Canary Islands

Group of volcanic islands and autonomous Spanish community 100 km/60 mi off the northwest coast of Africa, comprising the provinces of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife; area 7,273 sq km/2,808 sq mi; population (1996 est) 1,606,500. Farming and fishing are important economic activities, and products, often for export, include bananas, citrus fruits, peaches, grapes, and tomatoes. Manufactures include textiles and embroidery, but tourism, especially winter tourism, is the major industry.

Features
The chief centres are Santa Cruz on Tenerife (which also has the highest Spanish peak, Pico de Teide; height 3,718 m/12,198 ft), and Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. The province of Santa Cruz comprises Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera, and Hierro; the province of Las Palmas comprises Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. There are also six uninhabited islets (Graciosa, Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Oeste, Roque del Este, and Lobos). The Northern Hemisphere Astronomical Observatory (1981) is on the island of La Palma and has some of the major telescopes of the world, including the 4 m/13 ft William Herschel telescope. Observation conditions are exceptionally good here because there is little moisture, no artificial-light pollution, and little natural airglow.

The aboriginal inhabitants of the Canary Islands were called Guanches, and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) supports the creation of an independent state, the Guanch Republic, and the revival of the Guanch language.