Faial Island (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɐˈjaɫ]), also known in English asFayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group (Portuguese: Grupo Central) of the Azores.
With its nearest neighbours, Pico (east across the channel) and São Jorge(northeast across the channel), it forms an area commonly known as theTrianglo (English: Triangle). The island has also referred to as the Ilha Azul(English: Blue Island), derived from the writings of Portuguese poet Raul Brandão, due to the large quantity of hydrangeas that bloom during the summer months:
"The man that had the idea to border the road with these plants should have a statue on the island. In no other place, do they prosper better: they need a covering of light, humidity and heat...they are in their place. Their blue, is the blue that adorns the Azores on lipid days...this is a blue that is even more blue, the bunches of flowers of a colour more intense and more fresh. They are in every direction: rising along the roads and the fields forming hedges; they serve to divide the parcels and to cover the peaceful animals."
long with other islands in the Azores archipelago, Faial is of volcanic origin and is close to the tectonic divide between the European and North American Plates. Indeed, the island can be considered (from a geophysical perspective) the westernmost point of Europe (the two islands west of Faial, Flores and Corvo, are already on the American plate). It is an irregular pentagonal-shaped island that occupies an area of approximately 173 km² along a leaky transform fault from the mid-Atlantic Ridge to Hirondella fault. This is the same fault that bisects the remainder of the Central Group islands along a west-northwest to east-southeast orientation. It is an island composed of a central stratovolcano crater, with relatively geological relief showing little signs of major erosion.
The island was formed from several geomorphological structures resulting from volcanism and other tectonic forces:
- The nature of the stratovolcano structure results in an island that converges at the central Caldera Volcanic Complex, although the highest point occurs along the southern rim, at the peak of Cabeço Gordo (1,043 m above sea level). The Caldeira (Caldera) is almost circular, 2000 m perimeter, with a 400 m depth below the summit of Cabeço Gordo (almost 570 m above sea level). Its center is broken by water marshes, thickets, and minor cinder cones, and surrounded by almost vertical cliffs with a diverse vegetation, both endemic or invasive to Macronesia. It is constituted by pyroclastic material, pumitic projectiles, phreatic and phreatomagmatic deposits and examples of pyroclastic flows and lahars.
- The Pedro Miguel Graben, located in the island's northeast, is characterized by an extensive fault system, showing the remnants of the original Ribeirinha Central Volcano that formed the island.
- In the southeast, the Horta Platform is characterized by low altitude projectiles and extensive lava flows. Several strombolian and the surtseyan cones, such as Monte da Guia, cover the area occupied by the island's main urban center.
- The Capelo Volcanic Complex is the most recent geomorphological feature, composed of a linear series of scoria cones, resulting from basaltic volcanism of low explosivity. The last eruption occurred along Costa da Nau and Ponta dos Caplinhos, near the small parish of Capelo on September 27, 1957. At first, a small "Ilha Nova" (new island) formed off the coast, quickly disappearing. During a subsequent eruption a cone and a small isthmus formed off the coast and then volcanic activity dissipated. The volcano became active again on December 16, 1957; this lasted until May 12, 1958 and connected the islet with Faial, effectively enlarging the island by 2.4 km² and extending the "Ponta dos Capelinhos" into the western ocean.
Protected areas
- Gruta dos Anelares (English: Anelares Grotto) - located along the southern road of the Ribeira da Lombega, in Castelo Branco, this is a geological formation produced from a lava tube near the mountainous coast: it extends 35.5 meters from Ribeira da Lombega, is 2.5 meters wide and is 3.7 meters at its highest point.
- Reserva Florestal Natural Parcial do Cabeço do Fogo (English: Partial Natural Forest Reserve of Cabeço do Fogo)
- Reserva Florestal Natural Parcial do Vulcão dos Capelinhos (English: Partial Natural Forest Reserve of the Capelinhos Volcano)
- Reserva Florestal de Recreio do Capelo (English: Recreational Forest Reserve of Capelo)
- Reserva Natural do Morro de Castelo Branco (English: Natural Reserve of the Morro de Castelo Branco) - O Castelo: a geological plug and isthmus along the southern coast of Castelo Branco
- Administratively, the island is governed as one municipality, with its government seat in the city of Horta. Operationally, there are thirteen civil parishes with their own assemblies, three of which (Angústias, Matriz and Conceição) constitute the principal urbanized core:
- Angústias; urban parish that includes the escoria cones of Monte da Guia, Monte Escuro and Monte Carneiro, as well as the island's hospital, the major hotels, commercial and container port, and many historical buildings (such as the Fort of Santa Cruz, The Cedars, and the Church of Nossa Senhora das Angústias): 3,025 inhabitants (2003).
