8 Things You Might Not Have Known About the Canary Islands 8 Things You Might Not Have Known About the Canary Islands Posted: July 16, 2011 Categories: 8 Things , Spain 1.7k Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Google Pinterest Stumbleupon After driving around the Pyreneese Mountains for a week I’ve changed scenery and have gone to the Canary Islands. I’ve been on the island of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Graciosa and Tenerife and will be on La Gomera and La Palma next week. So far it has been great with amazing weather. I realize that many people have no clue where they Canary Islands are or much about them, so I figured it was time for another installment of “8 Things You Might Not Have Known…” 1) They were not named after canary birds. Despite the name, the islands were not named after canaries, the cute, chirping birds. It comes from the latin word for dog, “canaria”. One story is that when some of the first Europeans arrived, they found large dogs on the island of Grand Canary.

In fact, they might not even even named after dogs at all, but rather after seals which used to inhabit the island, which the Romans called “sea dogs”. 2) It has the highest point in Spain. Despite having the Pyreneese mountains in its country, the highest point in Spain is actually on the island of Tenerife. El Teide is 3,718m (12,198ft) high. There are other tall peaks in the Canaries as well including Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma 2,400 m (7,874 ft). This mountain is of note because it is home to one of the largest collection of astronomical telescopes in the world, including the world’s largest telescope, the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias . It’s high volcanic mountains which sit above the clouds makes it similar to the observing conditions you can find in Mona Kea in Hawaii. 3) The Spanish Civil War started here. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Francisco Franco was the General Commandant of the Canaries, headquartered in Las Palmas, on Grand Canary island.

He and his minions plotted their strategy here in the Canaries, out of sight and mind of the rest of Spain, before moving to the continent. Cooking over a volcano 4) You can cook food over a volcano. As I mentioned above, the Canary Islands are volcanic in origin. While there are no volcanoes currently erupting on the island, there was a great deal of activity on the island of Lanzarote between 1730 and 1736 when over 100 volcanoes appeared on the landscape. The last eruption was in 1824, but there is still a significant amount of heat just below the surface. If you enter Timanfaya National Park, you can visit El Diablo Restaurante where they have several demonstrations which show the heat just below the surface. In one demonstration they toss straw into a hole which bursts into flame due to the heat. In another they pour water down a whole which instantly turns into a tower of steam. At the restaurant, there is a 9m hole was which was dug to access the heat, the top of which is used as a grill. The temperature of the grill reaches 400C and uses no energy.

5) The islands were colonized concurrently with the Americas. While the Canary Islands were known to the ancient Romans and Greeks, they never really grabbed the attention of Europeans until they began to sail across the Atlantic to the Americas. Columbus used the island of La Gomera as a staging point for his first trip to the Americas. Most of the older buildings you can find in the islands, especially in the city of La Laguna are very colonial in style. Unlike the Americas, however, the Canary Islands were not a colony but an actual part of Spain which they remain to this day. 6) The city of San Antonio, Texas was founded by people from the Canary Islands If you remember the Alamo, then you should also take a second to remember the Canary Islands. The city was original founded by settlers from the Canaries and their descendants died fighting alongside Jim Bowie and Davy Crocket. The founder of the city of São Paulo, Brazil is also from the island of Tenerife. 7) It his home to a whistling language On the island of La Gomera there is a language used to communicate over the large distances across valleys called “ Silbo Gomero “.

As technology changed the ease in which people could communicate, the language was in danger of dying out in the 20th Century. The government took measures to teach the language to children in school. The whistling is actually just a form of Spanish. The language is more used for announcements and news, not for personal conversation. It was listed as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2009. 8) World worst airline disaster The world’s worst aviation accident occurred on the island of Tenerife on March 27, 1977 when two Boeing 747’s collided on a foggy airport runway. 583 people were killed when KLM Flight 4805 hit Pan Am Flight 1736 during take off. Neither plane was supposed to be on Tenerife as they were diverted from Gran Canarias when a bomb was detonated on the runway. The airport had many more aircraft than it could handle and couldn’t fit all the planes at the gates.

An investigation after the event by Spanish, Dutch and American teams concluded that there were a host of problems which lead to the disaster including language, not knowing where the planes were, casual terminology and pilot error. The accident lead to a host of changes in how plane crews and flight control towers talk to each other to avoid misunderstanding. Get My FREE 100 Page Travel Photography eBook! 28 Responses to "8 Things You Might Not Have Known About the Canary Islands" By Mia August 17, 2014 - 7:03 pm There not ‘African Canary Islands’ . And to gain a VISA you must go through the Spanish Consulate so YES they are 100% apart of Spain. And No, No one in Australia has heard of them, I am constantly explaining about them to people. Reply By Arnab January 11, 2012 - 7:06 am Cooking food over a volcano is one of the craziest thing I have heard in my lifetime! Drilling and putting a pipe into its surface can become really risky at times I suppose.Anyways this is a fabulous post!

