Portugal

Geography

The island of Flores is 16.5 km long and has 11.5km at its maximum width, which translates into a surface of 143.11 km2. Together with the island of Corvo, it forms the Western Group of the Azores Archipelago. The European Continent has its westernmost point on this piece of land that is inhabited by 4117 inhabitants (census 2008). The island of Flores is located at 21º 59’ longitude west and 39º 25’ latitude north.

History

The Portuguese discovery of the islands that form the western group probably took place sometime in 1452. It is believed that Diogo de Teive was the navigator responsible for the finding of this “far away” land. It was not an easy task to try and populated the then called island of Saint Thomas. The efforts made by Willem van der Haghen, a Flemish who had initially settled on the island of São Jorge and then tried to settle on a land located further west, are well known. Whether this happened because of political tensions related to the administration of the island or due to the isolation from the rest of the archipelago, the truth is that the experience failed and the Flemish returned to São Jorge. The island of Flores was abandoned for many years, and there is only evidence of a successful settlement, made by settlers who came from the Islands of Madeira and Terceira, in 1508. The name Flores (Flowers) seems to be linked to the many natural flowers found all over the island.

Although it was only populated after the other islands had developed their settlements, it grew very fast. The locality of Lajes das Flores was granted a town charter in 1515, with Santa Cruz das Flores obtaining it in 1548. In a similar fashion to the rest of the archipelago, the economy was based on cereals and on the woad dye plant for a couple of centuries. However, because this island was so quiet and peaceful, it became a favourite of privateers who often attacked and pillaged it during the 16th and the 17th centuries. The island was then a strategic point for the fleets of the privateers whilst they quietly awaited the passing of the Spanish galleons filled with precious metals from the Americas.

Lord Tennyson has perpetuated in the poem The Revenge these sea adventures and pillages. “At Flores in the Azores Sir Richard Grenville lay” opens the description of the heroic defeat, at the hands of a Spanish fleet, of the ship captained by Sir Richard Grenville, an English privateer. By the mid 18th century, Flores became a safe harbour for the English and North-American whaling fleets, looking for supplies and sailors. This external influence required the construction of bases to hunt sperm whales at Lajes das Flores and Santa Cruz das Flores. There are still vestiges of these premises, which were then built for the extraction of oil from the whales.

The opening of the airport in 1972 and the construction of modern ports led to a greater integration of the Western Group of the Azores Archipelago. The economy of one of the islands that invests more in tourism is now based on agriculture, cattle breeding and dairy products.