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Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago. Located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometers (~93 miles) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1350 km (~838 miles) from Europe.
The capital of the island, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is also the largest city and the capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.
History
Gran Canaria was populated by the Canarii (Guanches), who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Canarii called the island Tamarán or Land of the Brave. After over a century of European (French, Portuguese...) incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on April 29, 1483, after a campaign that lasted 5 years, by the Kingdom of Castile, with the support of Queen Isabella I, a conquest which turned out to be an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain.
The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded on June 24, 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas.
Nature
Gran Canaria’s natural resources have always been an endless source of bliss for the local population. The first of so many happy moments comes with the fine weather enjoyed here throughout the year, which makes life friendly and quiet. But this is certainly not all that nature has to offer on this island.
Gran Canaria is a miniature continent, a sampler of quite uncommon sceneries in the middle of an extremely diverse archipelago. This is why UNESCO awarded the island the Biosphere Reserve label, to actively support the conservation of the pieces that make up this puzzle of natural settings, a different and very peculiar micro-world. Nearly half the island’s geographical space has been included in this reserve, comprising six rural communities linked to traditional activities.
But what has nature in Gran Canaria done to deserve UNESCO’s recognition? In the first place, the island is a theme park focused on the peculiar and magical Macaronesian flora. An open park that treasures plants and flowers that grew apart from those of the rest of the world, under the distinct seal of the Macaronesian region. A natural world that has breathed its own air for centuries within the island’s changing topography.
This, the island’s relief and its special geomorphologic configuration, is where lies yet another of Gran Canaria’s distinct features. A vast depression caldera, the Tejeda Caldera, governs the centre of the island, draining rainwater that zigzags along ravines to reach the sea. In all, Gran Canaria may be viewed as a massif that rises from sea level up to 1,949 metres at the top of Mount Las Nieves.
The island’s altitude and sharp relief allow for a myriad of microclimates and habitats. The south-western region of Gran Canaria has preserved its natural environment throughout the centuries. Deep Canadian pine tree forests are found in that area, this tree being unique in the entire planet. Human activity has been respectful to nature, blending in with the island’s original environment, and thus yielding a special landscape mosaic now under care for the generations to come. It becomes hard to distinguish the elements that were introduced from those that have always been there.
Gran Canaria's essence as land of contrast is also evident in its coastline. From there up to 300 metres of altitude, the environment is arid to hyper-arid, filled with thistle and euphorbia. The bottom of ravines and valleys are home to palm trees, salt cedar, and willow groves.
The coastline, with wide immersed deltas, underwater volcanic gorges, tall cliffs, and interconnected sand banks… such natural blend affords a rich biodiversity, home to the loggerhead turtle, the bottlenose dolphin, and Risso’s dolphin. Every day they all meet for a new performance. One thousand climates and a million natural species all dancing together on an island that is a Biosphere Reserve.