By Dr Vicente Barreto January 5, 2012 - 5:26 pm The truth about my country, the African Canary Islands. 1.- Yes, they were not named after birds or dogs. The people of the Canary Islands came from Berber tribes in North Africa. One of these Beber tribes was called “Canarii” and therefore the name of my country is “Islas Canarias” (Canary Islands). In short, the name has to do with one of the Beber tribes and not dogs, cats or birds. 2.- It does not have the “highest point in Spain”. Mount Teide, in the island of Tenerife (Africa), is 1,400 kilometres from Spain (Europe). In short, we are talking about different realities: one country is in Africa and the other in another continent (Europe). It is like the French saying that their highest mountain is in Algeria. Well, my friends, Algeria is closer to France than the African Canary Islands to Spain. The Canary Islands is a COLONY of Spain in Africa and we, the Canary Islands, want the Spaniards out of our country.

3.- The African Canary Islands were invaved by Spain before the Americas and later they used the Canary Islands as a stopover in order to bring death and terror to the Americas. The Canary Islanders war with Spain lasted nearly 100 years and after the Spaniards “discovered” the Americas, needing our Islands to provide food, water, etc., for their ships, they signed agreements with our people saying that they would respect our lands, people, etc. Of course, since they were pirates, they did not respect the agreements signed with us. 4.- Yes, the City of San Antonio and other places in the Americas were founded by Canary islanders. The “troblemakers”, those Canary Island patriots that resisted the Spanish pirates in our islands were rounded and transported to the Americas. Something similar with the English transporting children, young girls, etc., to Australia to help their cause in Australia. 5.- Yes, dictator Franco, “by the Grace of God”, was in exile in the African Canary Islands. Spain always used its colony of the Canary Islands to transport its own troublemakers far away from Spain and so Franco, Unamuno, etc., spent time in the Canary Islands.

One day, during Franco’s period of exile in the African Canary Islands, a small plane piloted by an English guy lands here and takes fascist Franco out of the Canary Islands and on his journey back to Spain to create trouble. I don’t know why the English seem to be always in the picture. If the inglés (English) had not landed in the Canary Islands, he would have saved Spain from Hitler’s litter brother (Franco). Finally, boys and girls, Madrid says that the Canary islands is “Spain”. etc. Well, France also used to say that “Algeria is France”. As for those who say that the Canary Islanders “love” Spain, are “Spanish”, etc., they are Spaniards living in the Canary Islands as part of the colonial administration. Spain has caused too much pain, misery, poverty, crimes, rapes, death, etc., against our people -the Canary Islanders- for us to love them. Will the Canary Islands be free of Spain one day? Well, if nothing in this life is permanent then I believe that one day the Spaniards will have to leave the Canary Islands. After all, the Spaniards love Spain too much and claim to be europeans, etc., and our islands are not in Europe.

It would be much better for them to live in their beloved Europe and leave the Canary Islanders in peace. Their enemy is: geography and time. Finally, our islands receive 12 million tourists every year but our people leave in poverty, the unemployment rate is 30% and for our youth 60%. Why? Because Spain controls our economy and steals the billions generated by the so-called “tourist industry”. The best jobs are occupied by people from Spain. If this is not bad enough, the flora and fauna of the Canary Islands is suffering because our islands have too many people (residents + tourists). Many thanks for reading this. Dr Vicente Barreto Reply By Luis August 30, 2015 - 5:31 am Not because of the constant, repetitive and histrionic repetition of African, the Canary Islands are European, located near Africa. History has shades and lights, the fact of the matter is that we are Europe and thanks to our location we have a unique weather and nature. I respect your opinion, and Who knows why, but I disagree completelely with your opinion.

Gracias Reply By Bec June 23, 2016 - 6:06 pm Dear Dr Berber – My son is doing a short music presentation at school in Australia on the Canarias and was asked to identify an African instrument used in the Canarias. He has searched the internet with my assistance (he is 12) but we mainly found information on the Timple (which sounds more Spanish?)- and little reference to any African instruments or songs, etc. Are you able to point us in the right direction? With thanks – Bec Reply By Antonio Pulido July 22, 2011 - 5:22 am There is a mistake in the post. General Franco had his headquarter in Tenerife, not in Gran Canaria, next to “Plaza Weyler” in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tenerife is the capital of the militar zone in Canary. On the other hand, the Civil War did not start in Canary Island, it started in North Africa at the city of Melilla . One day later Franco left Tenerife by plane to Africa to command the army in Africa (the plane was called “Dragon Rapide”). He was not the leader of the rebellion.

The leader was General Mola. By Matthew Karsten July 19, 2011 - 2:15 pm I love these posts. You always find some pretty strange facts. By MiguelGuerra July 19, 2011 - 7:06 am Very good article but just a correction: La Palma is 2,426 meters high. Greetings! Reply By Costan Alex July 19, 2011 - 3:42 am ooo….you can cook on a vulcano , very interesting ideea … i never heard about something like that … Canary Islands seems to be a good choice for my next travel . Very interesting article ! Thanks for infos … Reply By Liz July 19, 2011 - 12:47 am Wow! Volcano bbq. How green! I would be afraid of it erupting while I waited for the food though. By ciki July 18, 2011 - 1:45 am named after dogs and not birds.. how interesting. SCARY no.8 tho!!!

