Gran Canaria lies in a part of the Atlantic known as Macaronesia, which includes the archipelagos of Madeira, Salvajes, Azores and Cape Verde. The closest point on the African coast lies approximately 210 kilometres away, while Cadiz, the closest port on the European continent, lies 1,250 kilometres away. Within the archipelago, Gran Canaria lies between Fuerteventura and Tenerife, lying at a distance of 83 kilometres to the west of Fuerteventura and 62 kilometres to the east of Tenerife.
Being of volcanic origin, Gran Canaria´s 1,560 square kilometres of surface area and 236 kilometres of coastline encompass a great many of the varied landscapes that are found in the archipelago. It is this characteristic, as well as its diverse climatic conditions, which have earned the island its epithet of “miniature continent”. The most unique geographical characteristic of the island is its round shape. The only irregularity in the roundness of the island is a small peninsula in the North-East (known as La Isleta), which is approximately 12 square kilometres in extent and which is joined to the island by a sandy isthmus. The highest point of the island is the peak of Pozo de Las Nieves (1,949 metres above sea level), which is situated right in the centre of the island. The entire island is gouged by deep ravines that radiate from the highest point in the centre right down to the coast line, these ravines being host to a completely different landscape.
Gran Canaria islanders
Being accustomed to the continuous passage of people and cultures that has occurred as a result of the island´s strategic position between three continents, the people of Gran Canaria are known for their hospitality to visitors and their peaceful and kind natures. The island´s famed spring weather throughout the year and its natural resources provide the inhabitants of Gran Canaria with a very high quality of life.
Gran Canaria has the biggest population of the islands in the Canarian archipelago (741,161 inhabitants in the year 2000), while also boasting the most important city in terms of population size and economic activity, namely Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is also the most cosmopolitan of the islands (especially the capital, being home to almost half of the population), which is what lends so many special traits to the island, finding expression in its open nature and cultural diversity.
The population of Gran Canaria is young in comparison with that of the rest of the country and Europe, given the fact that the largest part of the population is between the ages of 15 and 45 years, the growth rate of the population being 3.71%, compared with the national average of 0.27%.
The educational profile of the population is characterized by being on a par with the educational level in any other European country.
A facet of the inhabitants that always intrigues the visitor is their manner of speech, which, despite the fact that it falls within the confines of perfectly understandable Spanish, has also been influenced by the linguistic diversity that was brought to the islands by the continuous passage of foreign visitors through the course of time. For many people, the speech of the people of Gran Canaria is reminiscent of the Latin American dialects, in the sense that both have a sweetness of intonation, while it is also replete with curious practices, such as the use of the affectionate diminutive (Antoñito instead of Antonio) and the substitution of the “c” and “z” by the “s”. In any event, the people of Gran Canaria are very accustomed to foreign languages and one can easily find local inhabitants who have taught themselves to speak and understand many foreign languages.
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