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Recent Updates |
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Latest Visitors to Ponta Delgada |
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Message from the Mayor of Ponta Delgada |
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Ponta Delgada Description |
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The municipality of Ponta Delgada, with a total area of 231,89 km2, is situated on the far southwestern part of the island of São Miguel.
This island and the island of Santa Maria constitute the eastern group of the archipelago of the Azores.
Situated in the Atlantic Ocean, between North America and Europe (760 miles from Lisbon and 2,110 miles from New York), the Azores are formed by the islands of Santa Maria, São Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores and Corvo.
Ponta Delgada is surrounded by the municipalities of Ribeira Grande (to the northeast) and Lagoa (to the southeast).
The settlement of the island of São Miguel began in Povoação, spreading later to Vila Franca do Campo, and finally to Ponta Delgada. It was originally a small settlement to which fishermen were attracted because of the sheltered bays; however, it quickly grew to become the main port of the island. In 1546, when it was already effectively the capital of the island, Ponta Delgada received the title of city from King Don João III.
the city’s economic growth continued throughout the following centuries and reached its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries with the exportation of oranges to England. It was during this period that most of the churches, convents and stately homes, which still characterise the city’s architecture, were built. It was from Ponta Delgada, and after the 1832 siege of Porto, that the Liberal forces sailed to liberate Portugal from absolutism, proclaiming the constitutional charter and acclaiming Dona Maria II as the Queen of Portugal. Among the liberal forces were about 3500 Azoreans. With the liberal regime, economic growth was renewed - it had been in decline due to the drop in orange exportation - with the construction of the artificial port and the introduction of new crops uch as tea, tobacco and pineapple. At the end of the 19th century the first steps toward political and administrative autonomy were taken.
At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1901, the city of Ponta Delgada received a visit from King Don Carlos and Queen Dona Amélia.
Prince Albert of Monaco also passed through on his oceanographic explorations. Teófilo Braga, who was born in Ponta Delgada, was elected as the first president of the new Republic in 1910. There is a period of growth and development in fishing, farming and industry, which helped to get the economy going again, and which also contributed towards the present economic growth.
The University of the Azores was founded here in 1975 and in 1976 the Constitution finally granted the Azores with political and administrative autonomy.
Today, Ponta Delgada is the seat of the Regional Government and also the capital of a region which is clearly undergoing tremendous progress.
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Depew
Owned By: yavanna
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Return: 50.85%
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; "Ponta Delgada")
