Map of Gran Canaria

Map of Gran Canaria

The Canary Islands are thought to be only around 30 mlllion years old. That may sound old but in geological terms is very young. The volcanoes that form the Islands appeared around the same sort of time as the Atlas Mountains were formed.

Tenerife’s Teide Volcano, is 3718m (12,195ft) high, the third tallest volcano in the world and Spain’s tallest peak. Where Tenerife now stands today, it is believed that there were 3 islands (what are now) the Anaga, Teno (now Santiago del Teide ) and Valle San Lorenzo mountain ranges.

In what is thought to have been a massive volcanic process, the old central volcano and the great mountain range (Cumbre Dorsal) melted together into what we know today as Tenerife. It is thought that the top of the volcano did not explode but collapsed into its own crater and is now one of the greatest collapsed craters of the world (Las Cañadas). At its longest distance, the crater is about 17Km long.

Gran Canaria’s surface is 1,560 km². Only 47km/29 miles wide, the highest point of this circular island is accredited to Pozo de Las Nieves in the centre, a peak standing at 1949 m/6431 ft above sea level. Its capital is “Las Palmas de Gran Canaria”, although generally referred to as simply “Las Palmas”.