The islands of the Azores belong to which country?
"as equal as the other islands, and flowed from a feudal hierarchy, that only improved after the reforms of Mouzinho da Silveira and the extinction of the constitutional monarchy. The following were the doantary captains of the islands: Captaincies of the Azores The Captaincies of the Azores () were the socio-political and administrative territorial divisions used to settle and govern the overseas lands of the Azores by the Kingdom of Portugal. These territories, a segment of the Captaincies of the Portuguese Empire, which usually conformed to the individual islands, allowing the stewardship of the King through the Donatary and Captaincy"
"OMR to OCT with effect from 1 January 2012. Mayotte, which was an OCT that joined the EU as a OMR with effect from 1 January 2014.<ref name=""CD 2013/61/EU""></ref> Azores and Madeira are two groups of Portuguese islands in the Atlantic. Azores and Madeira are integral parts of the Portuguese Republic, but both have the special status as Autonomous Regions, with a degree of self-governance. While derogations from the application of EU law could apply, none do. Their VAT is lower than the rest of Portugal, but they are not outside the EU VAT Area. The Canary Islands are a"
"Secretaries (). The Azores () is an archipelago of nine islands and several islets that were discovered and settled by the Portuguese in the late 15th century. The Azores lies a third of the distance between Europe and North America, along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The government and administration of the archipelago is distributed between the three capitals of the former districts of the Azores: the regional parliament is located in the city of Horta (on Faial Island); Ponta Delgada (on São Miguel Island) is the most populous city and home to the Regional Presidency and administration; while Angra do Heroísmo"
"geographically in Asia, has already joined both the Council of Europe and the EU. Furthermore, the Cape Verde islands are part of the same island group as the Canary Islands (part of Spain), Madeira Islands (part of Portugal) and Azores Islands (part of Portugal), known as Macaronesia. There is currently no political recognition by the EU of Cape Verde as a European state, but unlike in the case of Morocco, there is no formal rejection either. Complementing Cape Verde's efforts to join the EU, the Macaronesian group of islands (the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands) are throwing their support"
"point, Morocco and the European portion of Spain are separated by only . The Portuguese Atlantic island possession of the Azores is from Europe and from Africa, and is usually grouped with Europe if grouped with any continent. By contrast, the Canary and Madeira islands (including the Desertas Islands and the Savage Islands) off the Atlantic coast of Morocco are much closer to, and usually grouped with, Africa (the Canary Islands are only from the African coast at their closest point, while Madeira is from Africa and from Europe). The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is approximately from the coast"
"Law enforcement in the Azores Law enforcement in the Azores is part of the law enforcement in Portugal. The atlantic archipelago of Azores constitutes one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, with a number of devolved powers being performed by its Regional Government. However, the law enforcement in the region remains mainly under the responsibility of the Central Government of Portugal, being performed by the several Portuguese national police agencies. There are, however, minor law enforcement agencies dependent from the Regional Government of Azores like the forest police and the sanitary, food and economical police. Also, at the end"
"Conquest of the Azores The Conquest of the Azores (also known as the ""Spanish conquest of the Azores""), but principally involving the conquest of the island of Terceira, occurred on 2 August 1583, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, between forces loyal to the claimant D. António, Prior of Crato, supported by the French and English troops, and the Spanish and Portuguese forces loyal to King Philip II of Spain, commanded by the Admiral Don Álvaro de Bazán, Marquis of Santa Cruz, during the War of the Portuguese Succession. The victory of the Marquis of Santa Cruz resulted in"
"Hymn of the Azores The Hymn of the Azores () is an unofficial regional anthem used during some ceremonies in the Portuguese autonomous region of the Azores. For official purposes the national anthem ""A Portuguesa"" is always used during government events, in sporting venues, and other civic ceremonies. The original song was composed by Joaquim Lima, a musician and director, of the Philharmonic Band of Rabo de Peixe, the Filarmónica Progresso do Norte, in the 1890s, when a movement for autonomy was growing within the archipelago. It was first played by the band on 3 February 1894, and referred to"
"Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso held a summit there days before the commencement of the Iraq War. The archipelago of the Azores is located in the middle of the northern hemisphere of the Atlantic Ocean and extends along a west-northwest to east-southeast orientation (between 36.5°–40° North latitudes and 24.5°–31.5° West longitudes) in an area approximately wide. The islands of the Azores emerged from what is called the Azores Plateau, a 5.8 million km region that is morphologically accented by a depth of . From a geostructural perspective the Azores is located above an active triple junction between three of the"
"Netherlands proper, and subject to Netherlands law. ABC islands (Lesser Antilles) The ABC islands are the three western-most islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea that lie north of Falcón State, Venezuela. In order alphabetically they are Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. All three islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, although they remain outside the European Union. Aruba and Curaçao are autonomous, self-governing constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands proper. According to the disputed letters of Amerigo Vespucci, the ABC islands were first explored by"
"India, in the Persian Gulf, and what is now Indonesia, then referred to as the East Indies. From 1580 to 1640, the throne of Portugal was held by the Habsburg kings of Spain resulting in the biggest colonial empire until then (see Iberian Union). In 1583 Philip I of Portugal, II of Spain, sent his combined Iberian fleet to clear the French traders from the Azores, decisively hanging his prisoners-of-war from the yardarms and contributing to the ""Black Legend"". The Azores were the last part of Portugal to resist Philip's reign over Portugal. The Netherlands meanwhile were in open revolt"
