands were known in the fourteenth century and can be seen incompletely, for example, in the [[Atlas Catalan]]. In [[1427]], one of the captains sailing for [[Henry the Navigator]], possibly [[Gonçalo Velho]], rediscovered the Azores, but this is not certain. The [[colonization]] of the then-unoccupied islands started in 1439 with people mainly from the continental provinces of [[Algarve]] and [[Alentejo]]. In 1583, [[Philip II of Spain]], as king of Portugal, sent his fleet to clear the Azores of a combined multinational force of adventurers, mercenaries, volunteers and soldiers who were attempting to establish the Azores as a staging post for a rival [[pretender]] to the Portuguese throne. Following the success of his fleet at the [[Battle of Ponta Delgada]], the captured enemy were hanged from yardarms, as they were considered pirates by Philip II. (This was added to the "[[Black Legend]]" by his enemies.) The Azores were the second-to-last part of the Portuguese empire to resist Philip's reign over Portugal ([[Macau]] being the last) and were returned to Portuguese control with the end of the [[Iberian Union]], not by the professional military, who were used in the [[Portuguese Restoration War|Restoration War]] in the mainland, but by local people attacking a fortified [[Castilian]] garrison ({{lang|es|guarnición}}). [[Image:Pico.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Pico viewed from Faial.]] The 1820 civil war in Portugal had strong repercussions in the Azores. In 1829, in [[Vila da Praia]], the [[Liberalism|liberals]] won over the [[Political absolutism|absolutists]], making [[Terceira Island]] the main headquarters of the new Portuguese regime and also where the Council of Regency ({{lang|pt|''Conselho de Regência''}}) of [[Mary II of Portugal]] was established. Beginning in 1868, [[Portugal]] issued its stamps overprinted with "{{lang|pt|AÇORES}}" for use in the islands. Between 1892 and 1906, it also issued separate stamps for the three administrative districts of the time. From 1836 to 1976, the archipelago was divided into three '''districts''', quite equivalent (except in area) to those in the [[Administrative divisions of Portugal#Districts|Portuguese mainland]]. The division was arbitrary, and didn't follow the natural island groups, rather reflecting the location of each district capital on the three main cities (neither of each on the western group). *'''Angra''' consisted of Terceira, São Jorge, and Graciosa, with the capital at [[Angra do Heroísmo]] on Terceira. *'''Horta''' consisted of Pico, Faial, Flores, and Corvo, with the capital at [[Horta (Azores)|Horta]] on Faial. *'''Ponta Delgada''' consisted of São Miguel and Santa Maria, with the capital at [[Ponta Delgada]] on São Miguel. [[Image:Cidade de Angra do Heroísmo, ilha Terceira, Açores.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Angra do Heroísmo]].]] During the [[World War II|Second World War]], in 1943, Portuguese dictator [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] leased bases in the Azores to the British. This represented a change in policy. Previously the Portuguese government only allowed German U-boats and navy ships to refuel there.<ref>[http://www.adl.org/Braun/dim_14_1_neutrality_europe.asp The Role of Portugal - co-opting Nazi Gold, Jonathan Petropoulos, ''Dimensions'', , Vol 11, No 1, 1997]</ref>. This was a key turning point in the [[Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)|Battle of the Atlantic]], allowing the Allies to provide aerial coverage in the middle of the Atlantic. This helped them to hunt [[U-boats]] and protect convoys. In 1944, American forces constructed a small and short-lived air base on the island of Santa Maria. In 1945, a new base was founded on the island of Terceira and is currently known as [[Lajes Field]]. It was founded in an area called Lajes, a broad, flat sea terrace that had been a farm. Lajes Field is a plateau rising out of the sea on the