Canary Islands

The **Canary Islands** are an autonomous community of Spain located off the coast of Africa. Consisting of seven main islands and over 50 smaller islands and islets, this region has a volcanic origin which can be appreciated in every one of them, especially in Tenerife, where we can find El Teide. The autonomous community has two capital cities, of equal status: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The seven islands are: La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. People from La Gomera have a whistle language that children there learn at school. Tenerife has the highest mountain in the Canary Islands and Spain too, the Teide. The Teide is actually a volcano, but it has not been active in more than 300 years.

The islands are popular with tourists because of their warm climate and nice beaches. The local farmers grow lots of exotic fruits including papayas and bananas.

As of the 2020s, Canarians are being (pushed out or) driven out of their homes by the tourism industry.

## History

It is believed that the first group of people who inhabited the islands were a group of Berber people named Guanches, originally from North Africa, settling in the islands at some point in the first millennium BCE, with estimates ranging from around 1000 BCE to 200 BCE.

The islands were later conquered by the Castilians in the 15th century, bringing significant changes to the islands, including language, religion or customs. When the Castilians arrived in the Canary Islands in the 15th century, they encountered fierce resistance from the Guanches who sought to defend their land. However, the Guanches were ultimately overwhelmed by the superior military technology and tactics of the Spanish forces. The conquest led to the subjugation and displacement of the Guanches on the islands. The Guanches were gradually assimilated into Castilian society, resulting in the decline of their population and cultural heritage over time.

Castilian colonization led to economic growth as the Canary Islands became a hub for trade routes to America, which facilitated trade and commerce. New technologies and agricultural practices were also introduced, improving productivity and efficiency in farming, fishing, and other industries.

Spaniards brought with them architectural styles and construction techniques that influenced the built environment of the Canary Islands. This includes the construction of fortifications, churches, and colonial buildings that still stand today as part of the islands' cultural heritage. They also introduced new systems of governance and administration to the Canary Islands, integrating them into the Spanish Empire. This included the establishment of colonial institutions, legal systems, and administrative structures.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Canary Islands
- **anthem**: _Himno de Canarias_

- **settlement type**: Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous community
- **imagesize**: 275px
- **image caption**: I
- **image flag**: Flag of the Canary Islands (simple).svg
- **flag size**: 125px
- **flag alt**: Flag of the Canary Islands
- **image shield**: File:Escudo de Canarias.svg
- **shield size**: 100x100px
- **shield alt**: Canary Islands
- **image map**: Islas Canarias (real location) in Spain.svg
- **mapsize**: 275px
- **map caption**: Location of the Canary Islands relative to the Spanish mainland
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision type1**: Largest city
- **subdivision name1**: Las Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- **seat type**: Capital city, Capital
- **seat**: Las Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- **parts type**: Provinces of Spain, Provinces
- **parts style**: para
- **p1**: Province of Las Palmas, Las Palmas
- **p2**: and Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- **leader party**: Socialist Party of the Canaries, PSC–PSOE
- **leader title**: President of the Canary Islands, President
- **leader name**: Ángel Víctor Torres
- **area total km2**: 7493
- **area rank**: 1.88% of Spain; List of Spanish autonomous communities by area, ranked 13th
- **population total**: 2,153,389
- **population as of**: 2019
- **population rank**: List of Spanish autonomous communities by population, 8th
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population blank1 title**: Percentage
- **population blank1**: 4.58% of Spain
- **population demonyms**: Canarian people, Canarian
 (Spanish language, Spanish)
- **timezone**: Western European Time, WET
- **utc offset**: ±00:00UTC
- **timezone dst**: Western European Summer Time, WEST
- **utc offset dst**: +1
- **blank name sec1**: Most populated island
- **blank info sec1**: Tenerife
- **blank1 name sec1**: Official language
- **blank1 info sec1**: Canarian Spanish, Spanish
- **blank3 name sec1**: Statute of Autonomy
- **blank3 info sec1**: 7 November 2018
- **blank name sec2**: Parliament
- **blank info sec2**: Canarian Parliament
- **blank1 name sec2**: Congress of Deputies (Spain), Congress seats
- **blank1 info sec2**: 15 (of 350)
- **blank2 name sec2**: Spanish Senate, Senate seats
- **blank2 info sec2**: 14 (of 265)
- **blank3 name sec2**: Human Development Index, HDI (2018)
- **blank3 info sec2**: 0.861
 · List of Spanish autonomous communities by Human Development Index, 15th