Sao Miguel / Ilha de Sao Miguel

Sao Miguel (St Michael) is in the east of the archipelago and the largest and most heavily populated of the islands (area 747sq.km/288sq.mi; 65km/40mi long and up to 16km/10mi wide; pop.133,000). It is the economic and cultural hub of the Azores, with more features of tourist interest and better facilities for visitors than any of the other islands, and its extraordinary fertility means it is also known as the "green island". Most of its people live on the steep south coast and are engaged in agriculture, producing maize, figs, pineapples, oranges and tea.

Topography

The highest points on the island are the Pico da Vara (1,105m/3,626ft) in the east and the Pico da Cruz (846m/2,776ft) in the west; in the middle of the island, between these two peaks, are many basalt cones ranging in height between 200m/650ft and 500m/1,650ft. The volcanic character of this hilly island is reflected in the countless extinct craters, large and small, and the severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which have racked Sao Miguel since the 15th C. Some of the largest craters are now occupied by beautiful mountain lakes (Caldeira das Sete Cidades, Lagoa das Furnas, Lagoa do Fogo) which are now among the island's main tourist attractions. Warm and mineral springs are found, particularly in the valleys of Ribeira Grande near the north coast, and at Furnas near the south coast.