Situated 907 miles from the European coast and 2330 miles from North America, Apart from international airports of Santa Maria, Ponta Delgada and Angra, there are flights to the islands (operated by the regional airline SATA) and ferry boats between the islands. The islands were formed during the Tertiary period, in the Alpine phase. The volcanic origin of most islands is revealed by their volcanic cones and craters. Pico, a volcano that stands 2,351 metres high on the island of the same name, has the highest altitude in the Azores. The last vulcano to erupt was the Capelinhos Vulcano (Vulcão dos Capelinhos) in 1957, in western part of Faial island, increasing the size of that island. Santa Maria Island is the oldest Azorean island presenting several limestone and red clay extensions.
The nine islands are divided into three groups: eastern, central and western.
The Eastern Group is formed by the islands : São Miguel, Santa Maria and Formigas.
São Miguel Island is the largest island of the archipelago.l. In Ponta Delgada, the capital, the famous 18th century portals open up to a number of monuments that are worth visiting, most of them built between the 16th and the 18th century: Carlos Machado Museum and churches of São Sebastião, São Pedro, São José, Colégio and Nossa Senhora da Conceição; convent and chapel of Nossa Senhora da Esperança and Santa Ana Chapel. Palaces: Fonte Bela and Santa Ana; Conceição and Santa Catarina; Casa de Carlos Bicudo and the Paços do Concelho. Other places to visit: Caldeira das Sete Cidades (green and blue lakes); Lagoa do Fogo; Ribeira Grande; Vale das Furnas (spas and hot mineral pools) and Vila Franca do Campo.
The Central Group comprises the islands : Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial. The capital of Terceira Island, Angra do Heroismo, has a beautiful historic centre which has been classified in UNESCO’s International Heritage list. Special reference to the forts of São Sebastião and São João Baptista (16th-17th-centuries); the palaces of the Bettencourts (Baroque) and of the Capitães-Generais; the Cathedral, with its silver altar front and treasure; the churches of Colégio dos Jesuítas, São Gonçalo and Nossa Senhora da Conceição (17th-century); the churches of Misericórdia and Nossa Senhora da Guia (18th-century, the latter encloses the Angra Museum). Graciosa Island
On the island of Santa Cruz da Graciosa you will find ancient streets and manor-houses, a beautiful mother-church (16th-18th centuries), Santo Cristo Church (16th century), Cruz da Barra (Manueline) and Ethnographic House.
The Western Group is made up of Flores and Corvo. Besides being Europe's most westerly point, Flores Island is considered the most prettiest in the Azores. Its capital, Santa Cruz, has an interesting museum and several historic monuments. Rising to 2,350 metres, Pico Island is Portugal's highest peak, attracting climbers from all over the world. Lajes on the south coast is the region's main whale watching centre. Tiny Corvo Island to the north west is the blown top of a huge marine volcano known as Monte Gordo. Its main attraction is a green crater lake dotted with nine islets. one for each island in the Azores
The Azores had a population of 238,767 in 31 December 2002
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