120-563: Fuerteventura ( Spanish: [ˌfweɾteβenˈtuɾa] ) is one of the Canary Islands , in the Atlantic Ocean, geographically part of Macaronesia , and politically part of Spain . It is located 97 km (60 mi) away from the coast of North Africa . The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2009. Fuerteventura belongs to the Province of Las Palmas , one of
240-638: A World Heritage Site in Tenerife . Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain and the 3rd tallest volcano in the world , measured from its base on the ocean floor. The islands have warm summers and winters warm enough for the climate to be technically tropical at sea level. The amount of precipitation and the level of maritime moderation vary depending on location and elevation. The archipelago includes green areas as well as semi-desert. The islands' high mountains are ideal for astronomical observation, because they lie above
360-444: A biosphere reserve by UNESCO . Geologically it is one of the oldest of the archipelago. The insular capital is San Sebastian de La Gomera . Garajonay National Park is located on the island. Lanzarote is the easternmost island and one of the oldest of the archipelago, and it has shown evidence of recent volcanic activity. It has a surface of 845.94 km (326.62 sq mi), and a population of 149,183 inhabitants, including
480-666: A 2024 study by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, there is archaeological evidence that the Romans were the first to colonise the islands, during the period from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE. There was no overlap with the occupation by the people who were inhabiting the islands at the time of the Spanish conquest, who had first arrived sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE. As José Farrujia describes, 'The indigenous Canarians lived mainly in natural caves, usually near
600-533: A bull was issued that threatened excommunication for any dealers in Christian slave and ordered Jews to wear a "badge of infamy" to deter, in part, the buying of Christians. In June 1425 Martin anathematized those who sold Christian slaves to Muslims. Traffic in Christian slaves was not banned, purely the sale to non-Christian owners. The papal bull of excommunication issued to the Genoese merchants of Caffa related to
720-593: A centre linked with the National University of Distance Education , offering courses in many subjects including economics, business studies, law, history and tourism. Fuerteventura is governed by the Island Department of the Government of Spain, which holds the rank of a Government Subdepartment. The government building is located in the centre of the capital city. This institution is charged with representing
840-521: A fess or. Bordure gules, with eight saltires or. Ensigned with a royal crown , open." According to José Manuel Erbez (Banderas y escudos de Canarias, 2007), the coat of arms is based on the arms of the island's provincial militia. The upper quarters represent Castile (symbolized by a castle) and León (symbolized by a lion). The lower quarter alludes to the Saavedra family; various members of this family were lords of Fuerteventura. The elongated island
960-545: A geological point of view, Fuerteventura is the oldest island in the archipelago. The island's name is a compound formed by the Spanish words fuerte (either "strong" or "fort") and ventura ("fortune"). Traditionally, Fuerteventura's name has been regarded as a reference to the strong winds ( fuertes vientos in Spanish) around the island coastline, and the resulting danger to nautical adventurers. However, it might have referred instead (or also) to wealth, luck or destiny. In 1339
1080-566: A large degree of autonomy. In fact, the islands do not enjoy any special degree of autonomy, as each one of the Spanish regions is considered an autonomous community , with equal status to the European ones. Under the Law of the Sea , the only islands not granted territorial waters or an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) are those that are not fit for human habitation, or do not have an economic life of their own, which
1200-544: A low of around 15 °C (59 °F), whereas during the summer a mean high of 28 °C (82 °F) and a low of 20 °C (68 °F) can be expected. Precipitation is about 147 mm (6 in) per year, most of which falls in autumn and winter. December is the month with highest rainfall. A sandstorm known as the Calima (similar to the Sirocco wind, which blows to the North of
1320-512: A month of each other. Two separate bands of English privateers attempted to loot the town of Tuineje. These attacks were however successfully averted by the local population and the island's militia. This successful repelling of the invaders is celebrated at a re-enactment that takes place in Gran Tarajal every year in October. The island's garrison was officially instated in 1708. Its colonel assumed
