The Azores are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. There are three groups of islands. Santa Maria and São Miguel belong to the eastern group, Faial, Pico, São Jorge and Graciosa to the central group, and Flores and Corvo to the western group. The first island, Santa Maria, is 800 nautical miles off the coast of Portugal. The last one, Flores, is 320 nautical miles further west. Since 1976, the Azores have been an autonomous region of Portugal.
Pico is the second largest island of the archipelago (447 km2). It belongs to the central group. There are 16,000 inhabitants. The island's name comes from the name of its biggest volcano, which is also the highest mountain of Portugal (2,351 metres, 7,713 feet). It is sleeping, but not deeply. The last eruption may have occurred in 1963 (uncertain submarine eruption).