- Conceição; urbanized and rural parish connected to the city of Horta, with 1,157 inhabitants in 2001. It was one of the nuclei of the modern city of Horta, location of the historic forts of Alagoa and Bom Jesus, and location of the Courts building and Fayal Sport Club (and football field).
- Matriz; the urban heart of the city of Horta, with 2,523 inhabitants (2001); landmarks include the Horta Museum, Sociedade Recreativa Amor da Pátria, Império dos Nobres, he historic Clock Tower, the former Walter Bensaúde Hospital and the Horta Archive and the Public Library, as well as the location of the Municipal Government (Câmara Municipal da Horta).
The remainder of the parishes (except Flamengos) circle the island, all linked by the regional road network and its ancillary roads:- Flamengos; one of the first nuclei of settlement and colonization, and the only interior/landlocked parish in the municipality of Horta founded by Flemish colonists and Portuguese settlers from the archipelago.
- Praia do Almoxarife; the beachhead of the early colonists to Faial, Almoxarife is a coastal parish on the east coast, located between Ponta da Espalamaca and Lomba dos Frades, and is known for its black sand beach.
- Pedro Miguel; located on the eastern coast between Lomba dos Frades and Lomba Grande, its 723 inhabitants lost its primary place of worship (the Church of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda)during the 1998 earthquake.
- Ribeirinha; nestled in the river valley of the Pedro Miguel Graben and existing along the fracture zone of the Ribeirinha Volcanic complex alon the north-northeast coast, Riberinha has experienced many seismic events historically.
- Salão; the smallest parish by population situated on the northern coast of Faial, a community built by Spanish settlers, that were later expelled following the end of the Iberian Union.
- Cedros; built on the coastal cliffs of the Cedros Plateau along the northern coast, it is the oldest parish on Faial, involved in agriculture and dairy industry (and the location of the milk cooperative C.A.L.F).
- Praia do Norte; a zone of recent historical volcanism, built on layers of ash and pyroclastic deposits, the parish became "extinct" between 1672 and 1845, following the eruption of Cabeço do Fogo, which depopulated the parish. Emigration also occurred following the eruption of Capelinhos in 1957/58.
- Capelo; a parish built along a linear series of volcanic cones, culminating in the 1957/58 eruption of Capelinhos off the western coast. The crisis caused the implementation of an immigration program spearheaded by Senator John F. Kennedy, that reduced the population of Faial and Capelo.
- Castelo Branco; location of the international airport, its 1115 inhabitants are involved in a mix of agricultural and enterprises associated with primary and secondary industries along the southern coast that includes the micro-climate of Varadouro.
- Feteira; a parish dominated by agriculture, the inhabitants are equally tied to the commercial activities in Horta, developing into a suburb of the larger city.
Faial has been affected by various earthquakes and seismic events during its populated history. The most important was the 1759-1760 earthquakes and aftershocks that occurred around Christmas and New Years. Similar in nature, the 1926 earthquake which rumbled the city of Horta, in early-April (5th), where damages were reported in Flamengos, Ribeirinha and Conceição. Then, on August 31 at 08:42, a new earthquakes caused eight deaths and ruined buildings in Horta, as well as the parishes of Conceição, Praia do Almoxarife (ruining 220 homes), Flamengos, Feteira and Castelo Branco, Salao and most of the Lomba do Pilar. Approximately 4,138 homes and buildings were partially or totally damaged. Similar tremors and events were felt in 1957/1958 (Capelinhos eruption), then in 1963, and again in 1973. The 1998 Azores earthquake on July 9, which shook the islands of Faial, Pico and São Jorge at 07:19 (its epicentre north-northeast of Faial) measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and caused damages to the parishes of Riberinha, Pedro Miguel, Salão and Cedros and stronger damages in Castelo Branco (mainly Lombega), Flamengos and Praia do Almoxarife. Eight people lost their lives in the earthquake and 1,700 were left homeless.Faial's early economic growth was propelled by cultivation and processing of woad, a blue-coloured dye produced from a plant of the same name (in Latin, Isatis tinctoria). It was the only source for blue dye until the end of the 16th century when Portuguese trade routes started bringing indigo from the far east. Economic and population growth was also spearheaded by many legends of tin and silver, perpetuated by members of the Portuguese court.The economy of the island generated some prosperity until 1957, when the Capelinhos Volcano erupted in the western part of the island, reactivating emigration to North America, supported by promises of aid made by Massachusetts senator John F. Kennedy to the affected populations.The main agricultural resources of the island are potatoes, cereals, fruits, and wines, along with cattle (which makes up itsdairy and meat industry). The city of Horta is the centre of commerce and services of the island.In 1970s, after the “Revolution of the Carnations,” Portugal experienced economic growth, and an airport was opened; with it, tourists came. After Portugal's entry into the EEC, the standard of living rapidly grew and today the population generally prospers.