Reply By Guanche July 17, 2011 - 9:30 pm That they were not a colony but a part of Spain is debatable. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), former African Union, already said at 1970 that Canary Islands were an African territory waiting to be decolonized. By Gary July 18, 2011 - 12:57 am I’m not sure why a 41 year old proclamation from an outside group matters. 1) They are a part of Spain. it is recognized as such by the international community. They are a province of the country and have representation in the Spanish parlament. 2) No other country claims the Canary Islands. 3) There are no movements for independence. 4) There are no native groups. What people were here have been mixed into the general population who mostly came from Spain. 5) They are not had have never been listed on the United Nations list of non-selfgoverning countries. By Pablo July 19, 2011 - 5:37 am The Canary Islands are part of Spain and 99% of the Canaries Spanish feel By Nancy & Shawn Power...

Inspiring YOU to Travel! July 17, 2011 - 7:10 pm Great post Gary… excellent info! Cooking over a volcano & a whistling language… very cool things. :-) When visiting there… how many of the islands would you recommend visiting… is there just one or 2 main ones to go to or like somewhere like say Hawaii is there 5 or 6 nice ones to check out? N & S By Andi of My Beautiful Adventures July 16, 2011 - 11:35 am Wow, I was thinking these islands so cool and then I read #8. YIKES!!! How horrible! But well, I still want to go. Maybe I’ll take a boat. ;-) Reply By Linda July 17, 2011 - 6:31 am It was a long time ago, Andi, and thereafter they built a new airport, which is now the main one. Once that was open they installed all state of the art stuff and completely remodelled.

For a while it was used only for cargo and inter-island traffic, but the majority of international flights now come into the southern airport (I should know I live almost at the end of the runway!). So don’t be put off!!! By Benjmin July 16, 2011 - 11:06 am I have eaten from that BBQ many times. The salty potatoes being my favourite. By Nomadic Samuel July 16, 2011 - 9:26 am Some fascinating tidbits but the part I enjoyed the most was the volcanic bbq. By Arti July 16, 2011 - 9:25 am Wow! Cooking food over volcano!! Never heard of that!! Great post. Loved reading it… Have a fabulous weekend:) Reply By Todd Michael July 16, 2011 - 6:45 am The 9th thing would have to be the Observatory, Roque de los Muchachos, in La Palma. Statistically it´s second only to the one in Hawaii for optical and infrared astronomy in the Northern Hemisphere. Also it current holds the record for largest single-aperture optical telescope.

I know that on La Palma as well as Lanzarote the government has put in place so laws that protect though regions for light polution, making them wonder sites for star gazing! By Linda July 16, 2011 - 4:12 am Normal summer weather here, Gary! Sorry, couldn’t resist that. Nice to read something factual and accurate. Since the main islands of the archipelago are “hot” tourist destinations for Europeans thousands of words are written annually, and many of those are inaccurate. I took a small poll recently of people from New Zealand to mainland Spain, and it turned out that around 75% didn’t know where the islands are until recent months, and I’ve actually spoken with British tourists who thought that they were in the Med! That video is the best I’ve seen. By Jack July 16, 2011 - 3:31 am “I realize that many people have no clue where they Canary Islands are or much about them…” Presumably you’re talking about from your part of the world Gary. The Canary Islands are one of the most popular European holiday destinations and are visited by millions of people every year.

By Gary July 16, 2011 - 3:39 am The world is much bigger than Europe :) Tourism here seems to be from a few select places in Europe: Spain, UK, Germany being the biggest ones. I’ve also seen some Russians and Swedes. Once you get beyond those and maybe a few other countries, I’d say most of Europe is probably just as clueless as is Australia, Asia, etc. The same can be said for many other popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean or the Pacific. Many Australians visit Vanuatu, but I doubt if most people know much about Vanuatu. By Jack July 16, 2011 - 4:10 am LOL – Yes it certainly is:) Vanuatu and the Canary Islands – that’s an original comparison for sure. Reply By Gary July 16, 2011 - 4:29 am When you’ve been to as many places as I have, you see comparisons and similarities that most people probably wouldn’t realize. I noticed some similarities between Lanzarote and Aruba for example.

Reply By Linda July 16, 2011 - 4:18 am The thing is that you didn’t go to the main “tourist” places. The majority of people come for the sunshine, beaches and bars, which may not be your kind of travel, but whatever turns them on. They simply come, soak up the sun and leave, and never see the things you have seen, or which Jack and I write about. I walked along a tourist beach this week (a novelty for me!) and apart from the nationalities you mention I heard French, Italian and other Skandinavian languages I couldn’t name. The Russian market is big business here these days, but most stick to organized groups and excursions, and they are one of the few groups of visitors with money to spend.

