Pico Island
Pico Island (Portuguese: Ilha do
Pico, is an island of the Azores noted for its eponymous volcano, Ponta de Pico
(Pico Alto), which is the highest mountain of Portugal and also the highest
elevation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The island is 17.5 km south of São Jorge (Ilha de São Jorge) and just 7 km west
of Faial (Ilha do Faial). It is 42 km long and has a maximum width of 15 km and
an area of 447 km², making it the second largest of the Azores islands. The main
settlements are the capital Madalena, São Roque do Pico and Lajes do Pico, the
total population is around 15,000.
The volcano is in the south-west of the island, at 38.47 N, 28.40 W. It is a
basaltic stratovolcano 2,351 m high with steep sides. The last eruption on the
island was in 1963, with a small submarine eruption off the northwest coast.
Prior major eruptions were in 1562-64, 1718 and 1720. The paths of the lava
flows are still visible, those of the 16th century and 1718 were particularly
substantial, extending for over 10 km.
The island supported a substantial whaling industry until 1980. The position of
the island on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge means that deep water is very close. Active
industries include tourism, ship-building and wine production. Landscape of the
Pico Island Vineyard Culture has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
It has a notable wine, the Pico Wine (Vinho do Pico).
Text from Wikipedia
