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171:, the Azores Geopark includes several geologically-significant sites throughout all nine islands and maritime seafloor of the Azores. There are 121 geosites in the nine islands, most of them with international or national relevance. The Geopark extends across an area of 12,884 square kilometres (4,975 sq mi), including 2,324 square kilometres (897 sq mi) of marine territory. Among these geosites, 57 were considered priority locations for the application of geoconservation strategies or for appreciation programs.
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sites of geological interest, based on their unique or rare characteristics or which have a scientific, cultural, economic (tourist), scenic or aesthetic relevance. Similarly, if its ecology, history or cultural value, along with its thematic or comparable infrastructures can be interconnected in a network, by trails or routes.
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The archipelago of the Azores includes a rich and vast geodiversity, and an important geological heritage, comprising various locales of interest to the scientific and learning communities, in addition to its socio-economic importance to tourism. Due to it being an archipelago, the Azores
Geopark is
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Stimulate economic activity and sustainable development, through the promotion of nature and rural tourism (Geotourism) for the socio-economic development of the local populations; and to develop an appreciation for the natural and cultural heritage, towards revitalizing traditional activities and
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The term is used to define a well-defined territory and boundary, whose existence is based on an exceptional geological heritage and a strategy that promotes the well-being of the population while maintaining a respect for the environment. Consequently, the
Geopark includes a number of significant
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disperse: guaranteeing a representative geodiversity that characterizes the
Azorean territory; manifesting in a history based on geological and active volcanism; with conservation strategies that are common; and based on a decentralized management structure with supports in all islands.
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Environmental education to promote public consciousness of the important geological heritage and its contribution to the surrounding environment; and to support scientific research and dissemination, as well as encouraging a dialogue between geoscientists and local
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Characteristic of the
Azorean geological history is a range of diverse features that includes (but is not limited to) volcanoes, calderas, lakes, lava fields, fumaroles, hot springs and thermal waters, volcanic caves,
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The
Geopark implemented various routes and trails on every island to discover the volcanic landscapes. Moreover, many educational activities are organized throughout the year to increase the environmental awareness.
120:. The Association's mission is to ensure the geological conservation, environmental education and sustainable development, while promoting the well-being of the population and a respect for the environment.
183:, fault scarps and marine fossil deposits. Beyond this heritage, there are other values of reference in the archipelago, such as its rich biodiversity, architecture, culture and ethnography.
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Conservation and preservation of geosites of particular importance, exploring and developing methods for geo-conservation, in order to protect the geological patrimony for future generations;
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101:) is a network of 121 geographically-dispersed sites of geographic heritage and marine areas that covers the nine volcanic islands of the archipelago of the
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The crater of the Sete
Cidades Massif and iconic lagoons: one of the many natural and geomorphological sites that are part of the Geoparks program
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105:. This network is managed by the Azores Geopark Association, a non-profit association, with its headquarters in
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Panoramic view of Lagoa Funda and Lagoa Rasa in their respective calderas on the island of Flores
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Panoramic view of the valley of
Flamengos toward Monte da Guia on the island of Faial
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FLO 1 Caldeira Negra, Caldeira
Comprida, Caldeira Seca and Caldeira Branca
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Due to its nature, the geopark concept is based on several objectives:
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Panoramic view of the
Caldeirão crater on the small island of Corvo
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on the island of Faial, established 19 May 2010. It is part of the
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and approximately 1,925 kilometres (1,196 mi) southeast of
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Distribution of the islands of the archipelago of the Azores
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SMG 10 Vale da
Ribeira do Faial da Terra and Fajã do Calhau
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SJO 4 Fajãs dos Cubres and Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo
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TER 6 Pico Alto, Biscoito Rachado and Biscoito da Ferraria
647:. Horta (Azores), Portugal: GeoAçores Association. 2013
614:. Horta (Azores), Portugal: GeoAçores Association. 2013
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SJO 1 Arribas of Fajã dos Vimes and Fajã de São João
400:SJO 3 Fajã do Ouvidor and Fajã da Ribeira da Areia
163:, about 880 kilometres (550 mi) northwest of
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454:TER 2 Santa Bárbara Caldera and Mistérios Negros
430:GRA 5 Ponta do Carapacho, Ponta da Restinga and
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159:Situated 1,360 kilometres (850 mi) west of
568:MAR 2 Mid-Atlantic Ridge and hydrothermal vents
517:SMG 8 Ponta da Ferraria and Pico das Camarinhas
514:SMG 7 Lagoas do Congro and Lagoa dos Nenúfares
469:TER 7 Ponta da Serreta and Trachyte lava flows
241:FLO 5 Ponta da Rocha Alta and Fajã de Lopo Vaz
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667:"European Geopark Network Official Website"
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733:Global Geopark Network Official Website
406:SJO 5 Morro de Velas and Morro de Lemos
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232:FLO 2 Caldeira Funda and Caldeira Rasa
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612:"Azores Geopark - What is a Geopark?"
