2017Geopark - Azores - Set

The Azores archipelago, made up of nine islands and various islets, is situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. Along with the archipelagos of Madeira, the Canaries and Cape Verde, they form Macaronesia, an important biogeographic region of the Atlantic, the name of which means “islands of the fortunate.” The volcanic origins of the Azores, in addition to the geography and geotectonics of this region of the world, are re ected in a rich and vast geodiversity and important geological heritage, making the archipelago a natural laboratory of volcanic geodiversity. Because of the value of this geodiversity, the geological heritage and the importance of its landscape as an economic resource, the Azores Geopark was created in 2010, and recognised as a European Geopark in 2013 and a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. The aim of this approach is to link a strategy of geoconservation to education and environmental awareness policies, and to promote the sustainable socio-economic development of the archipelago on the basis of geotourism.