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#17328442774731440-420: A population of 124,152 at the start of 2023. Throughout its long history, Fuerteventura has suffered from a population decline due to the economic situation and the climate, which have made it into a desert island. However, the development of tourism during the 1980s has caused the population to grow year on year since then, doubling it in a little less than a decade. In 2005, with 86,642 registered inhabitants,
1560-509: A prime target destination for undocumented immigrants. However, many have perished while attempting the crossing. The flag of Fuerteventura is in proportions 1:2, divided vertically, green to the hoist and white to the fly end , with the coat of arms of the island in the centre. The coat of arms of Fuerteventura was prescribed by a Decree adopted on 15 October 1998 by the Government of the Canary Islands and published on 11 November 1998 in
1680-415: A procession to the town hall, where under the leadership of Jan Žižka of Trocnov , a noble of southern Bohemia, the building was stormed and people found inside were thrown out of the windows on to the spears and swords of the processionists, and hacked to pieces. In Kuttenberg, hundreds of captured Hussites were thrown by the miners into the shafts of disused silver mines. King Wenceslaus swore death to all
1800-427: A site occupied from 1,600 years ago up until the 1960s, round stone houses, complex burial sites, and associated artefacts have been found. Across the islands are thousands of Libyco-Berber alphabet inscriptions scattered and they have been extensively documented by many linguists. The social structure of indigenous Canarians encompassed "a system of matrilineal descent in most of the islands, in which inheritance
1920-702: A town in what was then the Duchy of Brabant, and what is modern day Belgium . Martin V died in Rome of a stroke on 20 February 1431 at the age of 62. He is buried at St. John Lateran Basilica . The excitement of the Church during the Hussite movement rendered the Jews apprehensive, and through Emperor Sigismund , they obtained from Pope Martin V various bulls (1418 and 1422) in which their former privileges were confirmed and in which he exhorted
2040-442: A volcanic ridge on La Palma, in 2021 . The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain, and the third tallest volcano on Earth on a volcanic ocean island. All the islands except La Gomera have been active in the last million years. Four of them, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma and El Hierro, have historical records of eruptions since European discovery. The islands rise from Jurassic oceanic crust associated with
2160-494: Is La Graciosa , which administratively is dependent on Lanzarote. The archipelago includes many smaller islands and islets, including Alegranza , Isla de Lobos , Montaña Clara , Roque del Oeste , and Roque del Este . It includes a number of rocks, including Garachico and Anaga . In ancient times, the island chain was often referred to as "the Fortunate Isles". The Canary Islands are the southernmost region of Spain , and
2280-505: Is 1,560 km (600 sq mi). Roque Nublo 1,813 metres (5,948 feet) and Pico de las Nieves ("Peak of Snow") 1,949 metres (6,394 feet) are located in the center of the island. On the south of the island are the Maspalomas Dunes (Gran Canaria). La Gomera (informally known as 'Isla Colombina') has an area of 369.76 km (142.77 sq mi) and is the second least populous island with 21,136 inhabitants. It has been declared
2400-768: Is 100 km (62 mi) long and 31 km (19 mi) wide. It has an area of 1,660 km (641 sq mi). Located just 100 km (62 mi) off the coast of North Africa, it is the second biggest of the islands, after Tenerife, and has the longest white sand beaches in the archipelago. The island is a destination for sun, beach and watersports enthusiasts. It lies at the same latitude as Florida and Mexico and temperatures rarely fall below 18 °C (64 °F) or rise above 32 °C (90 °F). It counts 152 separate beaches along its seaboard — 50 km (31 mi) of white sand and 25 km (16 mi) of black volcanic shingle. The highest point in Fuerteventura
2520-454: Is Pico de la Zarza (807 m) in the southwestern part of the island. Geographical features include Istmo de la Pared which is 5 km (3 mi) wide and is the narrowest part of Fuerteventura. The island is divided into two parts, the northern portion which is Maxorata and the southwestern part called the Jandía peninsula. Fuerteventura has a hot desert climate ( Köppen : BWh ). The climate
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#17328442774732640-460: Is divided into six municipalities , as follows: In turn, these municipalities are organised into two associations: the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Centro-Norte de Fuerteventura formed from La Oliva and Puerto del Rosario, and the remaining municipalities make up the Mancomunidad de Municipios del Centro-Sur de Fuerteventura . All municipalities are ruled by a town council, and are members of
