FLORES ISLAND

Flores island is located in Azores Western Group, along with Corvo island. Most of the island has a mountainous terrain, featured by large ravines and high cliffs. The highest point on the island is Morro Alto, at an altitude of 914 meters. The population rounds 3,793 inhabitants (2011 data), spread across Santa Cruz and Lajes das Flores villages. It is the most western point of Portugal (on Monchique islet) and often considered the most western point of Europe. It is one of the archipelago’s most beautiful island, covering itself with thousands of beautiful hydrangeas, which divide the fields along the roads, on the sides of streams and ponds.
The current toponym "Flores" (flowers), is used due to the abundance of yellow flowers that cover the island coast.
The island isolation was only broken by the installation, in 1966, of a French Base on Flores. In the following years, a hospital, a power plant, and an airport were built. These infrastructures brought great development to the island.
Flores island was included on May the 27th 2009 in the list of UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, joining Graciosa and Corvo islands, which are also on the list.
UNESCO points out that this reserve includes the entire island, and that this recognition has to do with the fact that this island presents a well preserved nature, where one can observe a great abundance of the characteristic Laurissilva forest, typical from Macaronesia area.