Azores

The Azores (Portuguese Ilhas dos Açores [ ɐ'soɾɨʃ ] to German: Habicht Islands) are a group of nine large and several smaller Portuguese Atlantic islands ( the main island of São Miguel), the 1369 km west of mainland Europe (Cabo da Roca ) and 4382 km east of North America ( the U.S. state of Virginia) lie. The shortest distance ( Flores Island ) to the North American mainland ( Newfoundland, Canada ) is 2342 km.

Administratively form the Azores summarized an autonomous region of Portugal, Região Autónoma dos Açores the. Despite their relatively large distance from the European mainland, the Azores are part of Portugal as the European Union.

  • 2.1 Landscape
  • 2.2 Flora and Vegetation
  • 2.3 Fauna
  • 4.1 Largest communities ( census 2001)
  • 5.1 Flag and Coat of Arms
  • 5.2 Administrative divisions
  • 6.1 Agriculture
  • 6.2 Tourism
  • 7.1 sizes of the islands
  • 7.2 Distances of the islands

Geography and Geology

The Azores lie at 36 ° 43 ' to 39 ° 56 ' N and 24 ° 46 ' to 31 ° 16' W and include a floor area of ​​2330 square kilometers. They are part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and lie on the plate boundary between the European plate and the African plate. The westernmost islands of Flores and Corvo belong geologically to the North American continental plate.

The nine major islands, eight of which are volcanic in origin and a (Santa Maria) is sedimentary, dividing into three groups:

  • Grupo Ocidental ( north- western group ): Corvo and Flores.
  • Grupo Central ( central group ): Faial with the island's capital, Horta, the main point of contact for Atlantic crossers, Pico with capital Madalena, São Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira. Capital of Terceira is recognized as World Heritage Angra do Heroismo, which was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1980.
  • Grupo Oriental (South-eastern group): Santa Maria, the Formigas, a group of uninhabited islands, and São Miguel, the largest island ( main island ) of the Azores, where the capital, Ponta Delgada also the capital of the archipelago and also among other headquarters settled on several islands University the Azores.

The eponymous volcano on the island of Pico is with 2351 m the highest peak in Portugal.

Climate

The Azores are characterized by an oceanic subtropical climate. The location in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean ensures that seasons and temperature extremes are very balanced, that is, for the latitude of very mild winter and not so hot summers. In addition, the air masses due to the long path over the open ocean are relatively moist. At the same time, the islands are during the greater part of the year under the influence of the subtropical high pressure zone ( Horse Latitudes ). The Azores High, the popularly often known as the islands themselves is thereby not affected by constant sunshine. Due to the high humidity occur often, but not always, deep, sometimes closed, sometimes loosened layers of clouds ( cloud Passat ). Unlike, for example, in the case of the Canary Islands or Madeira, the wind direction in the Azores is not predominantly of NO (NO - Passat ), but varying, sometimes there due to a location in the middle of the vertical axis also very light winds. Generally these deep clouds bring no or only very weak precipitation, so that the weather is not always so " bad" along with the pleasant, mild temperatures, as can be expected, the first impression.

The islands lie much further north than Madeira and the Canary Islands with 36 to 40 degrees of latitude and therefore can be reached all year round by low foothills. In midsummer, this is rare and usually weak, so you certainly should expect about 50 % sunshine and mainly dry conditions during the summer months. From September the deep influence on incidence is increasing, sometimes advised the islands even in the peripheral influence of aging tropical storms, rarely, about once per decade, cross remnants of tropical storms even directly the islands and can provide strong winds and intense rainfall there. The " Azores Winter" December to April is more reminiscent of September with us, can both relatively quiet, mild anticyclones, be like also marked by intense West Weather with violent storms, rain fronts, thunderstorms etc.. It is often so that either the high dominates the whole month, or the low- pressure influence. Deep embossed winter months can be extremely rainy (up to 300 mm ), while high-pressure embossed run dry.

