Canary Islands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canary Islands (Islas Canarias) |
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| Autonomous community (Comunidad autónoma) | |||
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| Official name: Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias | |||
| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous Region |  Canary Islands |
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| Region | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Capitals | Santa Cruz and Las Palmas | ||
| Largest city | Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | ||
| - center | Gran Canaria Island | ||
| - elevation | 8 m (26 ft) | ||
| Highest point | Teide | ||
| - elevation | 3,718 m (12,198 ft) | ||
| Lowest point | Sea level | ||
| - location | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | ||
| Area | 7,493 km² (2,893 sq mi) | ||
| Population | 2,118,344 (2012) | ||
| Density | 283 /km² (733 /sq mi) | ||
| President | Paulino Rivero (CC) | ||
| Timezone | WET (UTC+0) | ||
| - summer (DST) | WEST (UTC+1) | ||
| ISO 3166-2 code | ES-CN | ||
| Demonym | Canarian Spanish: Canario(a) |
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| Anthem | Arrorró | ||
| Currency | Euro (€) | ||
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy | ||
| Drive | right-side | ||
The Canary Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Morocco. They are an autonomous community of Spain (they make their own laws). There are seven main islands. The people who live there speak Spanish. The autonomous community has two capital cities, of equal status: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Like the other islands of Macaronesia, they were created by volcanoes on the bottom of the sea. Those volcanoes slowly rose above the water and became islands. This process lasted many thousands of years.
The islands have a very long and interesting history. When Europeans first came to the Canary Islands, they found people already living there. These people were called the Guanches. Many of the Guanches were killed in 15th century battles with the Spanish, and the ones who remained adopted the Spanish way of life. After the Spanish conquest many battles were also fought against pirates. Most recently Morocco was interested in them.
After the Spanish conquest many Europeans settled there. Portuguese and Spaniards, and also Belgians and Maltese were among the early settlers. Recently many people from all over Europe, America, India and Africa have also become citizens or permanent residents.
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.
The Canary Islands' main exports include bananas and tobacco.
Images for kids
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Hacha Grande, a mountain in the south of Lanzarote, viewed from the road to the Playa de Papagayo
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Panoramic view of Gran Canaria, with Roque Nublo at the left and Roque Bentayga at the center
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Humid laurel forest in La Gomera
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Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, is also one of the most visited National Parks in the world.
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Caldera de Taburiente National Park (La Palma)
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A selection of artefacts unearthed from the Lomo de los Gatos site on Gran Canaria
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Reconstruction of a Guanche settlement of Tenerife
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Alonso Fernández de Lugo presenting the captured native Guanche kings of Tenerife to the Catholic Monarchs
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Casa de Colón (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), which Christopher Columbus visited during his first trip
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Maps of the Canary Islands drawn by William Dampier during his voyage to New Holland in 1699
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Slave-driving in order to sell into enforced labour
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Amaro Pargo (1678–1741), corsair and merchant from Tenerife who participated in the Spanish treasure fleet (the Spanish-American trade route)
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Coast El Golfo, El Hierro
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The port of Las Palmas in 1912
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Auditorio de Tenerife by Santiago Calatrava, and an icon of contemporary architecture in the Canary Islands, (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
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Map of the European Union in the world with overseas countries and territories and outermost regions (pre 31 January 2020)
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Overview of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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View of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
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Basilica of the Virgin of Candelaria (Patroness of the Canary Islands) in Candelaria, Tenerife
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View of Fataga, Gran Canaria
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San Cristóbal de La Laguna in 1880 (Tenerife)
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The dunes of Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is one of the tourist attractions.
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Bus Station—Estación de Guaguas also known as El Hoyo (The hole), on the left, out of the image—at San Telmo Park, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
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Tenerife Tram
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Port of Las Palmas, the largest port in the Canary Islands
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Canary Island spurge in Fuerteventura
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Skull of Tenerife giant rat (Canariomys bravoi). It was an endemic species that is now extinct.
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A loggerhead sea turtle, by far the most common species of marine turtle in the Canary Islands
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The Dance of the Dwarves is one of the most important acts of the Lustral Festivities of the Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
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Dancers with typical costume in El Tamaduste (El Hierro)
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Band of Agaete in the Traída del Agua (Gran Canaria)
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Parade in the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
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Gran Canaria space tracking station
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Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Tenerife, the stadium with the largest field area in the Canary Islands
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Gran Canaria Stadium, the biggest sports venue in the Canary Islands
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Bosea yervamora
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Gonospermum elegans
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Lavatera acerifolia var. acerifolia
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Lavatera phoenicea
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Pericallis webbii
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Sonchus palmensis
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See also
In Spanish: Canarias para niños
