Article Outline
Azores (Portuguese Açores), archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, located 1,300 km (800 mi) west of Portugal, an autonomous region of that country. The Azores have an area of 2,247 sq km (868 sq mi), and include nine major islands in three scattered groups: the eastern group, which includes the major islands São Miguel and Santa Maria, and the Formigas islets; the central group (Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Terceira, and Graciosa); and the northwestern group (Flores and Corvo). The largest city in the Azores is Ponta Delgada (1991 population, 21,091), located on the island of São Miguel.
With the exception of Santa Maria, the Azores are volcanic in origin. Periodic eruptions and earthquakes have devastated island settlements throughout history. Most of the islands have steep topography, with the high point occurring on Pico at 2,351 m (7,713 ft). The islands enjoy a relatively temperate climate, but they also are subject to severe Atlantic winds, storms, and currents. The average winter temperature is 14° C (57° F), while the average summer temperature is 23° C (74° F).
The total population of the Azores in 1993 was 237,800. Except for a few large towns, such as Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo (located on Terceira), the sparse population is scattered throughout the islands. Azorean emigration to North America has been a major factor in Azorean history, economy, and culture. Beginning in the 19th century when island residents joined the crews of American whaling ships, large numbers of Azoreans have emigrated to work and live in both the United States and Canada. By the 1990s, more Azoreans resided in North America than in the archipelago.
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Economy and Government
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Once dominated by sugar, wheat, and oranges, the Azorean economy today features other types of agriculture as well as fishing and tourism. Chief agricultural products include cattle, dairy products, tobacco, and pineapples. As an autonomous region of Portugal, the Azores have a large measure of financial and administrative freedom. A regional assembly is elected from the Azores' three administrative districts, which are named after their capital cities: Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo, and Horta (located on Faial). The Social Democratic Party is the leading political party.
The Azores were discovered by Portuguese sailors in 1427 and were settled by Portuguese and Flemish colonists beginning in the 1430s and 1440s. Occupied by Spain from 1580 to 1640, the Azores were the site of naval battles between the English and the Spanish and Portuguese. During World War II (1939-1945), neutral Portugal allowed Britain and the United States to place naval and air bases in the islands. After the war, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) airbase was established on Terceira by the United States. In 1976, with the ratification of Portugal's new constitution, the Azores became an autonomous region. In addition to their strategic position for military purposes, the location of the Azores also facilitates the collection of essential weather information for meteorologists.
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