2760-403: Is home to one of the two surviving populations of the threatened Canarian Egyptian vulture . It is also inhabited by many wild dogs and cats. On the barren, rocky land there are Barbary ground squirrels and geckos . Fuerteventura also hosts several migratory and nesting birds. The island has significant populations of the collared dove , common swifts and several finch species especially in
2880-457: Is mild, but mostly windy, throughout the year. The island is hence referred to as the island of eternal spring . The sea regulates air temperature, diverting hot Sahara winds away from the island. The island's name in English translates as "strong fortune" or "strong wind", the Spanish word for wind being viento . During the winter months, temperatures average a high of 22 °C (72 °F) and
3000-490: Is mostly concentrated in the two capital islands: around 43% on the island of Tenerife and 40% on the island of Gran Canaria. The Canary Islands, especially Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote, are a major tourist destination, with over 16 million visitors in 2023. This is due to their beaches, subtropical climate , and important natural attractions, especially Maspalomas in Gran Canaria and Mount Teide ,
3120-634: Is not the case of the Canary Islands. There are some pro-independence political parties, like the National Congress of the Canaries (CNC) and the Popular Front of the Canary Islands . Their popular support is almost insignificant, with no presence in either the autonomous parliament or the cabildos insulares . In a 2012 study by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas , when asked about national identity,
3240-464: Is now western Morocco in the early first century AD . That same naval force was subsequently sent on an exploration of the Canary Islands, using Mogador as their mission base. The names given by Romans to the individual islands were Ninguaria or Nivaria (Tenerife), Canaria (Gran Canaria), Pluvialia or Invale (Lanzarote), Ombrion (La Palma), Planasia (Fuerteventura), Iunonia or Junonia (El Hierro) and Capraria (La Gomera). From
3360-406: Is relatively abundant, and dragonfly species including the blue emperor ( Anax imperator ) and the scarlet darter ( Crocothemis erythraea ) can be found. The island's sand dunes and shoreline are home to a number of bee and wasp species including the large eumenid caterpillar hunting wasp, Delta dimidiatipenne and the blue banded bee ( Amegilla canifrons ). Hawkmoths also occur on
3480-566: Is retained in their depiction on the islands' coat-of-arms. Other theories speculate that the name comes from the Nukkari Berber tribe living in the Moroccan Atlas, named in Roman sources as Canarii , though Pliny again mentions the relation of this term with dogs. The name of the islands is not derived from the canary bird ; rather, the birds are named after the islands. From west to east,
3600-467: Is the highest peak of Spain and a World Heritage Site . Tenerife is the site of the worst air disaster in the history of aviation, in which 583 people were killed in the collision of two Boeing 747s on 27 March 1977. Graciosa Island or commonly La Graciosa is a volcanic island in the Canary Islands of Spain, located 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the island of Lanzarote across the Strait of El Río. It
3720-508: Is the oldest of the islands being more eroded. Its highest point is the Peak of the Bramble, at a height of 807 metres (2,648 feet). Its capital is Puerto del Rosario . Gran Canaria has 846,717 inhabitants. The capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , with 377,203 inhabitants, is the most populous city and shares the status of capital of the Canaries with Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Gran Canaria's surface area
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3840-685: Is the second largest in the archipelago and located 100 km (62 mi) from the African coast. The islands form the Macaronesia ecoregion with the Azores , Cape Verde , Madeira , and the Savage Isles . The Canary Islands is the largest and most populated archipelago of the Macaronesia region. The archipelago has seven large and several smaller islands, all of which are volcanic in origin. According to
3960-457: The Assistant Parish of Tuineje was created, which became a new parish division on 23 June 1792 under the bishop Tavira, with lands including part of the Jandía peninsular, and with a population of 1,670 inhabitants. 1780 saw the start of a barrilla plantation industry. In 1852, a free trade zone was extended by Isabella II to the Canary Islands. Military island rule, which began in 1708,
4080-635: The Betancuria Brief, edicted the establishment of the Bishopric of Fuerteventura , which encompassed all the Canary Islands save for the island of Lanzarote . The origin of this bishopric is directly related to the events that occurred after the Great Schism (1378–1417), in that the bishop of San Marcial del Rubicón of Lanzarote (at the time, the only diocese in the Canary Islands) did not recognize
