Destination Information - Azores

AIR INFORMATION
Polar Star Expeditions is not able to arrange your air to and from the Azores but here are some details that will help you with your planning. Most flights to Ponta Delgada, Azores, require travel through Lisbon, Portugal. Air Portugal serves the Lisbon – Ponta Delgada route. Additionally, for American travellers, Azores Express offers a year round service between New England and the Azores. 

CLIMATE
The Azores enjoys a mild, temperate climate year round.  Rainfall is common but not persistent.  The average temperature in the Azores in April/May is 64°F/18°C. 

CURRENCY
The unit of currency used in the Azores is the Euro.

ECONOMY
Natural Resources - salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum.
Agriculture - bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts, fish.
Industries – tourism, fishing.

ELECTRICITY
The electrical current in The Azores is 220 volts.

GEOGRAPHY
Located in the mid-Atlantic between the Northeastern United States and Lisbon, the Azores, is made up of nine islands that are spread over 600km of ocean. The Azores Archipelago is made up of nine islands – São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Faial, Pico, Flores and Corvo – located 1,500km from Lisbon. São Miguel is the most easterly island and the largest island at 746km² and Corvo the smallest at 17km². The most westerly island is Flores. The Azores were formed from volcanic activity and as a result, the land is a beautiful array of lakes, craters, extinct volcanoes, peaks, caves, geysers and hot springs as well as cultivated fields and Cliffside vineyards.

GOVERNMENT
The Azores is considered an Autonomous Political Region of Portugal and at time of writing is governed by the Social Democratic Party under President Carlos César.

HISTORY
The Azores has experienced less of a turbulent history than some of its close by neighbours. The Portuguese made the first recorded landfall in approximately 1427 although there are a number of different stories about who made this claim for Portugal. It is believed that Santa Maria, Sao Miguel and Terceira were the first islands to be discovered. In 1439, the Portuguese King, Alfonso V, ordered Prince Henry to settle seven islands and Corvo and Flores were the last two to be discovered. Settlers mainly came from Portugal and Madeira and initially, the rugged coastline of the Azores made clearing land for agriculture quite challenging. However, by the 16th Century, wheat and sugar crops thrived.
Despite its geographic distance to Portugal, the Azores have played an important role in Portuguese History. The participated in Portuguese battles in North Africa and were a stronghold during the Spanish domination from 1580 to 1640. During the two world wars and the first gulf war, the islands were used as an important communication centre and airforce base. In 1976, the Azores were declared an Autonomous Political Region of Portugal with its own legislative assembly and government.

LANGUAGE
Portuguese is spoken in the Azores and on some of the islands, the language has acquired particular accents and expressions. It is also fairly common to find people who speak English and French.

RELIGION
The dominant religion in the Azores is Catholicism but there is also a Protestant and Jewish presence on the islands.

PEOPLE
The Azores has a population of approximately 244,000 inhabitants, half of which live on the island of São Miguel.

TIME
GMT – 1

WILDLIFE
Around 150 bird species have been spotted around the Azores including the common tern, black-headed gull, Kentish plovers, chaffinches, grey wagtails, canaries and blackbirds. Approximately 25 species of cetaceans live in waters surrounding the Azores. Whales that have been spotted include sperm whale, northern bottlenose whale, Cuvier’s beaked whale, short-finned pilot whale and Sowerby’s beaked whale. Dolphin species include Common Atlantic, bottlenose, Risso’s, Atlantic Spotted and Striped.