Azores Geoparks Issue Features Beautiful Landscapes and Maps

Portugal – Azores 2017-09-07

Coinciding with the 14th European GeoParks Conference held in the Azores in early September 2017, Portugal Post (CTT) issued a set of four (4) stamps and a souvenir sheet with two (2) stamps on September 7, 2017.  A Geopark “is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there.”  This issue commemorates the Azores Geopark, established in 2009/2010, which is comprised of a network of 121 geographically-dispersed sites of geographic heritage and marine areas that covers the nine volcanic islands of the archipelago of the Azores. The Azores Geopark is part of the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO-assisted Global Geoparks Network.  Denominations for the set of four stamps are €0,50, €0,80, €0,85, €1,00, respectively, while the souvenir sheet contains two stamps, with denominations of €0,85, €1,00.  All denominations are placed in the lower right corner of each stamp.  Each of the stamps has a map, and the souvenir sheet also has small scale a map of the Azores archipelago covering two-thirds of the sheet. The park maps, occupying the upper section of each stamp, use subtle hill shading to portray the terrain.  Additionally, local access roads, major hydrographic features, and sparse annotation are also present on the maps.  The park or feature is depicted using shades of green while the surrounding areas are shown as only bare terrain.  Conversely,  a color photograph of a “geo-feature” or landscape occupies the lower section of each stamp. The maps are tied directly to the feature shown in the photograph. Running horizontal through the center of each stamp is the phrase Geoparque Açores with the feature name directly below, in the photo area. The latitude and longitude, presumably of the feature, are shown in a vertical colored bar along the right edge of each stamp. The stamps have a syncopated perforation, resembling a “Knights Templar Cross” common on recent Portuguese issues.  This is definitely one of more important cartophilatelic issues of 2017. [after researching these, i think it is time for a trip to the azores! – web admin]

Portugal – Azores 2017-09-07 Souvenir Sheet