Reply By MiguelGuerra July 19, 2011 - 7:10 am But the most of the tourists that come to the Canary Islands usually don’t want to learn something about them: just stay at the hotel and have a swim… Starmus | Canary Islands Canary Islands Tenerife, La Palma and the Canary Islands… View of Mt.Teide, Tenerife from La Gomera Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and El Hierro form a unique island group where you can spend an unforgettable time all year round, thanks to the outstanding climate, with an average temperature of 21C. The climate of the Canary Islands is considered one of the best in the world according to studies carried out by universities and climate experts. The bright and cloudless skies and the small amount of rainfall mean that there are sunny days with many hours of sunlight. In the main tourist resorts there are 4,800 daylight hours a year, which means that the Canary Islands have the most daylight hours of anywhere in Europe.

It is one of the regions with the greatest degree of biodiversity on the planet, with a wide variety of landscapes, spectacular volcanoes and lava flows, dense forests, wonderful beaches of all kinds, deep ravines, fertile valleys, impressive cliffs and transparent waters full of life… Volcanic Origins Taganana Village, Tenerife The Canary Islands began to emerge from the ocean depths as a consequence of magmatic activity. The process of formation began in the Miocene Age, about 23 million years ago. The oldest islands are La Gomera, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, while the youngest are El Hierro, La Palma and Tenerife. Since the end of the 15th century there have been 14 volcanic eruptions, the most recent in 1971 in the island of La Palma. Some exclusive endemic species in the islands inhabit the interior of these volcanic formations. Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain at 3,718 m., is the third biggest volcano on earth, measured from its base. Magic, power and life are the words that come to mind in the presence of the majestic volcanoes of the Canary Islands.

Getting up close to them is a way to get close to the essence of the archipelago, to understand and enjoy its personality, flavour, traditions and culture. Travel in a time machine and be a witness to the dawning of the islands: this is a unique experience that can’t be missed. A Vantage Point for Observing the Universe Stargazing La Palma The breeze from the trade winds and the thermal inversion they produce, prevent the formation of clouds. This is why the skies of the Canary Islands are the clearest and brightest in Europe. Besides that they are also protected by the Law on the Protection of the Atmospheric Quality of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, which controls light and radio-electric pollution, atmospheric contamination and regulates air traffic so that nothing can interfere with the observation of the stars. For these reasons, the canary archipelago is regarded as one of the best places in the world to observe the stars and it has the most important astrophysical observatories in the northern hemisphere . Tenerife Rambla de Castro, Tenerife Two World Heritage Sites, one National Park, and 42 natural protected spaces are some of the treasures to be discovered in Tenerife.

Whether you go alone, with your partner, in the company of friends or with the whole family, get ready to have a unique experience thanks to the wide range of activities that will make your stay in the island unforgettable. In Tenerife you will find each day brings you a new experience, going shopping in the capital, visiting a museum or going to one of the many cultural events that take place. These are some of the options you won’t be able to resist. Equally exciting are the various theme parks, designed for the entertainment of both young and old. In fact, you’ll get the impression that the whole island is one big park, with a range of different settings and an infinite number of attractions and things to do. What’s more, all this takes place against a background dominated by a majestic volcano, Mt Teide the highest peak in Spain, which acts as the guardian of this island full of contrasts. Banana Plantion just outside Garachico, Tenerife But that’s not all.

Prepare yourself to enjoy an incredible variety of landscapes of extraordinary natural wealth in a land scored through with ravines, as well as spectacular cliffs, forests of prehistoric species, extensive wooded areas of the canary pine (an endemic species in the Canaries) remarkable rock formations, hidden bays and lively beaches, volcanic peaks and heath lands, valleys growing tropical fruit… These are places that are home to multifarious species of flora and fauna, many of which are exclusive to the island. Star Gazing on Tenerife The Milky way viewed with the naked eye Teide National Park, Tenerife (courtesy of Daily Mail) Tenerife has recently been named one of the world’s best locations for star-gazing thanks to its low-light pollution, pristine night-sky conditions, its clear dark skies, high altitude and proximity to the Equator. The certificate was awarded to the UNESCO World Heritage Site by the Starlight Foundation, which aims to preserve clear skies. A law is already in place on the island to control contamination levels and flight paths in order to protect the perfect star-gazing conditions. Historic origins: The study of astronomy has always been closely associated with Mt. Teide.

Its advantages as an observation post were well known by naturalists and astronomers centuries ago. Piazzi Smyth set up an observation post at 3,300 metres in the mid 19th century, taking advantage of the unbeatable potential of the skies of Las Cañadas Lunar features were named Teide and Tenerife as a tribute to his work. This astronomic tradition was continued in the early 20th century, with studies made of Halley´s Comet by French astronomer Jean Mascart in 1910 in Alto de Guajara, at an altitude of 2,718 metres. The importance of Las Cañadas as an outstanding platform for astronomic studies is reflected by the fact that the Mt. Teide Astrophysics Observatory was built at Izaña, where there has also been a weather station since 1916. The Mt. Teide Observatory – together with the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, on the island of La Palma – belong to the Canary Islands Astrophysics Instuture IAC (from its initials in Spanish), which has its head offices in La Laguna.

