The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago of nine islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 1,450 km west of Lisbon. It is an autonomous region of Portugal, and an ultraperipheral region of the European Union. Its capital is Ponta Delgada. The marine surface area of the Azores is 954 496 km2, making it one of the largest exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the European Union.
Volcano Ponta do Pico, seen from island São Jorge, Azores. Photo: Björn EhrlichAngra do Heroismo, Azores. Photo: José Luís Ávila Silveira/Pedro Noronha e Costa