424:GRA 3 Ponta da Barca and Baleia Islet
377:Panoramic view of the Achada Plateau
326:PIC 1 Fossil arriba of Santo António
144:products of excellence and quality.
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418:GRA 1 Caldera and Furna do Enxofre
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707:"Visit Portugal Official Website"
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196:COR 2 Lava fajã of Vila do Corvo
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723:Azores Geopark Official Website
235:FLO 3 Fajã Grande and Fajãzinha
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681:"EGN European Geopark Network"
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451:TER 3 Guilherme Moniz Caldera
286:FAI 4 Morro do Castelo Branco
742:Caldeirão lake, Corvo island
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344:PIC 5 Lajido de Santa Luzia
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785:Azores Autonomous Region
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574:Environmental awareness
564:Dom João de Castro Bank
550:SMA 5 Ribeira do Maloás
541:SMA 2 Pedreira do Campo
457:TER 4 Furnas do Enxofre
392:SJO 2 Central volcanic
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244:FLO 6 Rocha dos Bordões
118:Global Geoparks Network
869:Santa Cruz da Graciosa
783:Municipalities of the
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683:. 2013. Archived from
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547:SMA 4 Ponta do Castelo
544:SMA 3 Poço da Pedreira
289:FAI 5 Capelo Peninsula
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851:Santa Cruz das Flores
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1032:Geoparks in Portugal
981:Vila Franca do Campo
499:SMG 4 Caldeira Velha
489:Sete Cidades Caldera
199:COR 3 Ponta do Marco
161:continental Portugal
1027:Parks in the Azores
687:on 24 December 2014
520:SMG 9 Serra Devassa
359:PIC 8 Ponta da Ilha
283:FAI 3 Monte da Guia
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537:Barreiro da Faneca
427:GRA 4 Porto Afonso
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645:"Azores Geopark"
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91:Azores Geopark
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79:.azoresgeopark
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685:the original
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616:. Retrieved
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495:Fogo Caldera
462:Monte Brasil
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140:communities;
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90:
88:
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907:Santa Maria
691:24 December
651:24 December
618:24 December
529:Santa Maria
432:Baixo Islet
1021:Categories
948:São Miguel
583:References
475:São Miguel
395:cordilhera
349:Mount Pico
294:Capelinhos
95:Portuguese
925:São Jorge
383:São Jorge
149:Geography
991:Terceira
971:Povoação
961:Nordeste
892:Madalena
861:Graciosa
439:Terceira
412:Graciosa
113:and the
64:Operator
58:Portugal
50:Location
933:Calheta
276:Caldera
165:Madeira
124:Geopark
72:Website
838:Flores
562:MAR 1
535:SMA 1
508:SMG 6
502:SMG 5
493:SMG 3
487:SMG 2
481:SMG 1
460:TER 5
445:TER 1
353:PIC 7
347:PIC 6
338:PIC 4
332:PIC 3
292:FAI 6
274:FAI 1
223:Flores
155:Azores
115:UNESCO
103:Azores
54:Azores
956:Lagoa
938:Velas
828:Horta
820:Faial
793:Corvo
588:Notes
268:Faial
187:Corvo
181:fajãs
107:Horta
879:Pico
693:2014
653:2014
620:2014
320:Pico
89:The
81:.com
556:EEZ
77:www
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93:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.