4200-550: The Canary hotspot . The Canary Islands is the only place in Spain where volcanic eruptions have been recorded during the Modern Era , with some volcanoes still active (El Hierro, 2011). Volcanic islands such as those in the Canary chain often have steep ocean cliffs caused by catastrophic debris avalanches and landslides . The island chain's most recent eruption occurred at Cumbre Vieja ,
4320-554: The Civil Guard are based in the territory. Before the arrival of humans, the Canaries were inhabited by prehistoric animals including the giant lizard ( Gallotia goliath ), the Tenerife and Gran Canaria giant rats , and giant tortoises, Geochelone burchardi and Geochelone vulcanica . Although the original settlement of what are now called the Canary Islands is not entirely clear, linguistic, genetic, and archaeological analyses indicate that indigenous peoples were living on
4440-681: The Marche was held by local "vicars", who were in fact petty hereditary lords. In particular, Martin confirmed Giorgio Ordelaffi in Forlì , Ludovico Alidosi in Imola , Malatesta IV Malatesta in Rimini , and Guidantonio da Montefeltro in Spoleto , who would later marry the pope's niece Caterina Colonna. In exchange for the recognition of Joan II of Naples , Martin obtained the restitution of Benevento , several fiefs in
4560-663: The Phoenicians , the Greeks , and the Carthaginians . King Juba II , Caesar Augustus 's Numidian protégé, is credited with discovering the islands for the Western world. According to Pliny the Elder , Juba found the islands uninhabited, but found "a small temple of stone" and "some traces of buildings". Juba dispatched a naval contingent to re-open the dye production facility at Mogador in what
4680-606: The Roques de Anaga , Garachico and Fasnia in Tenerife, and Salmor and Bonanza in El Hierro. El Hierro, the westernmost island, covers 268.71 km (103.75 sq mi). It is the second smallest of the major islands, and the least populous with 10,798 inhabitants. The whole island was declared a Reserve of the Biosphere in 2000. Its capital is Valverde . Also known as Ferro, it was once
4800-534: The Spanish Senate . Of these, 11 seats are directly elected, 3 for Gran Canaria, 3 for Tenerife, and 1 each for Lanzarote (including La Graciosa), Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The other 3 are appointed by the regional legislature. The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands has two provinces ( provincias ), Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife , whose capitals, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife , are capitals of
4920-603: The University of Pavia . He became apostolic protonotary under Pope Urban VI (1378–1389), and was created Cardinal-Deacon of San Giorgio in Velabro by Pope Innocent VII in 1405. In 1409 he took part in the Council of Pisa , and was one of the supporters of Antipope Alexander V . Later he confirmed his allegiance to Alexander's successor, John XXIII , by whom his family obtained several privileges, while Oddone obtained for himself
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5040-475: The dragon tree , Dracaena draco are endemic, as noted by Sabin Berthelot and Philip Barker Webb in their work, L'Histoire Naturelle des Îles Canaries (1835–50). The climate is warm subtropical / tropical and generally arid , moderated by the sea and in summer by the trade winds . There are a number of microclimates and the classifications range mainly from semi-desert to desert . The majority of
5160-496: The temperature inversion layer. As a result, the archipelago has two professional astronomical observatories: the Teide Observatory on Tenerife, and Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma. In 1927, the Province of Canary Islands was split into two provinces. In 1982, the autonomous community of the Canary Islands was established. The cities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are, jointly,
5280-712: The 14th century onward, numerous visits were made by sailors from Majorca , Portugal , and Genoa . Lancelotto Malocello settled on Lanzarote in 1312. The Majorcans established a mission with a bishop in the islands that lasted from 1350 to 1400. In 1402, the Castilian colonisation of the islands began with the expedition of the French explorers Jean de Béthencourt and Gadifer de la Salle , nobles and vassals of Henry III of Castile , to Lanzarote. From there, they went on to conquer Fuerteventura (1405) and El Hierro. These invasions were "brutal cultural and military clashes between
5400-400: The African coast, the influence of the current diminishes, and the islands become increasingly arid. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote , the islands which are closest to the African mainland, are effectively desert or semi-desert. Gran Canaria is known as a "continent in miniature" for its diverse landscapes like Maspalomas and Roque Nublo . The north of Tenerife lies under the influence of
