List of caves in the Azores

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The following is a list of the prominent caves formed in the islands of the Azores:

Cave Natural underground space large enough for a human to enter

A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word cave can also refer to much smaller openings such as sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos, though strictly speaking a cave is exogene, meaning it is deeper than its opening is wide, and a rock shelter is endogene.

Azores Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean

The Azores, officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores, is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal, about 1,500 km (930 mi) west of Lisbon, in continental Portugal, about 1,500 km (930 mi) northwest of Morocco, and about 2,500 km (1,600 mi) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Contents

Corvo

Faial

Flores

Graciosa

The entranceway to the Furna da Maria Encantada Furna da Maria Encantada, Abatimento do tunel, ilha Graciosa, Acores, Portugal.jpg
The entranceway to the Furna da Maria Encantada

Pico

Lavacicles on the roof of one of the Gruta das Torres lava tubes Gruta das Torres Lavacicles.JPG
Lavacicles on the roof of one of the Gruta das Torres lava tubes
Gruta das Torres protected area in Portugal

The Gruta das Torres, is a lava cave, a geological formation of volcanic origin formed from the flow and cooling of subterranean magma rivers. This formation is located outside the parish of Criação Velha, in the municipality of Madalena, on the western flanks of the island of Pico. The cave system formed from a series of pāhoehoe lava flows which originating from the Cabeço Bravo parasitic cone about 500 to 1500 years ago. The caves are a group of interconnected lava tubes between 0.5–22 metres (2–72 ft) width, created from both pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā types of lavas generated during different geological periods. It has a height between 1.1 and 15 metres (3.6–49 ft) and is located at an elevation of 300 metres (980 ft). With an estimated length of over 5.2 km (3.2 mi) it is the longest lava cave in the Azores. Access to the cave was managed by the Mountaineering Association. Starting in 2011, AZORINA, SA took over the management and organization of the cave.

Santa Maria

São Jorge

The Furna do Poio, due to its closeness to the sea, resulted in the seepage of water forming a subterranean pond. Furna do Poio 10, Caldeira de Santo Cristo, Calheta, ilha de Sao Jorge.JPG
The Furna do Poio, due to its closeness to the sea, resulted in the seepage of water forming a subterranean pond.

São Miguel

Terceira

A view of the Algar do Carvao, accessible from the nature centre in Posto Santo Algar do carvao 02.jpg
A view of the Algar do Carvão, accessible from the nature centre in Posto Santo
A passage within the Gruta do Natal system, carved from lava flows Gruta natal2.jpg
A passage within the Gruta do Natal system, carved from lava flows

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Angra do Heroísmo Municipality in Azores, Portugal

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Feteira (Horta) Civil parish in Azores, Portugal

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Santo António (São Roque do Pico) Civil parish in Azores, Portugal

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Quatro Ribeiras Civil parish in Azores, Portugal

Quatro Ribeiras is a civil parish in the municipality of Praia da Vitoria on the northern coast of the Portuguese island of Terceira in the Azores. The population in 2011 was 394, in an area of 12.83 km². It is the least populous parish in the municipality. It contains the localities Boqueiro, Canada do Cruzeiro, Canada do Saco, Canada do Velho, Farroco, Quatro Ribeiras and Rebentão do Bom Jesus.

Ribeira Grande, Azores Municipality in Azores, Portugal

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Povoação, Azores Municipality in Azores, Portugal

Povoação is a municipality located in the southeastern corner of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 6,327, in an area of 106.41 km².

Paul, Cape Verde Municipality in Santo Antão, Cape Verde

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Gruta do Natal cave in Portugal

Gruta do Natal, also known as Galeria Negra or Gruta do Cavalo, is a cave system in municipality of Praia da Vitória, on the island of Terceira in Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

Gruta das Agulhas is a cave located along the promontory of Ponta dos Coelhos, in the Bay of Refugo, in the civil parish of Porto Judeu, in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

Nature Park of Faial Protected area of the island of Faial

The Nature Park of Faial, or simply or Nature Park of Faial (PNF) developed from the intention of better managing the protected areas of the island of Faial, and was instituted by the Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e do Mar, of the Autonomous Regional Government of the Azores.

Nature Park of Terceira Protected area of the island of Terceira

The Nature Park of Terceira (Portuguese: Parque Natural de Terceira, or simply the Terceira Nature Park developed from the intention of better managing the protected areas of the island of Terceira, and was instituted by the Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e do Mar, of the Autonomous Regional Government of the Azores. It includes an area of approximately 22% of the island classified under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Nature Reserve designation.

Azores Geopark

The Azores Geopark is a network of 121 geographically-dispersed sites of geographic heritage and marine areas that covers the nine volcanic islands of the archipelago of the Azores. This network is managed by the Azores Geopark Association, a non-profit association, with its headquarters in Horta on the island of Faial, established 19 May 2010. It is part of the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO-assisted Global Geoparks Network. The Association's mission is to ensure the geological conservation, environmental education and sustainable development, while promoting the well-being of the population and a respect for the environment.

Gruta do Carvão protected area in Portugal

The Gruta do Carvão is an ancient lava tube located on the outskirts of the municipality of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

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