"Macaronesia Macaronesia is a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. Each archipelago is made up of a number of Atlantic oceanic islands formed by seamounts on the ocean floor with peaks above the ocean's surface. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. Politically, the islands belonging to Portugal and Spain are part of the European Union. Geologically, Macaronesia is part of the African Plate, including the Azores, which mark its edge at the meeting point with the Eurasian and American Plates. The"
"Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; , ) is a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco at the closest point. The Canaries are among the outermost regions (OMR) of the European Union proper. It is also one of the eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality recognized as such by the Spanish Government. The Canary Islands belong to the African Plate like the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla, the two on the African mainland. The seven main islands are (from largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura,"
"Açores VR The Açores VR () is a Portuguese wine region located in the archipelago of the Azores. This region is classified as a ""Vinho Regional"" (VR), which corresponds to table wines with a geographical indication under European Union wine regulations, similar to a French ""vin de pays"" region. Located in the Atlantic Ocean, some from continental Portugal, the archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine islands, of which three cultivate wine-making grapes for export production: Terceira, Pico and Graciosa. Located on the American, European and African tectonic plates, the islands of the Azores originated from recent volcanism, and"
"and Massachusetts. Many Azoreans also moved to Bermuda and Hawaii (Portuguese immigration to Hawaii). Florianópolis and Porto Alegre in the Southern Region of Brazil were founded by Azoreans, who accounted for over half of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina's population in the late 18th century. As late as 1960 mass immigration currents were registered to Brazil, and many were from the Azores. Since 1976, the Azores is an autonomous region integrated within the framework of the Portuguese Republic. It has its own government and autonomous legislature within its own political-administrative statute and organic law. Its governmental organs include:"
"are protected area in these three archipelagos. Macaronesia Macaronesia is a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. Each archipelago is made up of a number of Atlantic oceanic islands formed by seamounts on the ocean floor with peaks above the ocean's surface. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. Politically, the islands belonging to Portugal and Spain are part of the European Union. Geologically, Macaronesia is part of the African Plate, including the Azores, which mark its edge at the meeting point"
"Flores Island (Azores) Flores Island (); () is an island of the Western group (Grupo Ocidental) of the Azores. It has an area of 143 km², a population of approximately 3907 inhabitants, and, together with Corvo Island of the western archipelago, lies within the North American Plate. The nearby Monchique Islet is the westernmost point of Portugal. It has been referred to as the ""Ilha Amarelo Torrado"" (""Yellow/Auburn Island"") by marketing and due to the association with poet Raul Brandão, but it is well known for its abundance of flowers, hence its Portuguese name of Flores. Some early accounts existed"
"Cape Verde Cape Verde () or Cabo Verde (, ) (, ), officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean. It forms part of the Macaronesia ecoregion, along with the Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Savage Isles. In ancient times these islands were referred to as ""the Islands of the Blessed"" or the ""Fortunate Isles"". Located west of the Cape Verde Peninsula in West Africa, the islands cover a combined area of slightly over . The Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the 15th century,"
"Portugal Portugal (), officially the Portuguese Republic ( ), is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe. It is bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their own regional governments. Portugal is the oldest state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe, its territory having been continuously settled, invaded and fought over since prehistoric times. The"
"""Limpet"" and ""Barnacles"". Flores Island (Azores) Flores Island (); () is an island of the Western group (Grupo Ocidental) of the Azores. It has an area of 143 km², a population of approximately 3907 inhabitants, and, together with Corvo Island of the western archipelago, lies within the North American Plate. The nearby Monchique Islet is the westernmost point of Portugal. It has been referred to as the ""Ilha Amarelo Torrado"" (""Yellow/Auburn Island"") by marketing and due to the association with poet Raul Brandão, but it is well known for its abundance of flowers, hence its Portuguese name of Flores. Some"
"with the Maastricht treaty. The current Portuguese constitution provides for progressive administrative decentralization and calls for future reorganization on a regional basis. The Azores and Madeira archipelagos have constitutionally mandated autonomous status. A regional autonomy statute promulgated in 1980 established the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores; the Government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira operates under a provisional autonomy statute in effect since 1976. Apart from the Azores and Madeira, the country is divided into 18 districts, each headed by a governor appointed by the Minister of Internal Administration. Macau, a former dependency, reverted to Chinese sovereignty"
"Spain Spain ( ), officially the Kingdom of Spain (), is a country mostly located on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. Its territory also includes two archipelagoes: the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country (Morocco). Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory. The country's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with"
