# What is this place? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-place/464039 "2008-09-17T21:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-place/464039/1 "2008-09-17T21:13:54Z")
I was just looking at google maps and noticed some unnamed islands. They’re inhabited, you can see lots of roads and almost everys square inch of the place is farmed. But…what is this place? They’re apparently volcanic, exactly west of Lisbon, Portugal about 700-800 miles. They look like a nice place to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-place/464039/2 "2008-09-17T21:21:46Z")
Those are the Azores. There are 9 main islands. They’re currently an autonomous part of Portugal. ---
**Author:** ![lucky\_henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@lucky\_henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucky_henry)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-place/464039/3 "2008-09-18T02:22:24Z")
I lived on Terciera (one of the Azores Islands) for two years. Stationed there from the summer of 1978 to 1980. Beautiful place, friendly people. Very small though, 9 miles by 7 miles. From the rim of the volcano in the center of the island you could turn 360 degrees and see the entire shoreline.