São Jorge (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɐ̃w ˈʒɔɾʒɨ]) is an island in the central group of the Azores archipelago and part of the autonomous region of Portugal.

It is unclear when the first explorers discovered the island of São Jorge; as part of the politics of human occupation, the Azores were populated after 1430 (probably 1439) through the initiative of Prince Henry the Navigator.

After an unsuccessful adventure to the island of Flores, the Flemish nobleman Willem van der Haegen (later known as Guilherme da Silveira) moved to the area of Topo where he established and founded a local community, in 1480.

During this period, the island was wild and many of the roads difficult or non-existent between the communities, resulting in isolated villages located along the coast.

The growth of the population was rapid, and by the mid-17th century, São Jorge had approximately 3000 inhabitants and three towns: Velas, Topo and Calheta.

The island demonstrated a strong economic vitality: in addition to wine, corn, and yam, it was also an important exporter of woad to Flanders and other countries in Europe.

King António reigned on the continent for about twenty days, until he was defeated at the Battle of Alcântra, whereupon he moved his court to Terceira Island and governed in opposition until 1583.

Following 1583, the island experienced a period of relative isolation, partially due to the poor quality of its ports and its limited economic importance.

The tranquillity around the island was also broken on September 20, 1708, when the town of Velas was attacked by French pirates under the command of René Duguay-Trouin.

With the inauguration of its ports, and the airport/aerodrome (April 23, 1982) commercial ventures have grown (especially the export of the local cheese), the expansion of animal husbandry, the fisheries and a small crafts industry.

Through successive fissural eruptions the island was built up: the only remnants of these forces are the line of volcanic cones that extend along the central ridge (approximately 700 metres in altitude).

Periods of local prosperity or misery occurred in the following years; there were several bad growing seasons and natural catastrophes (such as the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tornados in 1580, 1757, 1808 and 1899) that created famines and hardships.

[10] Owing to its position in the mid-North Atlantic Ocean, influenced by the Gulf Stream, São Jorge has a humid subtropical climate with very mild winters and warm summers, although, being a generally elevated island, temperatures tend to be cooler on the hilly center and warmer downslope of the many fajãs that characterize the island.

The geomorphology of the island (its high cliffs, rough central plateaus and scattered fajãs) resulted in the concentration of human settlements along the coast.

The settlements developed with immigration from Spain and Flanders, principally by settlers brought by the Ávilas and by Willem van de Hagen.

Orange orchards were located primarily in the communities of Santo Amaro, Urzelina, Ribeira Seca and in Fajã de São Joãos.

It is widely popular and cultivated in any plot of land, and was used as an important subsistence food during the island's formative years although never becoming a major export product.

In strategic locations along the coast, small huts were built to watch-out for whales and give an alarm to the local hunters, who would sail out and harpoon the mammals.

[12] A union of eight cooperatives, Uniqueijo is dedicated to the commercialization of the traditional São Jorge cheese, including new products classified under the DOP Denominação de Origem Protegida (Denomination of Protected Origin) status.

The Romarias (religious pilgrimages) are a tradition of the island's Catholic communities, and strongly linked to catastrophes associated with historical earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In addition, the traditional cornbread (made from white or yellow cornmeal) is still very popular, since wheat-based breads were generally for the privileged classes of the island.