Geographic Framework

Abstract

The Canary Islands are an Atlantic oceanic archipelago off NW Africa located between 13°20′–18°10′W and 27°37′–29°25′N. It is formed by seven main inhabited islands: from E to W these are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife (Fig. 1.1), La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. To these are added the small islets and rocky components of the so-called “Chinijo” (=small) Archipelago, located in its Eastern sector to the North of Lanzarote; from biggest to smallest these are La Graciosa (with a stable population), Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste; the small islet of Lobos between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and a series of offshore rocks of small surface area. All the Canaries together have an area of about 7447 km². The tallest (3718 m; Mount Teide) and largest area island is Tenerife (2034 km²) and the smallest El Hierro, 268.7 km². The oldest but lowest islands are the easternmost, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote (Table 1.1; Fig. 1.2).