Azores

In the Atlantic Ocean, this archipelago, which is made up of nine islands and a number of smaller islets, is located roughly halfway between Europe and North America. They were found by the Portuguese in the latter half of the fifteenth century, and today they are independent, with a separate government and administration from Lisbon. Ponta Delgada is the largest city in the Azores. Lagoa, Angra, and Horta are additional significant cities.

The Azores are volcanic islands, but there hasn’t been any activity for centuries. Their lush volcanic fields, volcanic tubes and other structures, subtropical forests, crater lakes, and brown sand beaches are distinctive features. The tallest mountain in Portugal is located in the Azores.

Agriculture, fishing, and tourism are the main economic activities; the latter has grown significantly in recent years. The culture, language, dialect, cuisine, and traditions are very different from those of the rest of Portugal because of the island’s isolation.