A series of volcanic islands west of Morocco, the Canary Islands (Spanish: Las Islas Canarias) are an autonomous community of Spain off the northwestern coast of Africa, the southernmost region of Spain, one of the eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality recognized as such by the Spanish Government and an outermost region of The European Union.
The island of Tenerife is the largest and most populated of the islands; the other main islands are Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. The territory has two capitals, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which also act as the capitals for the Spanish provinces of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Province of Las Palmas respectively, with Las Palmas also being the largest city of the territory.
The islands are a major tourist destination, with desert and subtropical environments, great beaches and important natural attractions like Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain and third tallest volcano in the world measured from its base on the ocean floor, and the Teide National park, with about 12 million people visiting the region per year. During the Spanish empire's time, the Canary Islands were also the main stopover for Spanish galleons on their way to The Americas, which came south to catch the prevailing northeasterly trade winds.
Unlike nearby islands of the Atlantic Ocean, like the Azores, Madeira, and Cape Verde, the Canary Islands had been inhabited by humans for thousands of years by the time Spain "discovered" them. The native population were a Berber people known as the Guanches, though unlike the mostly Muslim mainland Berbers, the Guanches had their own animist faith. After Spain began its conquest of the islands in the 1400s, most of them were killed off by the Spanish colonists, while the rest were assimilated. Some historians have even called the Spanish takeover of the Canaries a dress rehearsal for the European colonization of the Americas.
Aviation enthusiasts are familiar with the islands because of the infamous 1977 Tenerife airport disaster
, the deadliest aviation accident in history.brief explanation
Notable people from the Canary Islands:
- Actor Javier Bardem was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Media featuring the Canary Islands:
- One Million Years B.C.: The film's volcanic landscapes are those of the Teide National park on Tenerife, more specifically around Mount Teide.
- Mount Teide was also used for 2010's Clash of the Titans and its sequel Wrath of the Titans.
- Eternals's prologue was filmed in Tenerife.
- Doctor Who has filmed in the Canary Islands on several occasions:
- The Fifth Doctor serial "Planet of Fire" (1984) was partially set in Lanzarote, the fourth largest island. Lanzarote was also used to film scenes set on the alien planet of Sarn, owing to its otherworldly volcanic landscape.
- Lanzarote doubled for the surface of the Moon in the Twelfth Doctor episode "Kill the Moon" (2014).
- Tenerife was the filming location for scenes set on the surface of Skaro in Series 9's opening two-parter "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar".
- Fuerteventura was used for scenes set on the surface of Gallifrey for the Series 9 finale "Hell Bent".
The Canarian flag
