Special Sub-Topic: The Canary Islands Click Here To Play: The Canary Islands

How many main islands are in the Canary archipelago?

7. All seven islands are inhabited to greater or lesser degrees. There are a number of smaller islands in the archipelago, notably Graciosa, but only seven contain the major populated areas.

The Canary Islands derive their name from the brightly coloured native birds.

F. The islands' name is likely derived from the Latin term Insula Canaria, meaning Island of the Dogs, a name applied originally only to the island of Gran Canaria. It is thought that the Romans gave the island this name due to the large number of native dogs they found when the islands were first visited.

Gran Canaria is the largest island in the archipelago in terms of land area.

f. The largest island is in fact Tenerife with an area of 2,034 square km. Gran Canaria is the second largest with an area of 1,560 square km. The smallest of the seven major islands is El Hierro with an area of 278 square km.

What is unique about Mt Teide on Tenerife?

It is the highest mountain in Spain.. At 3,717m Mt Teide (or Pico del Teide in Spanish) is indeed the highest point in Spain despite the fact that the islands lie off the coast off Africa. It is also the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean, standing some 7,800m from the seabed. Teide is a volcanic peak which, whilst currently dormant, is considered to be the 13th most dangerous volcano in the world by the United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation in view of its close proximity to major towns.

Which country forms the closest mainland point of the islands?

Morocco. The islands are only some 108 km off the coast of the north west African mainland. Morocco is the nearest sovereign territory but the border with the disputed territory of Western Sahara is just to the south.

There are thirteen of these in Spain and four in the Canary Islands. What am I referring to?

National Parks. This is quite significant given the relative surface areas of the Canaries and mainland Spain. With a wide range of habitats, the Canaries exhibit a wide and diverse range of flora and fauna including both European and African plant and animal species.

What do Tenerife and Scotland have in common?

Their national flags are identical.. Both have adopted St. Andrew as their patron saint. Consequently, the flag of both is a diagonal white cross on a blue background.

What is the link between the island of Gran Canaria and Christopher Columbus?

Columbus sailed and anchored in Las Palmas prior to leaving for the New World in 1492.. The Spanish conquest of the islands had begun in 1402 and Las Palmas was a well established city by the time of Columbus's voyage of discovery. The use of the islands as a stopping off point during the ensuing growth in the number voyages to America brought much wealth. Magnificent churches and palaces which can still be found on the island of La Palma are a testament to this wealth.

What is significant about the Cumbre Vieja volcanic land shelf on the island of La Palma?

It could potentially collapse into the sea and cause a mega tsunami.. The mega tsunami theory has been postulated by two scientists who noted that an earthquake in 1949 had caused the 2.5 km shelf to slip towards the Atlantic Ocean. They theorised that any future eruption of an underground magma chamber would cause a catastrophic slippage of the shelf. This in turn would push a 900m high wall of water around the islands which would then shoot out eastwards and inundate the eastern seaboard of North America. This theory however, is disputed by various other scientists.

Agriculture is the main industry in the Canaries.

f. Tourism accounts for 32% of the island's economy. Between them, the islands receive around 10m visitors per year. The range of climates and environments make the islands an interesting destination. Even individual islands can offer diverging climates with Gran Canaria in particular being described as a continent in miniature - lush in the north and warm and arid in the south.