Pico / Ilha do Pico

Pico, the most southerly island in the central group of the Azores, lies east of Faial and southwest of Sao Jorge, from which it is separated by the 18km/11mi wide Canal de Sao Jorge.

The volcanic soil, of recent formation and spread over large areas without any covering of humus, affords little scope for agriculture, and the 15,500 or so inhabitants have to import much of their food from the neighboring islands. The once considerable whaling industry died out in 1985.

Topography

The rugged and mountainous island of Pico, 48km/30mi long and up to 15km/9mi wide, with an area of 433sq.km/167sq.mi, rises at its western end to the prominent Pico Alto (2,351m/7,714ft), the highest peak not only in the Azores but in the