The Observatories at Izana, Teide National Park Although the first telescope was installed in the Teide observatory in 1964, the Canarian Institute of Astrophysics was not created until 1975. Today, it has 19 different countries participating in research there. The Institute and its observatories, one at the Teide (Tenerife) and one at the Roque de los Muchachos, on the island of La Palma, make up the North European Observatory. The various telescopes that are installed on the peaks of the Teide take advantage of the unique atmospheric conditions that are ideal for astronomical observation. The Canarian Parliament even passed a law in 1988, known as, the Law of the Sky, which guarantees the continuation of these conditions by prohibiting any type of contamination that might affect them. On a few days each year, the Institute opens its doors to the public and allows people to visit some of the telescopes . La Palma La Palma Island It is no coincidence that this island is known as “La isla bonita”, or the pretty island.

Home to almost intact natural resources, with landscapes of remarkable beauty, La Palma is the green island which reveals a multitude of colours beneath one of the best skies in the world in terms of astronomic observation. For this reason, you won’t be surprised to find that the most important astrophysics observatories in the northern hemisphere are situated here. Nor will you be able to imagine the number of secret places where you can get in touch with nature on the island. You will only get some idea when you enter the Biosphere Reserve and you start to make your way through it, along one of its innumerable paths, through dense forests dotted with permanent springs where the vegetation all around you is what survived from the age of the dinosaurs. You will be captivated by the impressive peaks, where star-gazing is a whole new experience; by the ravines, the volcanoes and the strange lava flows… La Palma (courtsey of Alamy, Daily Telegraph) Charming beaches will also tempt you to take a relaxing swim in the clean ocean waters.

You can explore inside one of the biggest craters in the world, which is also a National Park, on the steep sides of which there are splendid examples of the canary pine, a species of tree that only grows in the Canaries. Star Gazing on La Palma Tenerife and La Gomera viewed from La Palma at dusk After dusk, land and sky curl up together under a single dark cloak. The sea surrounding the island creeps under the blanket as well, turning its lights out until the following day. And in the vault of heaven, as transparent as a recently-polished crystal, thousands of remote suns light up simultaneously, and begin their precise, anti-clockwise choreography. Sleeping is not a sensible option on La Palma. La Palma’s geographical location, under the direct influence of the Trade Winds, grants the island an unsurpassable degree of atmospheric stability. To this must be added, moreover, the Sky Protection Law, responsible for regulating the correct illumination of urban areas and reducing light pollution. As a result of both these factors, the Isla Bonita (“pretty island”) is one of the main reference points worldwide in the field of Astronomy.

William Herschel Telescope, La Palma On the island’s summits the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory is found, made up of a complex network of both diurnal and nocturnal telescopes, devoted to professional scientific observation. Nevertheless, other visitors, regardless of their previous knowledge, can also enjoy unforgettable moments through one of the following options: Observation of the night sky from a country house (casa rural). From the wide range of country houses on the island, some offer ideal conditions for enjoying the stars from your own terrace, thanks to their location far from the main urban centres. Certain houses, moreover, have their own telescopes, binoculars, computers, and other facilities specially aimed at this activity. Incredible Astronomical Viewpoints. Polaris viewpoint El Pilar, La Palma The island now has an extensive network of natural astronomical viewpoints. From them you can enjoy spectacular dawns, sunsets, moonlit landscapes, and skies draped with tapestries of stars as bright as diamonds. All have information panels as well, designed to complement and orientate observation.

On the La Palma’s summits there are various hiking paths connected with the archaeological remains of the island’s original inhabitants (the auaritas or benahoaritas). These sites demonstrate how important the Sun, the Moon, and the other heavenly bodies were for their culture. Star observation from any hiking path. La Palma’s night sky is a surprising place in which to lose yourself. From any of the island’s many paths you’ll have ample opportunity to locate the Pole Star, the main constellations, and the planets. With the right equipment (and with the optional help of qualified local guides and companies) you’ll also be able to observe galaxies, nebulae, and other objects outside the solar system Starmus would like to thank Turismo de Canarias, Tenerife Tourism Corporation and La Palma Tourist Board for their help in compiling this very useful information. For further detailed information please go to: Fuerteventura (capital Puerto del Rosario). The nearest island is 108 km from the northwest African coast. The islands form the Macaronesia ecoregion with Cape Verde , Madeira and the Azores . The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain.

According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Several native species are conserved, like the drago tree Dracaena draco and the Laurisilva forests. Four of Spain's 13 national parks are located in the Canary Islands, more than any other autonomous community: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente on La Palma, Parque Nacional Garajonay on La Gomera, Parque Nacional del Teide on Tenerife, Parque Nacional Timanfaya on Lanzarote. Political geography The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands consists of two provinces , Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife , whose capitals ( Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife ) are co-capitals of the autonomous community. Each of the seven major islands is ruled by a assembly named cabildo insular. History The Canary Islands are supposed to have given birth to the Greek myth of the Garden of Hesperides . The islands were named Canaria (Latin canis, dog) because of the descriptions of the large numbers of wild dogs roaming the islands, first reported by the Roman scholar Pliny .

