23 Canary Islands Facts For Kids To Know About The Archipelago

The Canary Islands are located right off the coast of Morocco and are a culmination of the cuisines of North Africa, Spain, and Latin America.

The name of the islands supposedly comes from the Latin word 'Canaria' which means 'dog'. Some people assume that the name was given due to the many sea dogs or seals that used to live on the islands.

The Canary Islands are a haven for admirers of contemporary architecture, warm weather, and beautiful landscapes. While the people of the Canary Islands all speak Spanish, the accents used in the different islands vary greatly.

These islands are also characterized by their volcanic mountains. To get you started with the facts, did you know that Mount Teide, which is a part of the Canary Islands, is the tallest in Spain? Keep reading to know more facts!

Facts About Canary Islands

The Canary Islands consist of eight main islands that lie just off the coast of Morocco. Even though these islands are far away from the Spanish mainland, they are considered to be an autonomous community of Spain.

These islands have become the center of attention in recent years due to many reasons such as their beauty, the respect shown towards the landscapes, and the warmth of the people.

• The archipelago consists of volcanic islands. It is understood through thorough research that all the small and large islands that form the Canary Islands were formed due to volcanic activities centuries ago.
• The people of the Canary Islands make good use of their resources and also make sure to respect the volcanoes that created the islands in the first place.
• One of the ways in which the people respect the volcanoes is that they encapsulate how the heat of the volcanoes can be harnessed in the proper way.
• In a restaurant named El Diablo in the Timanfaya National Park, people can eat food that is grilled directly over a hole that is dug into a volcano.
• Canary islands are filled with tourist resorts, which is necessary since they receive around 12 million visitors on an annual basis.
• If you are thinking that 12 million is a large number, consider the fact that these islands have sunny, warm, and absolutely delightful weather throughout the year!
• The Canary Islands have two capitals, which may be odd to some of us.
• The two capitals are in two of the large islands, namely Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
• The capitals are Gran Canaria de La Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
• Volcanic eruptions formed the islands but there have been no such incidents since 1909.
• The last volcanic activity took place on Mount Teide, on November 18, 1909.
• Gran Canaria and Tenerife are two of the largest islands of the archipelago.
• The annual carnival held in the Canary Islands is a major tourist attraction and brings many people to the islands in the month of February.
• Canarian culture is an amalgamation of the traits left behind by the Spanish, Portuguese and Maltese people during colonial times.

Canary Island's History

The Canary Islands have a rich history in terms of colonization. The oldest possible information available to us regarding the islands states that the Guanches people inhabited the land before the Europeans made their way into the archipelago.

• The Canary Islands were created centuries ago due to alterations made on the ocean floor due to heavy volcanic activities.
• Until the 15th century, the Guanches people inhabited the Canary Islands.
• It was at this time that the Spanish started making their way into the islands.
• In the battles with Spain, many Guanches people died and the ones that remained on the island were forced to adapt to the ways of the Spanish.
• One of the rather interesting facts about the Canary Islands is that Christopher Columbus used these islands as one of his stop-over spots on his way to America.
• The islands were also colonized concurrently along with America.
• The European Union or EU now makes many contributions towards the making of the Canary Islands into a rather beautiful and equally advanced place in terms of transportation and communication.
• It was in the Canary Islands that the famous Admiral Nelson lost his arm.
• It was also rather surprising that such a famous and reputed fighter would not only lose his arm and 400 of his men but also lose the battle too!

Geographical Facts About Canary Islands

The Canary Islands come within the Spanish territories in spite of the fact that they are actually quite far away from mainland Spain.

• The Canary Islands consist of eight individual main islands.
• These islands are Tenerife, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, with the smallest being La Graciosa.
• Although all these islands are filled with tourist attractions, they have their own unique weather.
• The fact that the entire Canary Island archipelago was built due to volcanic activity means that they also have different landscapes and different qualities of soil.
• This has resulted in varied weather conditions even amongst the main islands.
• Whilst some may have a desert-like weather condition, still, some may be covered in rainforests.
• Another interesting geographic fact about the Canary Islands is that the larger and smaller islands of the archipelago are closer to Africa than to mainland Spain!

Canary Island's Tourism Facts

The Canary Islands are filled with places that will amuse and enrich you.

• The Canary Islands boast of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• These World Heritage Sites include San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Mount Teide, Teide National Park and Garajonay National Park.
• The San Telmo Park in La Palmas de Gran Canaria is also a great tourist attraction.