"to preside over the ""Junta Governativa dos Açores"" (""Governing Junta of the Azores""), a commission that developed the Azorean autonomy statute. This commission became extinct with the first duly elected Legislature and appointed Government of the Azores. The current President of the Government of the Azores is Vasco Cordeiro, whose party won an absolute majority in the Azorean regional election on 14 October 2012. The colors indicate the political affiliation of each President. Presidents of the Regional Government of the Azores Presidents of the Government of the Azores are heads of government for the autonomous local authority of the Azores,"
"of the population directly or indirectly in the service and tertiary sectors. The main capital of the Azores is Ponta Delgada. There are nine major Azorean islands and an islet cluster, in three main groups. These are Flores and Corvo, to the west; Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial in the centre; and São Miguel, Santa Maria, and the Formigas Reef to the east. They extend for more than and lie in a northwest-southeast direction. All the islands have volcanic origins, although some, such as Santa Maria, have had no recorded activity since the islands were settled. Mount Pico,"
"and the smaller Savage Islands. The Azores, which are located between the junction of the African, European and North American Plates, straddle the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. There are nine islands in this archipelago, usually divided into three groups (Western, Central and Eastern) and several smaller Formigas (rock outcroppings) located between São Miguel and Santa Maria Islands. Both island groups are volcanic in nature, with historic volcanology and seismic activity persisting to the present time. In addition, there are several submarine volcanos in the Azores (such as Dom João de Castro Bank), that have erupted historically (such as the Serrata eruption off"
"awards by the World Golf Awards. Portugal Portugal (), officially the Portuguese Republic ( ), is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe. It is bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their own regional governments. Portugal is the oldest state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe, its territory having been continuously settled, invaded and"
"became part of the Netherlands Antilles, which gave them political autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1986 Aruba withdrew from the Netherlands Antilles, becoming a separate country within the kingdom. Upon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, Curaçao gained a similar status to Aruba. Bonaire became a special municipality of the Netherlands proper, although it maintains its status of an overseas territory of the European Union. The ABC islands are part of the Leeward Antilles, which is the westernmost area of the Lesser Antilles. They lie immediately to the north of Falcón State, Venezuela."
"but this is not certain. In Thomas Ashe's 1813 work, ""A History of the Azores"", the author identified a Fleming, Joshua Vander Berg of Bruges, who made landfall in the archipelago during a storm on his way to Lisbon. He stated that the Portuguese explored the area and claimed it for Portugal. Other stories note the discovery of the first islands (São Miguel Island, Santa Maria Island and Terceira Island) by sailors in the service of Henry the Navigator, although there are few documents to support the claims. Although it is commonly said that the archipelago received its name from"
"a true community of sovereign nations. Campbell and Eden were right, when in August 1943 the British requested military base facilities in the Azores, invoking the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, Salazar responded favorably and quickly: Portugal allowed these bases, letting the British use the Azorean ports of Horta (on the island of Faial) and Ponta Delgada (on the island of São Miguel), and the airfields of Lajes Field (on Terceira Island) and Santana Field (on São Miguel Island). Franklin Roosevelt promptly informed Winston Churchill that the United States wanted to approach directly the Portuguese government for the purpose of also obtaining aviation"
"ABC islands (Lesser Antilles) The ABC islands are the three western-most islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea that lie north of Falcón State, Venezuela. In order alphabetically they are Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. All three islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, although they remain outside the European Union. Aruba and Curaçao are autonomous, self-governing constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands proper. According to the disputed letters of Amerigo Vespucci, the ABC islands were first explored by one of Christopher Columbus' captains, Alonso de"
"Azores, followed by the installation of a Government for the region, and later direct universal local authority elections in December. At the state level, the ""Day of the Azores"" corresponds to ""Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas"" (Portugal Day), instituted by Portuguese decrees 51/92 (11 April 1992), 39B/78 (2 March 1978) and 80/77 (4 March 1977). The day, instituted within the Third Portuguese Republic does not correspond to the Portugal's creation: some suggest that day was 24 June 1128, the day that Afonso Henriques defeated his adversaries in Guimarães, while another thesis supported 24 July 1137, when"
"Rif Mountains are located in the north of the country. Both ranges are mainly inhabited by the Berber people. At , Morocco is the fifty-seventh largest country in the world. Algeria borders Morocco to the east and southeast, though the border between the two countries has been closed since 1994. Spanish territory in Northwest Africa neighbouring Morocco comprises five enclaves on the Mediterranean coast: Ceuta, Melilla, Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, Peñón de Alhucemas, the Chafarinas islands, and the disputed islet Perejil. Off the Atlantic coast the Canary Islands belong to Spain, whereas Madeira to the north is Portuguese."
"Autonomous Regions of Portugal The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal () are the Azores (""Região Autônoma dos Açores"") and Madeira (""Região Autônoma da Madeira""). Together with Continental Portugal (""Portugal Continental""), they form the whole of the Portuguese Republic. The autonomous regions were established due to their distinct geography, economy, social and cultural situation, as well as their historical autonomic aspirations of its island populations. Although it is a politico-administrative autonomy the Portuguese constitution specifies both a regional and national connection, obliging their administrations to maintaining democratic principles and promote regional interests, while still reinforcing national unity. The third clause of"