ABSTRACT
Isolation is a recurrent theme in the history, geography and hazard responses of the inhabitants of the Azores to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In this opening chapter, the environmental conditions which faced the first Portuguese settlers when they encountered the Azores in the fifteenth century are outlined, and discussion is focused on prevailing climatic, vegetational and pedological conditions. The development of Azorean society and economy is traced from the time of settlement to the present-day, paying particular attention to the ways in which the distinctive culture and religiosity of the archipelago – forged in isolation – has enabled the islanders, not only to cope with frequent and often devastating disasters but also to create a series distinctive landscapes.