In detail, shows that the climate on the westernmost island of Flores is much clouds and more rain than on the eastern island of Santa Maria. Flores has approximately 1600 hours of sunshine (as in the Ruhr Valley ), Santa Maria about 1900 hours (as in the Upper Rhine Graben). Precipitation varies between 900 mm to Santa Maria (as in the Ruhr area ) and around 1500 mm on Flores. Particularly significant is the difference in the summer, where Santa Maria often remains dry and thus the Mediterranean climate is similar, while Flores gets rain more often, and thus may appear in the very warm temperatures in lowland almost humid tropical.

At higher altitudes, the volcanic peaks of sunshine continues to decrease and the amount of rainfall to some places more than 5000 mm can be achieved, which are extremely large amounts of rain. From 400 m above sea level and fog is very common, especially in winter, as the layers of clouds hang very low.

The temperatures are in the " Azores Winter" in the middle at 11 degrees at night and 17 degrees during the day. Cold nights bring about 6 degrees, very mild days around 22 degrees. Thus, it is often pleasant for walking, swimming (water temperature 16 degrees) but rather to " autumnal ". The islands are completely frost-free, and thus allow for some tropical plants to survive - Wind compatibility and provided no claim to high sunshine. It was not until about 400 m can frost occur in extreme cases, from about 800 m in rare cases snowfall. The volcano summit of Pico is very often covered in snow with 2300 m in winter. Is worth mentioning that you can indeed get along theoretically at low altitudes without heating in winter, but the humidity can be very high, so that a simple wood stove heater is generally recommended to ensure drier air.

In summer ( August) we may on average with mild 19 degrees at night and 25 degrees expected on the day. Cool summer nights are 15 degrees, warm summer days just reach the 30 degree mark. With 22 to 24 degrees water temperature, it is therefore generally suitable for bathing in the summer.

Nature

The Azores have a large biodiversity and biogeography are largely isolated, so that developed a number of endemic species. The Azores are part of the Mediterranean basin, which extends from the Azores to Jordan. Conservation International has thus been allocated in the Azores as a biodiversity hotspot.

Since the arrival of the first settlers on the islands of the local flora and fauna suffered dramatically. Main factors are the degradation of landscapes, deforestation, conventional agriculture and introduced exotic species which make the endemic species habitat in dispute. The formerly typical for the Azores laurel ( laurel forest ) is found to be on each of the islands, but it is largely through holdings of Australian Klebsamenbaums ( Pittosporum undulatum ) been displaced.

Although the nature of the Azores high pressure of tourists is exposed, measures for effective nature conservation are still in their infancy. Information centers, ranger and areas with controlled access points or paths marked but there are already on all the islands. Large areas of the islands also are protected.

Landscape

The vegetation in the Azores is lush due to the humid Atlantic climate. In addition, we also find rather barren, volcanic landscapes.

Flora and vegetation

About 70 plant species are endemic, ie occur only in the Azores. Striking is the white flowering, succulent Azores Bellflower ( Azorina vidalii ), which can be found in some natural rocky shores yet. The up to 5 meters high garden hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla), which dominates the picture of the Azores, on the other hand has been introduced only in the late 19th century from Asia and now a major threat to endemic species. Other invasive plant species Hedychium gardnerianum from the ginger family, introduced from the Himalayas, the Australian Pittosporum and orange Pittosporum ( Pittosporum undulatum ), which has domestic Azores laurel (Laurus azorica ) largely displaced.

Fauna

An important role in marine species. How 38 whale and dolphin species have been sighted over the years off the coasts of the archipelago. Due to the warm Gulf Stream cavort around the islands about 500 species of fish, making the Azores one of the richest fishing areas in the world are.

The avifauna of the islands is poor in species. There are only two endemic species, the Azores Bullfinch is best known. It is available only in a few hundred individuals in the northeast of Sao Miguel. Frequently, however, is the " Cagarro " Cory's shearwater ( Calonectris diomedea ). The islands offer sea birds a rest stop on the train in the winter or summer quarters across the Atlantic, the migration routes of land birds do not extend over the Azores.

