| São João | ||
| Civil Parish (Freguesia) | ||
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The coast along São João, showing village, looking towards the summit of Pico, in the west
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| Official name: Freguesia de São João | ||
| Name origin: Portuguese for John the Baptist | ||
| Country | Portugal | |
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| Autonomous Region | Azores | |
| Group | Central | |
| Island | Pico | |
| Municipality | Lajes do Pico | |
| Localities | Canada de Baixo, Canada de Cima, Ponta Rasa, Porto São João | |
| Center | São João | |
| - elevation | 34 m (112 ft) | |
| - coordinates | ||
| Highest point | Pico Pequeno | |
| - location | Ponta do Pico, São João, Lajes do Pico | |
| - elevation | 2,351 m (7,713 ft) | |
| - coordinates | ||
| Lowest point | Sea level | |
| - location | Atlantic Ocean | |
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | |
| Length | 6.27 km (4 mi), West-East | |
| Width | 7.14 km (4 mi), North-South | |
| Area | 33.1 km2 (13 sq mi) | |
| - land | 32.69 km2 (13 sq mi) | |
| - urban | .41 km2 (0 sq mi) | |
| Population | 486 (2001) | |
| Density | 14.68 / km2 (38 / sq mi) | |
| LAU | Freguesia/Junta Freguesia | |
| - location | Estrada Regional, São João, Lajes do Pico | |
| President Junta | José Armindo Alves Gonçalves (PPD/PSD) | |
| Timezone | Azores (UTC-1) | |
| - summer (DST) | Azores (UTC0) | |
| ISO 3166-2 code | PT- | |
| Postal Zone | 9930-456 São João | |
| Area Code & Prefix | (+351) 292 XXX-XXXX | |
| Demonym | Piquense; São-joãonense | |
| Patron Saint | São João | |
| Parish Address | Estrada Regional, 26 9930-456 São João |
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| Wikimedia Commons: São João (Lajes do Pico) | ||
São João, named for the John the Baptist (in Portuguese) is a civil parish in the municipality of Lajes do Pico in the Azores. It is the only parish in the municipality with a frontier on the summit of Pico (2,351 meters). The population in 2001 was 486, its density is 15/km² and the area is 32.31 km²; making it the third least-populated parish in the municipality.
The village of Sao Joao is located on the main roadway (Estrada Regional E.R.1-1ª) between hamlets of Terra do Pao (São Caetano) and Silveira (Lajes do Pico). São João comprises two distinct communities, the upper (Companhia de Cima) and lower (Companhia de Baixo) portions of the village.
The single-bell tower parochial church is in the lower district in close proximity to the small sea port. It was extensively renovated following historical earthquakes, with a tiled front-facade constructed over quarried rock. A secondary chapel was constructed within the past decades to support the upper congregation in a modernist style. A park was also constructed around the lava flows that destroyed the original church (in 1720).
The village of Sao Joao is a quiet community that includes a cafe/mercantile shop, restaurants, an auto repair garage (ironically in the location of the former village blacksmith's shop), and a commercial cheese factory. Being primarily agricultural community now (as whaling was discontinued in the 1970s), most of the grassing lands are located in the mid-altitudes, as dense vegetation dominate the top of the mountainous Achada Plain and Pico Volcano. Other landmarks include a small chapel used for the Holy Spirit feasts, in each of the upper and lower villages, and village squares constructed (such as the Largo de São João) to provide picnicking facilities, playgrounds and animal pens. Along the seashore, Ponte de São João provides a sand volleyball court, showers and picnic facilities adjacent to a point projecting out in the ocean, with small tidal pools and natural swimming area.
Whaling has been a vital industry in the district until recently, and the port of São João relied on the industry for its development. The clear and deep harbor supported the industry, allowing the commericialization of hundreds of whales annually.