Azores info

The two westernmost Azorean islands (Flores and Corvo) actually lie on the North American plate. 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 600 km (373 mi) and lie in a northwest-southeast direction. The vast extent of the islands defines an immense exclusive economic zone of 1,100,000 km2 (420,000 sq mi). The westernmost point of this area is 3,380 km (2,100 mi) 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 2,351 m (7,713 ft) 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.

Because these once uninhabited, remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of two centuries, their culture, dialect, cuisine and traditions vary considerably from island to island. Farming and fishing are key industries that support the Azorean economy. 240,000 Azoreans live within the archipelago's 868 square miles.

 

Bays in Azores, Portugal

Angra, or Angra do Heroismo, is a city of approximately 21,300 people on the island of Terceira in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores....


Biscoitos is a parish in the district of Praia da Vitória in the Azores. The population in 2001 is 1,425, its density is 54.2/km² and the area is 26.3 km². The village has a wine museum called Museu do Vinho dos Biscoitos....


Horta is a single municipality and city in the western part of the Archipealgo of the Azores, encompassing the island of Faial....


Lajes das Flores is a Azorean civil parish, and municipal seat of the municipality of Lajes das Flores; it is a administrative division that occupies an area of 18.45 km², has a population of less than 540 residents (2001), or approximately 29.3 inhabitants/km². The parish corresponds specifically to the town of the same name, one of two towns on the island of Flores....


Lajes do Pico is a municipality in the southern part of the Azores....


Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal....


Praia da Vitoria is a municipality in Portugal's Autonomous Region of the Azores. It is located on the eastern fringe of the island of Terceira....


Santa Cruz da Graciosa is a civil parish in the municipality of the same name on the island of Graciosa, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The parish occupies the northeastern corner of the island and is the home of the municipal seat, as well as economic center concentrating most municipal services, in addition to the main airport and port....


Sao Roque do Pico is both a municipality and parish on Pico Island, Azores. Sao Roque do Pico includes the northern portion of the Pico Island. It is encircled almost entirely with the Atlantic Ocean except for the east. It is bordered by Lajes do Pico in the south and Madalena. The municipality was created in 1542.  ...


Velas is a municipality in the Sao Jorge Island, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores....


Vila do Corvo, the village, the unique agglomeration on the island of Corvo, is constructed of small homes located along narrow roadways and alleys rising along the hills of the southern one-third of the island. The coastal area of the village is dominated by the Corvo Aerodrome and ports linking the community to the outside world. Generally, the inhabitants dedicate themselves to fishing, agriculture, or raising cattle and most services on the island support these activities, as well as annual tourism.  ...


Vila do Porto is a civil parish in the municipality of Vila do Porto, located in the island of Santa Maria, in the Portuguese autonomous region of Azores. Vila do Porto is the southernmost and the easternmost town in the archipelago of Azores....


Do you know of a bay in Azores that is not listed here? Tell us about it!

Thank you for visiting Azores, Portugal

Featured Businesses