northeast corner of the island. This Air Force base is a joint American and Portuguese venture. Lajes Field continues to support US and Portuguese military operations. During the [[Cold War]], the US Navy [[P-3 Orion]] anti-submarine squadrons patrolled the North Atlantic for Soviet submarines and surface spy vessels. Since its inception, Lajes Field has been used for refuelling aircraft bound for Europe, and more recently, the Middle East. The US Army operates a small fleet of military ships - probably [[Maritime Prepositioning Ship]]s - in the harbour of [[Praia da Vitória]], three kilometres (2&nbsp;mi) southeast of Lajes Field. The airfield also has a small commercial terminal handling scheduled and chartered passenger flights from other islands in the archipelago, Europe, and North America. In 1976, the Azores became the Autonomous Region of the Azores ({{lang|pt|''Região Autónoma dos Açores''}}), one of the [[Autonomous regions of Portugal]], and the Azorean districts were suppressed. == Politics == Since becoming a Portuguese Autonomous Region, the executive section of the local authority has been located in Ponta Delgada, the legislative in Horta and the judicial in Angra do Heroísmo. The President of the Regional Government is [[Carlos César]]. Azorean politics are dominated by the two largest Portuguese political parties&mdash;[[Partido Social-Democrata|PSD]] and [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|PS]], the latter holding a majority in the Regional Legislative Assembly. The [[CDS/PP]] is also represented in the local parliament. Even though the PS dominates the administrative scene, the PSD is usually more popular in city and town council elections. == Municipalities == {{wide image|Es2004 terceira.jpg|1100px|Panoramic view near Sao Mateus, [[Terceira]], June 2004}} The Azores are divided into nineteen municipalities ({{lang|pt|''concelhos''}}); each municipality is further divided into parishes ({{lang|pt|''freguesias''}}). The Azores have a total of 156 parishes. '''[[The Central Group]]''' *[[Terceira]] ** [[Angra do Heroísmo]] and [[Praia da Vitória|Vila da Praia da Vitória]] *[[Graciosa]] ** [[Santa Cruz da Graciosa]] *[[Sao Jorge Island|São Jorge]] ** [[Calheta (Azores)|Calheta]] and [[Velas]] *[[Pico Island|Pico]] ** [[Lajes do Pico]], [[Madalena (Azores)|Madalena]] and [[São Roque do Pico]] *[[Faial Island|Faial]] ** [[Horta (Azores)|Horta]] '''[[The Western Group]]''' *[[Flores Island (Azores)|Flores]] ** [[Lajes das Flores]] and [[Santa Cruz das Flores]] *[[Corvo Island|Corvo]] ** [[Corvo, Azores|Corvo]] '''[[The Eastern Group]]''' *[[Santa Maria]] ** [[Vila do Porto]] *[[São Miguel]] ** [[Lagoa, Azores|Lagoa]], [[Nordeste, Azores|Nordeste]], [[Ponta Delgada]], [[Povoação]], [[Ribeira Grande, São Miguel|Ribeira Grande]], and [[Vila Franca do Campo]]. [[Image:HortaFaialAzores1.jpg|thumb|320px|Horta Faial.]] ==Cities== There are five cities in the Azores: [[Ponta Delgada]] and [[Ribeira Grande]] on São Miguel Island; [[Angra do Heroísmo]] and [[Praia da Vitória]] on the island of Terceira, and [[Horta (Azores)|Horta]] on the island of Faial. Three of these [[Ponta Delgada]], [[Angra]] and [[Horta]] are considered capital cities in the regional government, homes to the President (Ponta Delgada), the Judiciary (Angra) and the Regional Assembly (Horta). == Geography == {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;" ! Island ! colspan="2"| Area |- | [[São Miguel Island]] || {{convert|759|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Pico Island]] || {{convert|446|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Terceira Island]] || {{convert|403|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[São Jorge Island]] || {{convert|246|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Faial Island]] || {{convert|173|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Flores Island (Azores)|Flores Island]] || {{convert|143|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Santa