Province of Canary Islands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Canary Islands Province
Provincia de Canarias
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Map of Spain with Province of Canary Islands highlighted
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| Country | Spain | |
| Capital | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 7,447 km2 (2,875 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | Ranked | |
| Elevation
(Teide) |
3,718 m (12,198 ft) | |
| • Rank | Ranked | |
| Official language(s) | Spanish | |
| Parliament | Cortes Generales | |
The Province of Canary Islands (called Provincia de Canarias in Spanish) was an old province that included all the Canary Islands. Its main city, or capital, was Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Later, in 1927, this large province was split into two smaller ones. The western islands became the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The eastern islands formed the Province of Las Palmas.
Contents
History of the Canary Islands Province
How the Province Was Formed
On November 30, 1833, the Province of the Canary Islands was officially created. This was set up by the Cadiz Constitution of 1812. The capital city was chosen to be Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Rivalry Between Islands
However, this decision caused a big disagreement. The island of Gran Canaria was not happy that the capital was on Tenerife. For about 300 years before this, the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on Tenerife had been the main city.
The Law of Town Halls
To try and solve this problem, a new law was made in 1912. It was called Ley de Cabildos, which means "The Law of Town Halls." This law aimed to give more power to local governments on each island.
But this law didn't fully satisfy anyone. People from Gran Canaria still wanted the province to be divided. People from Tenerife wanted more self-rule for the whole region.
The Big Split of 1927
Finally, in 1927, a big change happened. During the time when General Primo de Rivera was in charge of Spain, the Province of the Canary Islands was split.
The eastern islands became the Province of Las Palmas. The western islands were named the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Since then, the Canary Islands have two capitals. Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria both share the role. This is still how it works today.
This was a unique event in Spain. It was the only time a province was divided after it was created. This division increased the total number of provinces in Spain from 49 to 50.
See also
In Spanish: Provincia de Canarias para niños
