Terceira Island

Terceira is a volcanic island located in the Azores archipelago. This group of islands belongs to Portugal and sits in the Atlantic Ocean. The island is situated due west of Lisbon.

It is one of the larger islands in the archipelago. Today, approximately 53,311 people live on its land. The island serves as a vital hub for transportation and military activity. It features two main sea ports at Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória.

It also hosts a commercial airport integrated with Lajes Field. This base is used by the Portuguese Air Force and a United States Air Force detachment.

The island's physical structure is shaped by intense geological forces. Terceira is an active volcanic island. It is composed of several older, extinct volcanoes.

The island sits atop a geologic structure called the Terceira Rift. This rift is a triple junction where three tectonic plates meet. These plates are the Eurasian, African, and North American plates. Four overlapping stratovolcanoes rise from the ocean floor at this junction. A stratovolcano is a tall, conical volcano built by layers of ash and lava. The highest point on the island is 1,021 meters. This summit belongs to the dormant Santa Barbara volcano, known as the Serra de Santa Bárbara.

Finding the Azores was a long and mysterious process. Early nautical charts from 1325 identified islands in the Atlantic. Some maps showed mysterious places like "Capraria" or the "Island of Brasil."

In 1436, a Venetian map by Andrea Bianco included an "Insula de Brasil" in the Atlantic. The first official discovery document appeared in 1439. It credited Gonçalo Velho Cabral with finding the Formigas islands. Terceira may have been discovered by his pilot, Vicente de Lagos, on January 1, 1445. The island was once called Ilha de Jesus Cristo. This name honored the feast day of Jesus. Eventually, people used the name Terceira, which means "third" in Portuguese.

Colonization began by a decree from Henry the Navigator in 1450. He placed the island under the administration of Jácome de Bruges.

Bruges brought settlers from Flanders and northern Portugal. They arrived with animals and provisions to build new lives. The first settlement was in Quatro Ribeiras. This area was chosen because it was hard to see from the sea. Settlers feared Spanish attacks and wanted to stay hidden. They built a small chapel for Santa Ana there. Later, Bruges moved his residence to Praia. He began building the Matriz Church in 1456. He managed the island until he disappeared in 1474.

After Bruges disappeared, the island was divided into two captaincies. These were Angra and Praia. Angra was given to João Vaz Corte Real. Praia was given to Álvaro Martins Homem.

The island's population grew with many different groups. These included people from Madeira, Africa, and new Christians. They developed many commercial ventures. In the 15th century, they exported wheat throughout the empire. They also grew sugar-cane and woad for dye. Later, they introduced tea, tobacco, and pineapple. These products helped the island's economy grow until the late 19th century.

Terceira has played a major role in historical conflicts. During the Portuguese succession crisis of 1580, the Azores resisted Spanish rule. They were the only part of the empire to resist until 1583. The Marquis of Santa Cruz led a Spanish force to conquer the island. He used 96 ships and 9,500 men. He defeated the forces of D. António after one day of fighting. Later, in 1828, political tension rose between Liberals and supporters of absolute monarchy. The Terceirenses established a Junta Provisória to support Queen Maria II. In 1830, Angra was even named the Portuguese capital by these constitutional forces.

Modern history has also seen the island face natural and political events. In 1944, a military agreement allowed the United States to use Lajes Field. This made the island important for global aviation. In 2001, an Air Transat flight landed there after running out of fuel. In 2003, world leaders met on Terceira to discuss the invasion of Iraq. The island also faces powerful weather. In 2016, Tropical Storm Alex made landfall in mid-January. This was unprecedented for that time of year. It is one of four known tropical cyclones to hit the island.