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Azores Islands

Azores (Açores)
Autonomous Region (Região Autónoma)
Açores 2010-07-19 (5047589237).jpg
Mount Pico and the green landscape, emblematic of the archipelago of the Azores
Official name: Região Autónoma dos Açores
Name origin: açor, Portuguese for species of raptor, erroneously identified as goshawks; also derivation from the word for blue
Motto: Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos
(English: "Rather die as free men than be enslaved in peace")
Country  Portugal
Autonomous Region  Azores
Region Atlantic Ocean
Subregion Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Position Azores Platform
Islands Corvo, Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge, São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira
Municipalities Angra do Heroísmo, Calheta, Horta, Lagoa, Lajes das Flores, Lajes do Pico, Madalena, Nordeste, Povoação, Praia da Vitória, Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Santa Cruz das Flores, São Roque, Velas, Vila do Corvo, Vila do Porto, Vila Franca do Campo
Capital Ponta Delgada
Largest city Ponta Delgada
 - center São José
 - elevation 22 m (72 ft)
 - coordinates 37°44′28″N 25°40′32″W / 37.74111°N 25.67556°W / 37.74111; -25.67556Coordinates: 37°44′28″N 25°40′32″W / 37.74111°N 25.67556°W / 37.74111; -25.67556
Highest point Mount Pico
 - elevation 2,351 m (7,713 ft)
 - coordinates 38°28′19″N 28°51′50″W / 38.47194°N 28.86389°W / 38.47194; -28.86389
Lowest point Sea level
 - location Atlantic Ocean
 - elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Area 2,333 km2 (901 sq mi)
Population 245,746 (2012) Census 2011
Density 105.87/km2 (274/sq mi)
Settlement 15 August 1432
 - Administrative autonomy c. 1895
 - Political autonomy 4 September 1976
Discovery c. 1427
 - Santa Maria c. 1427
 - São Miguel c. 1428
Management
 - location Assembleia Regional, Rua Marcelino Lima, Horta, Faial
 - elevation 46 m (151 ft)
 - coordinates 38°32′6″N 28°37′51″W / 38.53500°N 28.63083°W / 38.53500; -28.63083
Government
 - location Palácio de Santana, Rua José Jácome Correia, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
 - elevation 60 m (197 ft)
 - coordinates 37°44′52″N 25°40′19″W / 37.74778°N 25.67194°W / 37.74778; -25.67194
President (Government) Vasco Cordeiro (PS)
 - President (Assembleia) Ana Luís (PS)
Timezone AZOT (UTC−1)
 - summer (DST) AZOST (UTC)
ISO 3166-2 code PT-20
Postal code 9XXX-XXX
Area code (+351) 29X XX XX XX
ccTLD .pt
Date format dd-mm-yyyy
Drive right-side
Demonym Azorean
Patron Saint Espírito Santo
Holiday 51st day (Monday) following Easter (Dia da Região Autónoma dos Açores)
Anthem A Portuguesa (national)
Hino dos Açores (regional)
Currency Euro (€)
GDP (nominal) 2013
- Total € 3,694 million
- Per capita € 14,900
Locator map of Azores in EU.svg
Location of the Azores relative to Portugal (green) and the rest of the European Union (dark blue)
Azoren blank map.PNG
Distribution of the islands of the archipelago
Statistics: Instituto Nacional de Estatística
Website: www.azores.gov.pt
Geographic detail from CAOP (2010) produced by Instituto Geográfico Português (IGP)

The Azores (ə-ZOHRZ or AY-zohrz; Portuguese: Açores, [ɐˈsoɾɨʃ]), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Região Autónoma dos Açores), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal, about 1,643 km (1,021 mi) west of Lisbon, in continental Portugal, and about 1,925 km (1,196 mi) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Its main industries are agriculture, dairy farming, livestock, fishing, and tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region. In addition, the government of the Azores employs a large percentage of the population directly or indirectly in the service and tertiary sectors. The main settlement of the Azores is Ponta Delgada.

There are nine major Azorean islands and an islet cluster, in three main groups. These are Flores and Corvo, to the west; Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria, and the Formigas Reef to the east. They extend for more than 600 km (370 mi) and lie in a northwest-southeast direction.


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