The bird canary was named after the islands. Being initially dominated by Arabs , Norman adventurers and Portugal , the islands were finally conquered by Castile towards the end of the 15th century , and the local (possibly Berber ) people —called guanches — subsequently diminished in number until their extinction or mixing with the immigrants. Canary Islands, Spain | Tourist Maker Blog Canary Islands, Spain Gran Canaria , Tenerife , La Palma , Lanzarote , Fuerteventura, La Gomera , El Hierro and other smaller islands form together the archipelago of the Canary Islands. It is a part of Spain and the European Union . Despite this fact the islands are closer to Morocco and geographically they belong to Africa. These volcanic islands are a real tourist paradise, because they are world famous as the place with the best climate on the Planet Earth . Climate of the Canary Islands. These islands are situated near by the North Tropical Circle in the eastern part of the Atlantic. Usually places in these latitudes has hot and unbearable climate, but the Canary Islands are an exception. Near by the Islands passes the cold Canary Stream. The temperature of the sea water varies between 17 and 20 °C all around the year.

It moderates the climate of the islands and because of this reason it is very nice and mild. The daily temperature varies between 21 °C in January to about 26 °C in July. Precipitations are usually rare and the weather is dry. Every year more than 7 million people visit the islands. During the winter months the Canary Islands are especially attractive. In January and February when the biggest part of Europe is covered by snow and the Mediterranean offers temperatures around 10 or 15 °C, the Canary Islands are warm and offer good conditions for swimming, diving and out door activities. As a whole the Canaries offer more bearable climate than the continental parts of Europe. Despite the islands are part of Africa and are located not far from Sahara , the hot waves are not typical for the archipelago even during the period from June to September. But the Canary Islands are world famous not only by the best climate conditions. They offer incredible picturesque landscapes. Because of the volcanic origin of the islands, the local beaches are in usually covered by black volcanic sand. But there are also some beaches which are covered by light yellow or beige. The light sand has brought from the Netherlands and Morocco.

One of these beaches is located in the north – eastern part of Tenerife. Its name is Las Teresitas. It is favourite place for tourists and citizens of the capital Santa Cruz . Tenerife is the most populated island in the Canaries. It has a population of more than 800 000 people. Most of the towns are concentrated around the coast, because of the mountainous relief of the island. Here is the highest peak in Spain – the volcano of Teide (3718m). Because of the specific relief a large part of the territory of Tenerife can not be settled. Around the ocean coast the climate is warm and dry all year around. In the higher parts of the island the weather is cooler and wet. The mountains of Tenerife are usually covered by coniferous forests. The contrast between coast and mountain is incredible. Around the coasts you can find palm trees, citruses as well as some tropical species of flowers and bushes. The mountains are covered by lush, green and fresh forest. During the winter months in the higher parts of Tenerife you can find thick snow cover and chilly weather. There are significant differences between the northern and southern part of the island.

The northern coast of Tenerife receives the biggest part of precipitations. Everything is green and the weather is cooler (of course not cold). The southern coast is drier and warmer with scarce precipitations. Away from the coastal areas you can find dry desert areas. Cacti and date palms are most common species on the territory of these islands. The Canary Islands are much more than just tourist islands. They are attractive place for thousands of emigrants from all parts of continental Europe and other places, because of the good life standard and perfect climate. The locals are nice and friendly. Because of this reason tens of thousands of foreigners (workers and tourists) feel the Canary Islands as their own home country. Gran Canaria is the second most populated island. Its capital is Las Palmas . It is a big, cosmopolitan and density populated city in the northern part of the island. Gran Canaria is not as green as Tenerife, because it is not so mountainous. Here prevail cacti, date palms and other tropical plant species. Gran Canaria is more attractive for visitors in the winter when it offers warm weather and sunny beaches. The island enjoys great climate.

Hurricanes and storms are especially rare and untypical because of the cool waters of the Atlantic. Gran Canaria and Tenerife are connected by regular ferryboat link. Las Palmas is typical European city – clean streets, old buildings with Spanish architecture, Mediterranean charm restaurants, luxury hotels, parks with exotic plant species, squares, fountains and so on. A walk through the streets of Gran Canaria is a perfect occupation for stile and beauty lovers from all around the world. The beaches of Gran Canaria are black, but there are also some with fine golden sand. Some of the most beautiful beaches you can find in Maspalomas on the southern coast of the island. In some parts of Gran Canaria there are not beaches, but black volcanic rocks. Interesting fact is that the sky above the Canary Islands is very often cloudy around the mountains and some tourists think that there will be rain. But this is an illusion. Usually the clouds stay only around the mountain peaks. Despite of the cloudy sky the chance of rain is insignificant. La Gomera is located not far from Tenerife. This is the greenest island of the Canarian archipelago. It is covered with the only mountainous tropical forest in Europe.

