Province of the Azores sub-prefects. The Province of the Azores was abolished on 28 June 1833 by Decree 64, which divided the archipelago into two separate provinces: the Província Oriental dos Açores (Eastern Province of the Azores), that included the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria, with its capital in Ponta Delgada; and the Província Ocidental dos Açores (Western Province of the Azores), with its capital in Angra and administrating the remaining islands of the archipelago. Prefect: Sub-Prefect of Ponta Delgada: Sub-Prefect of Horta: Province of the Azores The Province of the Azores was an administrative unit of Portugal encompassing the archipelago of
Hydrothermal vents and seamounts of the Azores waters of the Azores: These sites, with the exception of the Moytirra system, are located in the southern part of the archipelago, and have been investigated by national and international scientists. The isolated Dom João de Castro Bank is also considered in this group; located between São Miguel and Terceira, the seamount is one of the highest independent seamounts in the archipelago and home to a thriving marine volcanic habitat. In 2010, a shallow hydrothermal field was discovered off the Ponta da Espalamaca, on the island of Faial, showing evidence of de-gasification. Efforts are being made to classify these areas