Terceira Island
675643
223419921
2008-07-04T00:13:20Z
Brian1975
323673
/* Communities and economy */
{{Infobox Islands
| name = Terceira
| image name = Vista da Serra de Santa Bárbara, ilha Terceira, Açores, Portugal.jpg
| image caption = Serra de Santa Bárbara
| image size =
| locator map = Terceira-pos.png
| native name =
| native name link = Portugal
| nickname =
| location = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
| coordinates = {{coor at dm|38|44|N|27|19|W|type:mountain_region:PT}}
| archipelago = [[Azores Islands]]
| total islands =
| major islands =
| area = 396.75 km²
| highest mount = [[Santa Bárbara, Terceira|Santa Bárbara]]
| elevation = 1023 m
| country = Portugal
| country admin divisions title = [[Administrative divisions of Portugal|Autonomous Region]]
| country admin divisions = [[Azores Islands]]
| country admin divisions title 1 =
| country admin divisions 1 =
| country capital city =
| country largest city = [[Angra do Heroísmo]]
| country largest city population = 35,581
| country leader title =
| country leader name =
| population = 54,996
| population as of =
| density = 140.73/km²
| ethnic groups =
| additional info =
}}
'''Terceira Island''' ([[Pronunciation|pron.]] {{IPA2|tɨɾ'sɐiɾɐ}}, [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''Ilha Terceira'') is an [[island]] in the [[Azores]], in the middle of the [[North Atlantic Ocean]], with an area of 396.75 km². The island's length is 29 km and the width is 18km; the perimeter is 90 km. Population is 54,996, down from a peak of 59,000. Population density is 140.73/km².
==Geography and geology==
Terceira Island consists of four overlapping [[stratovolcano]]es built above a geologic [[rift]] called the [[Terceira Rift]]. The volcanos rise from a depth of over {{Convert|1500|m|ft|-3}} on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The oldest at over 300,000 years is the Cinquo Picos stratovolcano that forms the eastern part of the island, with a 7 km (4 mi) diameter [[caldera]] which is one of the largest in the Azores. Next in age at perhaps 100,000 years is the Guilherme Moniz stratovolcano in the south-central part of the island, which also has a caldera with the highest remaining point on the rim reaching {{Convert|623|m|ft|0}}. Just to its north is the Pico Alto stratovolcano, probably less than 60,000 years old. It once had a caldera too, but subsequent eruptions filled it with several smaller [[lava dome]]s and cones which top out at {{Convert|808|m|ft|0|abbr=on|abbr=on|abbr=on}}.
The youngest and only historically active volcano is Santa Bárbara, which comprises the western end of the island and is its highest point at {{Convert|1023|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. This stratovolcano is truncated by two calderas, the youngest of which formed about 15,000 years ago. Historical eruptions occurred in 1761 along a fissure on the east side of the volcano, and in 1867 and 1998–2000 from submarine vents off the west coast. The western part of Terceira Island is more heavily forested than the eastern part, due to the prevailing [[westerlies|westerly]] winds bringing increased [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] to that side.
Most of the island is ringed by coastal cliffs about 20 m (60 ft) high, except on the south coast near Angra do Heroísmo. Here, an eruption of [[basalt]]ic lava in shallow water formed the [[tuff cone]] of Monte Brasil, which protects and shelters the harbor of the island's capital. The cone is about 1 km (0.6 mi) in diameter and rises {{Convert|205|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above the western side of the harbor.
==Communities and economy==
'''Terceira Island''' is divided into the municipalities of [[Angra do Heroísmo]] and [[Praia da Vitória]]. Angra do Heroísmo, the historical capital of the Azores, is the oldest city in the Azores, dating back to 1534. Its historical centre is classified by [[UNESCO]] as a [[World Heritage Site]].
The main economic activity in Terceira Island is raising livestock and dairy-based products.
The island has two sea ports, one at Angra do Heroísmo and the other at Praia da Vitória, and an [[Lajes Air Base | air force base (Air Base No. 4)]] and airport near the town of Lajes.
==History==
The former name of Terceira Island was Brazil, not to be confused with the country of the same name nor the [[phantom island]] of [[Brazil (mythical island)|Brazil]]. That name first appeared as ''I. de Brazi'' in the Venetian map of [[Andrea Bianco]] ([[1436]]), attached to one of the larger islands of the [[Azores]]. When the islands became better known and were [[colonialism|colonized]], the island of Brazil was renamed Terceira (meaning 'third' in Portuguese, as in 'the third island').
An annual event held daily from [[1 May]] to [[30 September]] is the ''tourada à corda'' (bullfight with ropes). It consists of letting a bull, tied to a rope, loose in the streets with some controlling the rope and some challenging the bull. ''Touradas'' may be held up to three times a day.
[[Francisco Ferreira Drummond]] ([[21 January]] [[1796]] - [[11 September]] [[1858]]), Portuguese historiographer, paleographer and musician, was born on Terceira Island. In 1810, a number of journalists and others considered to favour the French, including the industrialist [[Jácome Ratton]], were exiled to the island for a period.
On [[24 August]] [[2001]], Terceira Island made the news as [[Air Transat Flight 236]] managed to land on [[Lajes Air Base]] after running out of fuel in mid-air.
On [[16 March]] [[2003]], [[President of the United States]] [[George W. Bush]], [[UK Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]], [[Spanish Prime Minister]] [[José María Aznar]] and [[Prime Minister of Portugal]] [[José Manuel Durão Barroso|José Manuel Barroso]] met on Terceira to discuss the [[Invasion of Iraq]], which began four days later, on [[20 March]].
<gallery>
Image:Cidade de Angra do Heroísmo, ilha Terceira, Açores.jpg|[[Angra do Heroísmo]]
Image:Terceira.png|Map of Terceira
Image:Terceira.jpg|Satellite view of Terceira
Image:Costa da Vila Nova junto à Praia das Escaleiras, Praia da Vitória, ilha terceira, Açores.jpg|near [[Praia da Vitória]]
</gallery>
==References==
* {{cite book | last = Scarth | first = Alwyn | coauthors= Tanguy, Jean-Claude | title = Volcanoes of Europe | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | date = 2001 | pages= 243 pp | isbn = 0-19-521754-3 }}
* [http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1802-05= Global Volcanism Program: Terceira]
==External links==
*In English:
**[http://www.azores.com/azores/terceira.php Azores.com, a commercial site but with abundant information on Terceira Island]
*[http://www.lajes.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet_print.asp?fsID=4001&page=1 Azorean History regarding the American Military]
* {{en}} [http://theazoresislands.blogspot.com The Azores Islands, Site about Portuguese Azores Islands]
{{Azores Islands}}
{{Outlying territories of European countries}}
[[Category:Terceira Island| ]]
[[Category:Stratovolcanoes]]
[[Category:Subduction volcanoes]]
[[Category:Mountains of Portugal]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of Portugal]]
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