Faial Island (also known in English as Fayal) is a Portuguese island of the Central group (Grupo Central) of the Azores, its area is 173 km² located 28.7 w in latitude and 38.6 N in longitude. Its nearest island is Pico Island to the east.
The island is also known as Ilha Azul, the "Blue Island", due to a large quantities of Hydrangeas that bloom during summer months.
History
The island was discovered in the first half of the 15th century. The povoamento was given in 1460 with Portuguese but also Flemish.
The first name of Fayal, was Ilha da Ventura (Venture Island) and it was discovered by Diogo de Silves, a king of Portugal pilot in 1427. In 1432 an early small group of Portuguese settlers came from Terceira Island. The Flemish intalled in a valley that until today carry their name. By the testimony of Henry the Navigator the island became known has São Luís Island (Ilha de São Luís). The Flemish joined more Portuguese and formed Vila da Orta and sometime later the island changed name to Fayal, due to the large number of Fayal trees. With the economy growth of the island, more Portuguese settled in the island, rapidly vanishing the Flemish influence in the island.
During the Iberian Union of Portugal and Spain, the island became usually attacked by British and French pirates between 1589 and 1597. The pirates robbed the populations and burned what they left behind. The Fayalese people, to protect themselfs, built a large number of fortress, in the 18th century there were more than 20. The Cabeço de Fogo Volcano erupted in 1672, leading to emigration to Brazil. But the economy was fewly damaged.
The island became prosporous until the eruption of Capelinhos volcano in 1957, leading to emigration to North America. After the Azores gained status of an Autonomous region in Portugal, Horta, the island's city, was granted to hold the regional parliament (parlamento regional) of the Azores.
Geography
Fayal is rangy, being the highest mountain, the Cabeço Gordo Caldera, with 1,043 metres high and the inner cratter having 2 km width and 500 metres deep. The most profound part of the caldera is filled with a lake.
The island is of volcanic origin. The island was circular by 20km x 25 km until 1957. The last eruption was at Vulcão dos Capelinhos on September 27, 1957. At first, the volcano formed a small islet, near western part of Fayal. But the volcano reactivated on December 16th, 1957 ending on May 12th 1958, connecting the islet with Fayal and efectively enlarged the land by 2.4 km² and developed "Ponta dos Capelinhos".
Economy
Fayal's economy is based on agriculture and derived industries, cattle and tourism. Its fast economic growth was lead by production of a blue-colored pastel plant that was used for dyers.
The economy of the island had some properity until 1957, when the Capelinhos Volcano erupt in the western part of the island, reactivating emigration to North America, supported by an authorization of the senator of Massachusetts to the damaged populations.
Its main agricultural source for the island are potatoes, cereals, fruits, and wines along with bovine cattle that makes up the dairy and meat industry. The city of Horta is the centre of commerce and services of the island.
In the 1960s, Portugal knew an economical growth, and an airport was opened, with it, tourists came. After Portugal's entry on the EEC, the life standard rapidly growed and today the population has a good life standard.
Demographics
Fayal population was 14785 (2003). The only city of the island, Horta (9563 inhabitants) has a port and a marina. The island also has windmill that keep the beauty of its landscape.
Culture
There are several festivals in Fayal, the most important ones being in the summer. The most popular festivity is the Espírito Santo festivals occurring throughout the island between Ascension Day and August. Saint John is the popular saint of Horta, being celebrated has São João da Caldeira.
The island, has some other Azorean islands, produce cheeses, and other milk and bovine meet, and by-products notable in Portugal, and it has a rich gastronomy, that also includes local sea-food.
The Scrimshaw, painting of whale teeths, is typical handcraft of the Azores. However because of the prohibition of whale hunting in Portugal, some crafts can easily cost hundreds of Euros, due to the rarety of whale teeth.
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