page_title: Macaronesia
hierarchical_section_title: Macaronesia
context_page_description: Macaronesia is a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. Each archipelago is made up of a number of Atlantic oceanic islands formed by seamounts on the ocean floor with peaks above the ocean's surface. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. Politically, the islands belonging to Portugal and Spain are part of the European Union. Geologically, Macaronesia is part of the African Plate, including the Azores, which mark its edge at the meeting point with the Eurasian and North American Plates.
  The European Union considers that the three European archipelagos conform a unique biogeographic region called the Macaronesian Region.
context_section_description: Macaronesia (Portuguese: Macaronésia) is a collection of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. Each archipelago is made up of a number of Atlantic oceanic islands formed by seamounts on the ocean floor with peaks above the ocean's surface. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde. Politically, the islands belonging to Portugal and Spain are part of the European Union. Geologically, Macaronesia is part of the African Plate, including the Azores, which mark its edge at the meeting point with the Eurasian and North American Plates.
  The European Union considers that the three European archipelagos (i.e. not including Cape Verde) conform a unique biogeographic region called the Macaronesian Region.
caption: Macaronesia