Many species that occur in the Azores today were introduced. Besides bats, there is no original native mammal species.

History

Coins found in the 17th century on the island of Corvo suggest that the Azores have been visited in ancient times by the Phoenicians. Even in ancient times, there were legends of islands in the Atlantic, as well as a localization hypotheses about Atlantis is related to the Azores ( Ignatius Donnelly, 1882).

The islands are first listed on the Portolan charts of the 14th century, as in the Medici Atlas ( 1351 ) and the Atlas Catalan ( 1375 ). They are listed there as nine islands in three groups along a wrong North -South axis and with false outline. This could be due to sightings, the sailors did when returning from the Canary Islands, when they performed the " volta do mar " maneuver ( to sail first to the northwest around there to steady westerly winds meet ), one of the earliest expeditions to the Canary Islands here is for the year 1341 is.

The Azores were officially in 1427 visited the Navigator Diogo de Silves on behalf of Heinrich and taken to Portugal in possession. The Portuguese name Ilhas dos Açores ( " hawk Islands " ) was established according to the official azoreanischer correction due to the numerous living there buzzards who initially held the Portuguese conquerors mistaken for hawks. The name stuck even after discovery of the error.

The colonization by Portugal began in the middle of the 15th century, first from 1431, on the island of Santa Maria. On the initiative of Isabella of Portugal, sister of Henry the Navigator, who was married to Philip the Good of Burgundy, were among the early settlers not only Portuguese farmers, but also Flemish, since the Netherlands were part of the territory of Burgundy. On the island of Faial still remembered by the windmills and the place name flamengos it. The Azores were soon an important base on the way to the possessions in Central and South America. So Christopher Columbus visited the islands in 1493 on the way back his first voyage of discovery.

In 1580, Philip II (Spain ) in personal union Philipp I. (Portugal). The Azores failed the Spanish royal recognition. So fought to 1583 the inhabitants of the island of Terceira, by all means, among other things, with bulls, against the same person.

After the decline of sugar cane cultivation experienced at the beginning of the 19th century, the Azores again an economic boom. Oranges, pineapple, tea and tobacco were grown and achieved good yields. The orange groves were destroyed but end of the 19th century by pests. Whaling was intensified and supported by the establishment of a whaling fleet through Portugal. At that economic development also contributed to the good relations with the United States of America. Many Azorean hired on American whaling ships and emigrated permanently.

With the increasing mechanization of the Azores were for switching between America and Europe. The advent of steam navigation required ports for the supply of coal, which is why coal bunkers were created. After 1893 the first submarine cable on Faial connected the two continents. In the 1930s, the first transatlantic flights on scheduled services with large seaplanes landed in the port of Horta.

1941 discovered the U.S., quilted western side of the island of Santa Maria as a suitable site for a major airport. In 1944 the construction of the square, with a slope of 3 km of a significant proportion of of only 5,780 people inhabited and 97 km ² island claimed and served as a stopover for transatlantic flights to the 1970s. Began Today, in the summer lands twice a day an aircraft of the local airline on the completely oversized terrain to allow bathing tourists visiting the island. However, international flights do not land on the former military airfield. 1943 built the Americans on the island of Terceira in 1913, founded their base from an airfield allowed the U.S. Air Force in World War II, use large flight associations. Today ( April 2013 ) China is subordinated medium-and long -term interest in these facilities.

After the EU accession of Portugal, the dairy industry has been greatly intensified and displaced some of the plantation economy.

The tourism and ecotourism in particular is becoming increasingly important for the Azores. 2008, a new marina was on the main island of São Miguel inaugurated, new roads and air transport to the Azores and between the islands is steadily increasing.

