SPACEPHOTOS

Three islands of the central Azores—spear-shaped Sao Jorge Island, Pico Island with its large volcano, and circular volcanic Faial Island—are visible in this low-oblique, southwest-looking photograph. The Azores, formed millions of years ago by vulcanism, have fertile soils that yield many crops, including pineapples, bananas, oranges, wine grapes, tobacco, tea, and grains. Fishing is an important industry, and tourism has increased since the 1960s. Sao Jorge Island covers an area of 85 square miles (220 square kilometers) and has a hilly, rolling terrain. On Pico Island [167 square miles (433 square kilometers)] is the large Pico Alto stratovolcano, the tallest point in the Azores at an altitude of 7711 feet (2352 meters). Pico Alto last erupted in 1720. Faial Island, another stratovolcano with a large caldera and a major rift zone, acquired new land on its west cape following explosive eruptions and lava flows just offshore in 1957 and 1958. Major lava flows from higher elevations in the same rift zone occurred in 1672.