The Azores (Portuguese:
Açores
pronounced
[??so???] or [[??so??]) are a
Portuguese
archipelago
in the
Atlantic Ocean
, about 1,500 km (950
mi
) from
Lisbon
and about 3,900 km (2,400 mi) from the east coast of
North America
. The westernmost island (
Flores
) actually lies on the North American plate and is only 1,925 km (1,200 mi) from
St. John's
in the
Canadian
province of
Newfoundland and Labrador
. The Azores' most significant industry is tourism.
The nine major Azorean Islands and the eight small
Formigas
extend for more than 600 km, and lie in a north west-south east direction. The vast extension of the islands defines an immense
exclusive economic zone
of 1.1 million km². The westernmost point of this area is 3,380 km from the North American continent. All of the islands have
volcanic
origins, though Santa Maria also has some
reef
contribution. The mountain of Pico on
Pico Island
, at 2,351 m in altitude, is the highest in all of Portugal. The Azores are actually the tops of some of the tallest mountains on the planet, as measured
from their base at the bottom of the ocean. The archipelago forms the Autonomous Region of Azores, one of the two
autonomous regions of Portugal.
World of Color is a gallery of images depicting the haunting beauty of Portugal.
We would like to invite you to take a virtual trip with us. It is our hope that you will enjoy it. All that is needed now, is for you to get a nice glass of Portuguese wine, perhaps some Port... Double click the link below, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Portugal... Specifically, Lisbon and the Azores.
All of the images displayed in Cristina's Gallery were taken and post-processed by Cristina Mendonsa-Garaventa. Selected excerpts from Bryan's travel log, including personal notes and related references from Cristina, have been added to supplement and enhance various scenes. If you would like to contact Cristina directly, please click here.
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