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Algar do Carvao

Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party.

Portugal (Europe and North America)

Date of Submission: 06/11/1996
Criteria:
Category: Natural
Submission prepared by:
Direcçao Regional de Ambiente Secretaria regional do turismo e Ambiente
Coordinates:
Terceira Island - Açores
Ref.: 565

Description

Algar do Corvao is situated a strombolian volcano with two cones (a principal and an accidental one) and is 629 m high. It is composed by a vertical chimney of 45m

high and it becomes obliquely wider in its end, with three arched roofs. It ends with 90m in a potable lagoon whose average surface is 400m2 . In its deeper part it is 15m. The walls allow the water infiltration which gives origin to white silica stalagtites and stalagmites. It is also important to refer the existence of black obsidian "volcanic vitrious glaze" (glass). The plant communities of the volcanic chimney has a great diversity of species which are mostly endemic, some are rare and threathened and are included in the Appendix I from the Berna Convention. Others are included in the IUCN Bryophyte Red List.