Is the largest and
most populous island
of the seven Canary
Islands, it is also
the most populated
island of Spain,
with a land area of
2,034.38 km² (785.47
mi2) and 906,854
inhabitants, 43% of
the total population
of the Canary
Islands. About five
million tourists
visit Tenerife each
year, the most of
any Canary Islands.
Tenerife hosts one
of the world's
largest carnivals
and the Carnival of
Santa Cruz de
Tenerife is
attempting to become
a World Heritage
Site. Tenerife is
serviced by two
airports, Tenerife
North Airport and
Tenerife South
Airport, and is the
tourism and economic
centre of the
archipelago.
Santa Cruz de
Tenerife is the
capital of the
island and the seat
of the island
council (cabildo
insular).
|
 |
The city is capital
of the autonomous
community of Canary
Islands (shared with
Las Palmas), sharing
governmental
institutions such as
Presidency and
ministries.
Santa Cruz de
Tenerife is the
capital of the
island and the seat
of the island
council (cabildo
insular). The city
is capital of the
autonomous community
of Canary Islands
(shared with Las
Palmas), sharing
governmental
institutions such as
Presidency and
ministries. Between
the 1833 territorial
division of Spain
and 1927 Santa Cruz
de Tenerife was the
sole capital of the
Canary Islands,
until in 1927 a
decree ordered that
the capital of the
Canary Islands be
shared, as it
remains as at
present.
The island is home
to the University of
La Laguna, which was
founded in 1792 and
is the oldest
university in the
Canaries. San
Cristóbal de La
Laguna (World
Heritage Site) is
the second city of
the island and the
third one of the
archipelago. The
city of La Laguna
was also capital of
the Canary Islands
until Santa Cruz
replaced it in 1833.
Tenerife also has
the highest
elevation of Spain,
a World Heritage
Site that is the
third largest
volcano in the world
from its base, El
Teide. The island's
capital contains the
architectural symbol
of the Canary
Islands, the modern
Auditorio de
Tenerife.
The island is
located between 28º
and 29º N and the
16º and 17º
meridian. It is
situated north of
the Tropic of
Cancer, occupying a
central position
between the other
Canary Islands of
Gran Canaria, La
Gomera and La Palma.
The island is about
300 km (186 mi) from
the African coast,
and approximately
1,000 km (621 mi)
from the Iberian
Peninsula. Tenerife
is the largest
island of the Canary
Islands archipelago,
with a surface area
of 2,034.38 km2 (785
sq mi) and the
longest coastline
amounting to 342 km
(213 mi).
In addition, the
highest point, Mount
Teide, with an
elevation of 3,718 m
(12,198 ft) above
sea level is the
highest point in all
of Spain. It
comprises about 200
small barren islets
or large rocks
including Roques de
Anaga, Roque de
Garachico, and
Fasnia adding a
further 213,835 m2
(2,301,701 sq ft) to
the total area. |