Faial / Ilha do Faial

Faial, the most westerly island in the central group of the Azores, gets its name from a beech- like shrub, myrica faya, which grows all over the island. Faial is separated from the neighboring island of Pico to the southeast by the 7km/4.25mi wide Canal de Sao Jorge.

The 16,000 inhabitants live by arable and livestock farming; Faial's centuries old whaling industry has ceased to be profitable.

In the early years of this Century the island was important as a station for several transatlantic cables but this has ceased with the advent of satellites. Faial has frequently been devastated by earthquakes, as in 1759/60, 1862, 1926, 1958 and most recently on New Year's Day 1980. The Nuremberg cosmographer Martin Behaim (1459-1507), who made major contributions to nautical and geographical knowledge in the age of the great discoveries, lived on Faial from 1486 to 1490.

Topography

This hilly island, with a greatest length of 22km/14miles and a greatest width of 15km/9miles, has an area of 172sq.km/66sq. miles. Its highest point is the Pico Gordo (1043m/3422ft), a volcano which has been dormant since 1672. The island has a soil of remarkable fertility and is covered with a luxuriant growth of vegetation. It is famous for its mass of hydrangeas which flower in June and July, and line the island's roads and tracks. The best way to get an idea of the beauty of the scenery is to go on a round-trip of the island.