Azores. Information.
AZORES (Regiao Autonoma dos Acores), are an archipelago of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean,. Area - 2333 sq. km. Population - 246 772 (2011) . Administrative center - Ponta Delgada . In 1427, one of the captains sailing for Henry the Navigator discovered the Azores, possibly Goncalo Velho, but this is not certain. The colonization of the then-unoccupied islands started in 1439 with people mainly from the continental provinces of Algarve and Alentejo; in the following centuries settlers from other European countries arrived, most notably from Northern France and the Flanders. In 1583, Philip II of Spain as king of Portugal, 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 1820 civil war, in Portugal, had strong repercussion in the Azores. In 1829, in Vila da Praia, the liberals won over the absolutists, making Terceira Island the main headquarters of the new Portuguese regime and also where the Council of Regency (Conselho de Regencia) of Mary II of Portugal was established. Beginning in 1868, Portugal issued its stamps overprinted with "ACORES" for use in the islands. Between 1892 and 1906, it also issued separate stamps for the three administrative districts of the time. From 1938 to 1978, the archipelago was divided into three districts, quite equivalent (except in area) to those in the Portuguese mainland. The division was quite arbitrary, and didn’t follow the natural island groups, rather reflecting the location of each district capital on the three main cities (neither of each on the western group). Nearly all of the stamps issued for the Azores were stamps of Portugal, overprinted "ACORES", of which the first appeared in 1868, continuing through 1930; after 1930, Portuguese stamps were used unmodified. The exceptions were the Vasco da Gama issue of 1898, the King Carlos issue of 1906, and the King Manuel issue and Manual revolutionary overprints of 1910. Between 1892 and 1906, the three administrative districts of the Azores had stamps issued inscribed with their names: Angra, Horta, and Ponta Delgada. The designs were identical to those of the regular Portuguese stamps, which were inscribed "CONTINENTE" to distinguish them, and the colors generally the same, with some lighter or darker. On 2 January 1980, the use of separate stamps for the Azores (and Madeira) was revived. The modern stamps are inscribed both "PORTUGAL" and "ACORES". The stamps have no special purpose beyond the expression of local pride; all are sold and valid in Portugal. About 5-10 are issued each year, generally with themes relating to the Azores. Currency : 1 euro
