El Paso, La Palma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Paso
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 El Paso
Location in Canary Islands
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| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous community | Canary Islands | ||
| Province | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | ||
| Island | La Palma | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 135.92 km2 (52.48 sq mi) | ||
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 7,543 | ||
| • Density | 55.496/km2 (143.734/sq mi) | ||
El Paso, also known as Ciudad de El Paso, is a town in Spain. It is located on the island of La Palma, which is part of the Canary Islands. These islands are a special region of Spain.
El Paso is right in the middle of La Palma island. It covers a large area, making it the biggest town on the island. What's special about El Paso is that it's the only one of La Palma's 14 towns that doesn't have a coastline or beaches. In 2016, about 7,457 people lived there.
The town's history goes way back, even before the Spanish arrived. It was likely a temporary home for Benahoarite shepherds, who were the native people of the island. Later, when the Spanish took over, El Paso became part of a larger area called the Aridane Valley. In 1837, it officially became its own town.
One amazing thing about El Paso is that it's home to the oldest Canary Island pine tree in the world. Experts believe it's over 1000 years old!
History of El Paso
Long ago, before the Spanish arrived, many paths crossed La Palma. Some of these paths went through the mountains east of where El Paso is today. One important path was called Ajerjo Pass. This was the path that Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, the Spanish explorer who discovered the island, tried to use to enter the Caldera de Taburiente. Because of this, it was also known as the Captain's Pass. The town of El Paso got its name from this important mountain pass.
On May 3, 1492, Fernandez de Lugo completed the Spanish conquest of La Palma. He captured Tanausu, the king of the native Guanches people, by inviting him to a meeting and then taking him prisoner. After this, La Palma became directly controlled by the Spanish Crown. This continued until 1812, when a new Spanish law allowed the Canary Islands to be divided into smaller towns, or municipalities.
On September 19, 2021, a volcano near El Paso erupted. This happened around 3:15 PM local time. The volcano is in the Cumbre Vieja national park. It had been quiet since 1971, so this eruption was a big event for the island.
Population Changes in El Paso
The number of people living in El Paso has changed over the years. Here's a look at the population from 2006 to 2016:
- 2006: 7,505 people
- 2007: 7,514 people
- 2008: 7,815 people
- 2009: 7,815 people
- 2010: 7,837 people
- 2011: 7,947 people
- 2012: 7,874 people
- 2013: 7,928 people
- 2014: 7,614 people
- 2015: 7,563 people
- 2016: 7,457 people
How El Paso is Governed
El Paso is run by its City Council. The people who make up the City Council are chosen every four years. All Spanish citizens and people from the European Union who are over 18 and live in El Paso can vote.
The City Council has 13 members, including a mayor. The mayor is the main leader of the town. In the elections held on May 24, 2015, a group called Canary Coalition won the most votes. They then teamed up with another group, PSOE, to form the local government.
Here are some of the mayors who have led El Paso since 1979:
| Mayor | Start | End | Political Party | ||
| Miguel Ángel Hernández Martín | 1979 | 1983 | .svg){kind=small} |
Unión de Centro Democrático (UCD) | |
| Miguel Ángel Hernández Martín | 1983 | 1983 |  |
Grupo Electoral Libre de El Paso | |
| Francisco Sánchez Pérez | 1983 | 1987 | |
Grupo Electoral Libre de El Paso | |
| Francisco Sánchez Pérez | 1987 | 1991 | Agrupación Palmera de Independientes (API) | ||
| Francisco Sánchez Pérez | 1991 | 1995 | Agrupación Palmera de Independientes (API) | ||
| Ángel Raúl Rodríguez Pages | 1995 | 1999 |  |
Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) | |
| Francisco Sánchez Pérez | 1999 | 2000 |  |
Coalición Canaria (CC) | |
| Higinio Máximo Brito | 2000 | 2003 | |
Coalición Canaria (CC) | |
| Jesús Manuel Rodríguez | 2003 | 2007 | _Logo.svg){kind=logo} |
Partido Popular (PP) | |
| María Dolores Padilla Felipe | 2007 | 2009 | |
Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) | |
| Higinio Máximo Brito | 2009 | 2011 | |
Coalición Canaria (CC) | |
| María Dolores Padilla Felipe | 2011 | 2015 | |
Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) | |
| Sergio Javier Rodríguez Fernández | 2015 | - | |
Coalición Canaria (CC) | |
See also
In Spanish: El Paso (La Palma) para niños
