The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago which,
in turn, forms one of the Spanish Autonomous Communities and an
Outermost Region of the European Union. The archipelago is located
just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the
disputed border between Morocco and the Western Sahara.
The status of capital city is shared by the cities of Santa Cruz de
Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which in turn are the
capitals of the provinces of Tenerife and Las Palmas.
Tenerife is, with its 2,034 km², the most
extensive island of the Canaries. In addition, the 865,071
inhabitants make it the most populated island in Spain. Two of the
archipelago's principal cities are located on it: Santa Cruz de
Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna (World Heritage Site). Santa
Cruz de Tenerife is the capital and seat of the Parliament of
Canaries and of the Government of Tenerife. Santa Cruz de Tenerife
share the status of capital of the Canaries with Las Palmas de Gran
Canaria.The Teide, with its 3,718 m is the highest peak of Spain and
also A World Heritage Site. This island is in the province of Santa
Cruz de Tenerife.
Gran Canaria is the province of Las Palmas' most populated
island, with 815,379 inhabitants. The capital, Las Palmas de Gran
Canaria (377,203 inhabitants), share the status of capital of the
Canaries with Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In center of the island lie
the Roque Nublo (1,813 m) and the Peak of Snow (1,949 m), the two
highest points of the island.
Fuerteventura, with a surface of 1,659 km², is the
second-most extensive island of the archipelago, as well as the
second most oriental. Being also the most ancient of the islands, it
is the one that is more eroded: its highest point is the Peak of the
Bramble, at a height of 807 m. Its capital is Puerto del Rosario.
La Palma, with 85,933 inhabitants, covering an area of 708.32
km ² is in its entirety a biosphere reserve. It shows no recent
signs of volcanic activity, even though the volcano Teneguía entered
into eruption last in 1971. In addition, it is the second-highest
island of the Canaries, with the Roque de los Muchachos (2,423 m) as
highest point. Santa Cruz de La Palma is its capital.
Lanzarote, is the easternmost island and one of the most
ancient of the archipelago, and it has shown recent volcanic
activity. It has a surface of 845.94 km², and a population of
132,366 inhabitants. The capital is Arrecife, with 56,834
inhabitants.
La Graciosa, is the smallest inhabited island of the
archipelago, and the major island of the Chinijo Archipelago. The
whole archipelago is administrated by Lanzarote. It has a surface of
29.05 km², and a population of 658 inhabitants. The capital is
Caleta de Sebo, with 656 inhabitants.
El Hierro, the westernmost island, covers 268.71 km², making
it the smallest of the major islands, and the least populated with
10,558 inhabitants. The whole island was declared Reserve of the
Biosphere in 2000. Its capital is Valverde.
La Gomera, has an area of 369.76 km2 and is the
third-least-populated island with 22,259 inhabitants. Geologically
it is one of the oldest of the archipelago. The insular capital is
San Sebastian de La Gomera. Garajonay's National Park is here.
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