The Azores have been repeatedly plagued by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The biggest eruption in 1957 formed the genesis of the Capelinhos volcano on the coast of the island of Faial. About 2,000 people had to be relocated and many inhabitants emigrated to the U.S., made ​​possible by a special law whose immigration. 1980 an earthquake shook the island of Terceira and destroyed the capital city of Angra do Heroismo. The last major quake occurred in 1998, killed on the island of Faial ten people and left thousands homeless.

Population

In the Azores, a total of 245,500 inhabitants live, most of which are Portuguese citizens. They are 95 percent Roman Catholic.

In the 15th and early 19th century, and from 1933 to 1945 it came to increased immigration of Jews. So emigrated 1818/19 many Jewish- Moroccan merchant families who contributed significantly to develop the long-distance trade of the Azores.

After decades of emigration to the U.S. ( in the 19th century often referred to as crew of whaling ships), Canada and Brazil, and in recent times after Portugal recorded the largest places in São Miguel again modest population growth.

The people speak to each other very differing dialect of the Portuguese language. So mainland Portuguese, the locals can be hard to understand claims to often.

Largest communities ( census 2001)

Management

Flag and Coat of Arms

Flag of the Azores

Administrative divisions

The administrative capital of the Azores, Ponta Delgada. The Azores are the Região Autónoma dos Açores, in the 19 counties ( municipios ) is divided. These are:

Economy

Expressed in comparison with the EU GDP in purchasing power standards reached the Azores an index value of 61.1 (EU -25: 100, 2003). The Azores are considered as one, as seen in the European average, economically backward region of Europe and received EU funding. Since the Azores during the dictatorship of Portugal, which reached to the 20th century, have been greatly neglected, the costs of sustainable building up are enormous.

Agriculture

The most significant economic activities on the islands are the livestock and dairy industry. Exports are mainly milk, dairy products and beef.

The Azores are one of the few European sites, is attached to the tea ( two plantations on the island of São Miguel). The tea has very little Teeine, unlike the teas from Asia and Africa. Almost all the tea consumed by the population itself. The tea plantations are a tourist attraction.

The pineapple cultivation on São Miguel is done in greenhouses and is very labor intensive, so that the native varieties are more expensive than imports from Central America or Africa.

Tourism

Because of their originality and the unique climate with mild, to extreme temperatures also wins the tourism in the evergreen Azores increasingly important. So far, in addition to the mainland Portuguese and international sailors especially Scandinavians and vacationers from German-speaking countries, who spend their holidays in the Azores.

The check in was done earlier by ship. Today the journey from several airports in Europe, Canada and the United States is subject to the international airports of Ponta Delgada (Sao Miguel), Angra do Heroismo (Terceira ), Horta ( Fajal ) or Madalena ( Pico ).

Because there is no long sandy beaches, Azores vacationers are usually nature lovers and hikers. Transatlantic sailors use the ports of Horta ( Fajal ) and Ponta Delgada (Sao Miguel) for intermediate stops. On several islands whale watching is offered.

Due to its exposed position in the open Atlantic and the Gulf Stream, which anspült relatively warm water, there is around the Azores numerous large fish and marine mammals; why the Azores are also popular with divers. However, at times strong current makes the dives rather demanding and not suitable for beginners. On all nine islands, there are now diving centers that also offer guided dives.

Various medicinal and thermal springs make the place Furnas (on the main island of São Miguel) has long been an attractive spa town, not only for mainland Portugal.

The island groups in detail

Sizes of the islands

Distances of the islands

North American Plate Volcanism Corvo Island Flores Island (Azores) Faial Island Mount Pico Trade wind Catalan Atlas Flemish people Philip II of Spain Horta, Azores Lagoa (Azores) Rabo de Peixe Arrifes Coat of arms of the Azores Calheta (Azores) Madalena (Azores) Nordeste (Azores) Gross domestic product Sailing Administrative divisions of Portugal Azores Current Giovanni Boccaccio Alentejo
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