Azores Islands Habitat Guide

The archipelago of the Azores Islands lies 1,600 km off the European mainland, in the Atlantic Ocean. There are nine main islands that can be grouped as the Western Islands of Flores and Corvo; the Central Islands of Terceira, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and Faial; and the Eastern Islands of Santa Maria and São Miguel. The islands lie in a zone of considerable seismic activity and are subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Most of the islands rise steeply from the seas. They are fringed by pebble debris, sulphur grottoes, volcanic cones and limestone caves. Virgin forests of European and Mediterranean vegetation are found over much of the land. Larissilva dominates the landscape, but there are some exotic species including azalea, Japanese cedar and araucaria. The fauna is unobtrusive on land, but birds flock here, including the native priolo, wood pigeons, red garajaus, and an abundance of seabirds. The islands have an amazing variety of marine life, especially whales and shellfish.