There is a great diversity of plant species. This is the most beautiful forest on the Canary Islands. La Gomera enjoys all year around high temperatures, varying between 21°C in January and 29°C in August. The climate is comparatively dry in summer. Most of the precipitation falls in the winter. In the mountains the climate can be chilly during the winter months. Autumn is the rainiest season (especially October). Summer can be very dry. Sometimes in July and August there isn’t any rain. Most of the island is preserved territory. La Gomera is popular tourist destination. It is very important destination also visitors of the other islands – Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The island of La Gomera is not densely populated. It is home to about 22 000 people. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are the most eastern islands of the archipelago. They have no lush and green forest as La Gomera. Both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are similar. They have typical desert landscape. Cacti and bushes predominate in the majority of the islands and everything looks like a moonscape.

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are very interesting to the tourists, because they are sparsely populated and offer wild and unspoiled nature. Fuerteventura is located just 100 kilometers from the coast of Morocco, Africa. The population of Lanzarote is approximately 128 000 people. It is more populated than Fuerteventura – its population is about 95 000. The islands are really attractive. They receive around 5 000 000 visitors per year. Fuerteventura offers the best beaches in the archipelago. Especially the southern part of the island. The combination of perfect climate, clean air, calmness and deep blue, sky turn these islands into a real paradise. The average temperatures in Fuerteventura are all year round higher than 20 °C. The coldest month is January. The average daily temperature is 21 °C. The Lanzarote climate is little bit cooler, but this is unnoticeable for the visitors. The daily temperature in January is around 20 °C. The summer daily temperatures are around 28 – 29 °C.

Canary Islands Map / Geography of Canary Islands / Map of Canary Islands - Worldatlas.com Print this map Canary Islands Description Once known to the ancient Romans as the Fortunate Islands, the Canary Islands were named after the large dogs (Canes) found living on the islands. Initially home to an indigenous population known as the Guanches, over the years the Canary Islands were visited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and the Greeks. King Juba was credited with discovering the islands for the Western World during the 1st century AD. In the early 15th century, the expedition of French explorers Jean de Bethencourt and Gadifer de la Salle, nobles of Henry III of Castile, sparked the Castilian conquest of the islands. In 1448, the lordship of Lanzarote Island was sold to Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal , an act that was not accepted by either the Castilians or the natives. Despite the opposition of both parties, Pope Nicholas V declared the Canary Islands to be under Portuguese control - which ultimately caused the original crisis to swell into a revolt.

The natives of the Canary Islands resisted the Castilian invaders for nearly a century, until the Treaty of Alcacovas was signed in 1479 settling the disputes, which included transferring control of the Canary Islands to the Castiles. Complete peace amongst the natives and Castiles was not achieved until 1495, and the Canary Islands were incorporated into the Kingdom of Castile following the reconcilement. Under the ruling of the Castiles, a new economic model was imposed onto the islands based on single-crop cultivation that included sugar cane and then wine. Santa Cruz and Las Palmas became important stopping points for Spanish conquerors, traders, and missionaries as they navigated their way to the New World, and this trade route brought great prosperity to the islands. It wasn't long before the islands became an attractive stopping point for merchants and adventurers from all over Europe , in addition to pirates and privateers. Both Las Palmas and Santa Cruz were attacked throughout the 17th century. A recession hit the Canary Islands during the 18th century due to stiff competition from Spain's American colonies, and the islanders sought a new cash crop known as cochineal in an attempt to save the faltering economy.

By the end of 18th century, many of the Canary Islands' residents had emigrated to various Spanish American territories. A rivalry flared between the cities of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz at the beginning of the 20th century, in which both vied for capital status, and in 1927 the islands were divided into two provinces. The rivalry continues to this day. Francisco Franco was appointed General Commandant of the Canaries in 1936, and quickly joined a military revolt that ultimately turned into the Spanish Civil War. Some years later an opposition to Franco's regime began to organize, and the citizens of the islands created various nationalist, leftist parties. Upon Franco's death in 1975, a pro-independence movement formed, and a democratic constitutional monarchy was established in Spain , resulting in the Canaries autonomy. Located off of Africa's northwestern coast, the Canary Islands are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, especially with Europeans . The archipelago includes seven major islands, all remnants of very steep, extinct volcanoes, and weather conditions here are considered perfect, with some of the best beaches on the planet.

Popular attractions include Maspalomas in Gran Canaria, and Teide National Park - home to the third tallest volcano in the world, Mount Teide. Canary Islands Information - Canary Islands - Island Travel Tips and Island Reviews - itsislandtime.com By Beachcomber, retrieved from Wikipedia Nov 2, 2003, 11:33 The Canary Islands are an archipelago of seven islands of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwestern coast of Africa. The islands belong to Spain, and form an autonomous community of that country. Physical geography The islands and their capitals are: Gran Canaria (capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria); Tenerife (capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife); Lanzarote (capital Arrecife); La Palma (capital Santa Cruz de La Palma); La Gomera (capital San Sebasti�n de La Gomera); El Hierro (capital Valverde); Fuerteventura (capital Puerto del Rosario). The nearest island is 108 km from the northwest African coast. The islands form the Macaronesia ecoregion with the Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira, and the Savage Isles.