5520-694: The Autonomous Community, and on the other, they are the local government centre for the island. In the 2003 elections, Mario Cabrera González was elected as president representing the Canarian Coalition , with 31.02% of the votes, followed by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party with 27.53%, represented by the Vice President Domingo Fuentes Curbelo. Fuerteventura is part of the Province of Las Palmas . The island
5640-703: The Canaries , are a Spanish region, autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean . At their closest point to the African mainland, they are 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Morocco . They are the southernmost of the autonomous communities of Spain . The islands have a population of 2.2 million people and are the most populous special territory of the European Union . The seven main islands are from largest to smallest in area, Tenerife , Fuerteventura , Gran Canaria , Lanzarote , La Palma , La Gomera , and El Hierro . The only other populated island
5760-474: The Canary Island's territorial waters as being Moroccan coast and Morocco has authorised gas and oil exploration in what the Canary Islands states to be Canarian territorial waters and Western Sahara waters. Morocco's official position is that international laws regarding territorial limits do not authorise Spain to claim seabed boundaries based on the territory of the Canaries, since the Canary Islands enjoy
5880-520: The Canary Islands are El Hierro , La Palma , La Gomera , Tenerife , Gran Canaria , Fuerteventura , Lanzarote , and La Graciosa . North of Lanzarote are the islets of Montaña Clara , Alegranza , Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste , belonging to the Chinijo Archipelago . Northeast of Fuerteventura is the islet of Lobos . There are a series of small adjacent rocks in the Canary Islands:
6000-551: The Canary Islands at least 2,000 years ago, possibly 3,000, and that they shared a common origin with the Berbers on the nearby North African coast. Reaching the islands may have taken place using several small boats, landing on the easternmost islands Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. These groups came to be known collectively as the Guanches , although Guanches had been the name for only the indigenous inhabitants of Tenerife. According to
6120-516: The Canary Islands have a hot desert climate ( BWh ) and a hot semi-desert climate ( BSh ) within the Köppen system, caused partly due to the cool Canary Current . A subtropical humid climate, which is very influenced by the ocean, is in the middle of the islands of La Gomera , Tenerife and La Palma , where laurisilva cloud forests grow. The seven major islands, one minor island, and several small islets were originally volcanic islands, formed by
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#17328442774736240-699: The Canary Islands: Martin V Pope Martin V ( Latin : Martinus V ; Italian : Martino V ; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone ) Colonna , was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism of 1378–1417. He is the last pope to date to take on
6360-460: The Council of Constance was long divided by the conflicting claims of Pope Gregory XII (1406–15) and Antipope Benedict XIII (1394–1423). Martin was elected pope, at the age of 48, at the Council of Constance on St. Martin's Day , 11 November 1417. Participants in the conclave included 23 cardinals and 30 delegates of the council. He was ordained a priest on 13 November 1417, and consecrated bishop
6480-487: The Council of Constance. Adherents of Jan Hus , who had been previously burned at the stake as a heretic by the council, adopted the practice of Communion under both kinds . The Council sent letters to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities in Bohemia, insisting they deal with the heresy. Bohemian and Moravian nobles responded that the sentence on Hus was unjust and insulting to their country, and promised to protect priests against episcopal prosecutions for heresy. Prague
6600-662: The FECAM (Federation of Canarian Municipalities). They are governed by the basic legislation of the local regime and their respective organic rules. About 100 individual settlements are distributed through these municipalities. The largest not being municipal seats are Corralejo (in La Oliva; pop. 10,714 in 2023), Morro Jable (in Pájara; pop. 8,245) Gran Tarajal (in Tuineje; pop. 7,584), and Costa Calma (in Pájara; pop. 5,704), all coastal localities of recent development. Canary Islands The Canary Islands ( / k ə ˈ n ɛər i / , Spanish : Canarias , Spanish: [kaˈnaɾjas] ), also known informally as
