Terceira Island
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| Terceira | |
|---|---|
 Terceira Island, seen here from the Space Shuttle, contains four stratovolcanoes. |
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| Elevation: | 1023 m (3,356 feet) |
| Latitude: | 38.73° N (38° 44' 0" N) |
| Longitude: | 27.32° W (27° 19' 0" W) |
| Location: | Azores, North Atlantic Ocean |
| Type: | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption: | 2000 |
| First ascent: | |
| Easiest route: | |
Terceira Island (pron. IPA: [tɨɾ'sɐiɾɐ], Portuguese: Ilha Terceira) is an island in the Azores, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, with an area of 396.75 km². The island's length is 29 km and the width is 18km; the perimeter is 90 km. Population is 54,996, down from a peak of 59,000. Population density is 140.73/km².
The western part of Terceira is covered with vegetation. The northern part of the island is made up of a volcano. The highest point in the island is the peak of the Santa Bárbara mountain, at 1,022 m.
Terceira Island is divided into the municipalities of Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória. Angra do Heroísmo, the historical capital of the Azores, is the oldest city in the Azores, dating back to 1534. Its historical centre was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The former name of Terceira Island was Brazil, not to be confused with the country of the same name nor the phantom island of Brazil. That name first appeared as I. de Brazi in the Venetian map of Andrea Bianco (1436), attached to one of the larger islands of the Azores. When the islands became better known and were colonized, the island of Brazil was renamed Terceira (meaning 'third' in Portuguese, as in 'the third island').
The main economic activity in Terceira Island is live-stock raising and dairy-based products. The island has two ports in Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória, and a US military base in Lajes.
An annual event held daily from May 1 to September 30 is the tourada à corda (bullfight with ropes). It consists of letting a bull, tied to a rope, loose in the streets with some controlling the rope and some challenging the bull. Touradas may be held up to three times a day.
Francisco Ferreira Drummond (January 21, 1796 - September 11, 1858), Portuguese historiographer, paleographer and musician, was born on Terceira Island.
On August 24, 2001, Terceira Island made the news as Air Transat Flight 236 managed to land on Lajes Air Base after running out of fuel in mid-air.
On March 16, 2003, US President George W. Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar and Portuguese Prime Minister José Manuel Barroso met on Terceira to discuss the Invasion of Iraq, which began four days later, on March 20.
[edit] External links
- In English:
- Azorean History regarding the American Military
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