The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain. According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Several native species are conserved, like the drago tree Dracaena draco and the Laurisilva forests. Four of Spain's 13 national parks are located in the Canary Islands, more than any other autonomous community: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente on La Palma, Parque Nacional Garajonay on La Gomera, Parque Nacional del Teide on Tenerife, Parque Nacional Timanfaya on Lanzarote. Political geography The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands consists of two provinces, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, whose capitals (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife) are co-capitals of the autonomous community. Each of the seven major islands is ruled by a assembly named cabildo insular. History The Canary Islands are supposed to have given birth to the Greek myth of the Garden of Hesperides.

The islands were named Canaria (Latin canis, dog) because of the descriptions of the large numbers of wild dogs roaming the islands, first reported by the Roman scholar Pliny. The bird canary was named after the islands. Being initially dominated by , Norman adventurers and Portugal, the islands were finally conquered by Castile towards the end of the 15th century, and the local (possibly Berber) people �called guanches� subsequently diminished in number until their extinction or mixing with the immigrants. The Canary Islands were first discovered by ancient Greek and Roman seafarers, yet it was not until the early 1400's that anyone made a serious attempt to conquer the Canaries. In 1402, the French explorer Jean de B�thencourt led an expedition to the islands, landing first on the north side of Lanzarote. From there, he conqured Fuerteventura and Hierro. B�thencourt received the title King of the Canary Islands but recognized King Henry III of Castile, who had provided aid during the conquest, as his overlord.

B�thencourt also established a base on the island of Gomera, but it would be many years before the island was truly conquered. The people of Gomera, as well as the Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and La Palma people, resisted the Spanish invaders for almost a century. By 1495, the islands had fallen to Spanish rule. The town of Santa Cruz, on La Palma, became a stopping point for the Spanish conquerors, traders, and missionaries on their way to the New World. The islands became very wealthy and soon attracted merchants and adventurers from all over Europe. Magnificent palaces and churches were built on La Palma during this busy, prosperous period. Of particular interest to visitors is the Church of El Salvador, one of the island's finest examples of the architecture of the 1500's. In 1977, 583 people were killed in a major aviation accident known as the Tenerife disaster. Economy The economy is based on tourism and tropical agriculture (banana, tobacco) for exportation to Europe and the Americas. They receive about 10 million tourists per year.

Ecologists are concerned that the resources, especially in the drier islands, are being overexploited. The combination of high mountains, belonging to Europe, and clean sky has made the Roque de los Muchachos (in La Palma island) peak a leading placement for telescopes like the Grantecan. The islands are outside European Union customs territory, though politically within the EU. The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code IC is reserved for representing them in customs affairs. Goods subject to Spanish customs and excise duties and VAT, such as tobacco or electronic goods, are therefore significantly cheaper in the Canaries. The islands do not have a separate Internet country code from the rest of Spain. Canarian time is GMT, one hour less than that of mainland Spain and the same as that of London. Click here for the full Wikipedia article. itsislandtime > Canary Islands > Canary Islands Information Canary Islands Canary Islands 14 2 PresidentAd�n Mart�n Menis (CC) Gobierno de Canarias The Canary Islands are an archipelago of seven islands of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean , off the northwestern coast of Africa . The islands belong to Spain , and form an autonomous community of that country.

Table of contents Fuerteventura (capital Puerto del Rosario). The nearest island is 108 km from the northwest African coast. The islands form the Macaronesia ecoregion with Cape Verde , Madeira and the Azores . The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain. According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Several native species are conserved, like the drago tree Dracaena draco and the Laurisilva forests. Four of Spain's 13 national parks are located in the Canary Islands, more than any other autonomous community: Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente on La Palma, Parque Nacional Garajonay on La Gomera, Parque Nacional del Teide on Tenerife, Parque Nacional Timanfaya on Lanzarote. Political geography The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands consists of two provinces , Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife , whose capitals ( Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife ) are co-capitals of the autonomous community.

Each of the seven major islands is ruled by a assembly named cabildo insular. History The Canary Islands are supposed to have given birth to the Greek myth of the Garden of Hesperides . The islands were named Canaria (Latin canis, dog) because of the descriptions of the large numbers of wild dogs roaming the islands, first reported by the Roman scholar Pliny . The bird canary was named after the islands. Being initially dominated by Arabs , Norman adventurers and Portugal , the islands were finally conquered by Castile towards the end of the 15th century , and the local (possibly Berber ) people —called guanches — subsequently diminished in number until their extinction or mixing with the immigrants. See also Tenerife disaster . Economy The economy is based on tourism and tropical agriculture ( banana , tobacco ) for exportation to Europe and the Americas. They receive about 10 million tourists per year. Ecologists are concerned that the resources, especially, in the drier islands are being overexploited. The combination of high mountains, belonging to Europe, and clean sky has made the Roque de los Muchachos (in La Palma island) peak a leading placement for telescopes like the Grantecan .

The islands are outside European Union customs territory. The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code IC is reserved for representing them in customs affairs, but the islands are under the same Internet country code as Spain. Canarian time is GMT, one hour less that that of mainland Spain and same of London.

Question: The islands of La Gomera and Tabarca belong to which European country?
Answer: Spain