Maria Island]] || {{convert|97|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Graciosa Island]] || {{convert|62|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> | [[Corvo Island]] || {{convert|17|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|disp=table}}</tr> |} The [[archipelago]] is spread out in the area of the [[Circle of latitude|parallel]] that passes between through Lisbon (39° 43'&nbsp;/ 39° 55' N) and 37° N, giving it a tepid oceanic subtropical climate, with mild annual oscillation. The average annual rainfall increases from east to west and ranges from 700 to 1600 annual millimetres (27.6&ndash;63&nbsp;in) on average, reaching {{convert|6300|mm|in|-1}} in Pico mountain (the highest Portuguese mountain at {{convert|2351|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=/}}). The [[Azores High]], an area of high atmospheric pressure, is named after the islands. The Formigas (the Portuguese word for "[[ant]]s") islands (also known as Dollabarat Reefs) have rich maritime fauna, including exotic species such as the black coral and manta rays, sharks, and sea turtles. [[Image:Sete cidades twin lakes.JPG|220px|right|thumb|Lagoa das Sete Cidades]] The archipelago lies in the [[Palearctic ecozone]], forming a unique [[biome]] that includes the [[macaronesian]] subtropical [[laurissilva]], with many [[endemic species]] of plants. The nine islands have a total area of {{convert|2346|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}. Their individual areas vary between [[São Miguel Island|São Miguel's]] {{convert|759|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|}} and [[Corvo Island|Corvo's]] {{convert|17|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on|}}. Three islands (São Miguel, Pico and Terceira) are bigger in size than [[Malta]] (composed of three different islands), São Miguel Island alone being twice as big. The nine islands are divided into three groups: * The Eastern Group ({{lang|pt|''Grupo Oriental''}}) of [[São Miguel Island|São Miguel]], [[Santa Maria Island|Santa Maria]] and [[Formigas Islets]] * The Central Group ({{lang|pt|''Grupo Central''}}) of [[Terceira Island|Terceira]], [[Graciosa Island|Graciosa]], [[São Jorge Island|São Jorge]], [[Pico Island|Pico]] and [[Faial Island|Faial]] * The Western Group ({{lang|pt|''Grupo Ocidental''}}) of [[Flores Island (Azores)|Flores]] and [[Corvo Island|Corvo]]. ==Geology== The islands are located atop an active [[triple junction]] between three large tectonic plates: the [[North American Plate]], the [[Eurasian Plate]] and the [[African Plate]]. Volcanism associated with the formation of the islands arises from the fact that the [[Azores Triple Junction]] involves rifting, a process whereby the crust is spreading along three ridge legs radiating out from the triple junction. The volcanism is also related to the [[Azores hotspot]]. The islands began forming during the [[Tertiary]] period. [[Pico Island|Pico]], a volcano that stands {{convert|2351|m|ft|0|spell=us}} high on the island of the same name, has the highest altitude in the Azores and all of Portugal. The last volcano to erupt was the Capelinhos Volcano ({{lang|pt|''Vulcão dos Capelinhos''}}) in 1957, in the western part of Faial Island, increasing the size of the island by 2.4km, but it's estimated that great part of it will be washed away in next 20 years. [[Santa Maria Island]] is the oldest Azorean island, formed 4.8 million years ago, and is the only island in the Azores with an abundance of sediments where marine fossils have been discovered. The [[Gruta das Torres]], [[Algar do Carvão]], [[Gruta do Natal]], [[Gruta das Cinco Ribeiras]] are some of the many caves of the Azores. == Demographics == On [[31 December]] [[2002]], the Azores' population was 238,767 at a density of {{PD km2 to sq mi|106}}. {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !rowspan="2"| Island !!colspan="2"| Population (2002) !rowspan="2"| Main<br/>city/town !!rowspan="2"| Municipalities</tr> ! !! (% of total) |- | [[São Miguel Island]] ||align="right"| 130,154 ||align="right"| 54.50 | [[Ponta Delgada]] ||align="center"| 6 |- | [[Terceira Island]] ||align="right"| 54,996 ||align="right"| 23.00 | [[Angra do Heroísmo]] ||align="center"| 2 |- | [[Faial Island]] ||align="right"| 14,934 ||align="right"| 6.25 | [[Horta (Azores)|Horta]] ||align="center"| 1 |- | [[Pico Island]] ||align="right"| 14,579 ||align="right"| 6.11 | [[Madalena (Azores)|Madalena]] ||align="center"| 3 |- | [[São Jorge Island]] ||align="right"| 9,522 ||align="right"| 3.99 | [[Velas]] ||align="center"| 2 |- | [[Santa Maria Island]] ||align="right"| 5,490 ||align="right"| 2.30 | [[Vila do Porto]] ||align="center"| 1 |- | [[Graciosa Island]] ||align="right"| 4,708 ||align="right"| 1.97 | [[Santa Cruz da Graciosa]] ||align="center"| 1 |- | [[Flores Island (Azores)|Flores Island]] ||align="right"| 3,949 ||align="right"| 1.65 | [[Santa Cruz das Flores]] ||align="center"| 2 |- | [[Corvo Island]] ||align="right"| 435 ||align="right"| 0.18 | [[Vila do Corvo]] ||align="center"| 1 |- | Total ||align="right" | 238,767 || | Total ||align="center"| 19 |} ===Ethnic groups=== {{main|Portuguese people}} The vast majority of the inhabitants of the Azores are [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], descendants of [[15th century]] immigrants from [[Algarve]] (Southern Portugal) and from the [[Minho (province)|Minho]] ([[Northern Portugal]]), with a minor [[Dutch people|Dutch]] admixture (particularly from [[Flanders]]). Since the [[17th century]], many of them have emigrated, mainly to [[Brazil]], the [[USA]] and [[Canada]].<ref>[http://library.csustan.edu/bsantos/azores.html Azores Islands<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == See also == {{PortugalPortal}} * [[Canary Islands]] * [[Cape Verde]] * [[Madeira]] * [[Macaronesia]] * [[Postage stamps and postal history of the Azores]] ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == {{commons|The Azores}} {{wikiatlas|the Azores}} * [http://www.azores.gov.pt/ Azores.gov.pt Azores Regional Government] * [http://www.uac.pt/~arquivoacores/ Arquivo dos Açores - Universidade dos Açores] * [http://wikitravel.org/en/Azores Wikitravel] * [http://www.visitazores.org/Home.aspx?Language=EN Azores Tourism Board] * [http://www.lajes.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=4001&page=1 History from an American Military source] * [http://www.climaat.angra.uac.pt/WebCams/index.htm Azores Weathercams (Projectos Climaat e Climarcost)] * [http://vector-images.com/image.php?epsid=9074 Azores (Portugal), coat of arms Coat of arms eps, svg] {{Azores Islands}} {{Template group |title = Geographic locale |list = {{Administrative divisions of Portugal}} {{Europe topic|Geography of}} }} {{Template group |title = International membership |list = {{Non-sovereign territories of Europe}} {{Portuguese overseas empire}} }} [[Category:Azores| ]] [[Category:NUTS 2 Statistical Regions of Portugal]] [[Category:Outermost regions of the European Union]] [[Category:Ridge volcanoes]] [[Category:Special territories of the European Union]] [[Category:Volcanoes of Portugal]] [[Category:Volcanoes of the Atlantic Ocean]] [[Category:Islands of Macaronesia]] [[bg:Азорски острови]] [[ca:Açores]] [[cs:Azory]] [[da:Azorerne]] [[de:Azoren]] [[et:Assoorid]] [[el:Αζόρες]] [[es:Azores]] [[eo:Acoroj]] [[eu:Azoreak]] [[fr:Açores]] [[gl:Azores - Açores]] [[ko:아조레스 제도]] [[io:Acori]] [[id:Azores]] [[ia:Azores]] [[is:Asóreyjar]] [[it:Azzorre]] [[he:האיים האזוריים]] [[jv:Azores]] [[kw:Ynysek Açores]] [[sw:Azori]] [[la:Azores]] [[lt:Azorai]] [[hu:Azori-szigetek]] [[nl:Azoren]] [[ja:アゾレス諸島]] [[no:Azorene]] [[nn:Asorane]] [[oc:Açòres]] [[pl:Azory]] [[pt:Açores]] [[ro:Azore]] [[ru:Азорские острова]] [[simple:Azores]] [[sk:Azory]] [[sl:Azori]] [[sr:Азорска острва]] [[sh:Azori]] [[fi:Azorit]] [[sv:Azorerna]] [[vi:Azores]] [[tr:Azorlar]] [[uk:Азорські острови]] [[zh:亚述尔群岛]]