6720-551: The Fuerteventura population was formed by the following: Comparing this data with the 2001 census shows that the number of permanent residents born on the island has increased by just 3,000. The number who have moved in from abroad has increased by 22,910, making this the biggest contributor to population growth in recent years. The island has 116 schools, with a total of 14,337 pupils. Of these, 45 are primary schools, ten are secondary schools, six are for Baccalaureate students and four are vocational colleges. Fuerteventura also has
6840-417: The Government of Spain on the island, and managing all the functions that are not under control of the Canarian Government. This includes the following public services: Since 30 June 2007, the island's governor has been Eustaquio Juan Santana Gil. 4 The councils, formed as part of the Councils Act of 1912, administer the Canary Islands and have two principal functions. On one hand, they perform services for
6960-456: The Kingdom of Naples for his relatives and, most important of all, an agreement that Muzio Attendolo, then hired by the Neapolitans, should leave Rome. After a long stay in Florence while these matters were arranged, Martin was able to enter Rome in September 1420. He at once set to work establishing order and restoring the dilapidated churches, palaces, bridges, and other public structures. For this reconstruction he engaged some famous masters of
7080-427: The Lateran to Santa Maria Maggiore and, from 1424, the Basilica of Santi Apostoli near the Palazzo Colonna . He also frequently sojourned in towns held by his family in the Latium ( Tivoli , Vicovaro , Marino , Gallicano and others). When the second Pope to take the name Martin was elected in 1281, there was confusion over how many Popes had taken the name before. It was believed then that there were three, so
7200-432: The Mallorcan navigator Angelino Dulcert , in the Planisferio de Angelino Dulcert , referred to the island as "Forte Ventura". Another theory is that the island's name derives from "Fortunatae Insulae" (Fortunate Islands), the name by which the Romans knew the Canary Islands. The indigenous name of the island, before its conquest in the 15th century, was Erbania, divided into two regions (Jandía and Maxorata), from which
7320-545: The Sahara, to Europe) may blow from the Sahara Desert to the Northwest, and can cause high temperatures, low visibility and drying air. Temperatures during this phenomenon rise temporarily by approximately 10 degrees Celsius. The wind brings in fine red dust, The fine white sand is not blown in from Sahara, It is made up of dead coral reef and local seabed upheaval. Visibility can drop to between 100 and 200 m (328.08 and 656.17 ft ) or even lower, and together with very warm temperatures, it can even bring African locusts to
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#17328442774737440-453: The Teide National Park was declared one of the 12 Treasures of Spain . The regional executive body, the Parliament of the Canary Islands , is presided over by Fernando Clavijo Batlle ( Canarian Coalition ), the current President of the Canary Islands . The members of the regional legislature, the Parliament of the Canary Islands , has 70 elected legislators. The last regional election took place in May 2023. The islands have 14 seats in
7560-405: The Tuscan school and helped instigate the Roman Renaissance. Faced with competing plans for general reform offered by various nations, Martin V submitted a counter-scheme and entered into negotiations for separate concordats , for the most part vague and illusory, with the Holy Roman Empire , England , France and Spain . By 1415 Bohemia was in turmoil and the subject of much discussion at
7680-417: The West coast, the first settlement on the island. After numerous difficulties, Gadifer took charge of the invasion, while Bethencourt returned to Spain to seek the recognition and support of the Castilian king . In 1405, de Béthencourt completed his conquest of the island, establishing its capital in Betancuria (Puerto Rosario took over the mantle as island capital in 1835). In 1424 Pope Martin V , through
7800-400: The adjacent islets of the Chinijo Archipelago. The capital is Arrecife , with 56,834 inhabitants. The Chinijo Archipelago includes the islands La Graciosa , Alegranza , Montaña Clara , Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste . It has a surface of 40.8 km (15.8 sq mi), and only La Graciosa is populated, with 658 inhabitants. With 29 km (11 sq mi), La Graciosa is
7920-447: The ancient word 'mahos', a type of goatskin shoe worn by these original inhabitants. They lived in caves and semi-subterranean dwellings, some of which have been excavated, revealing remnants of early tools and pottery. In antiquity, the island was originally known as Planaria , in reference to the flatness of most of its terrain. Phoenician settlers landed in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote . Several Spanish and Portuguese expeditions to
8040-411: The autonomous community. Each of the seven major islands are ruled by an island council named a Cabildo Insular . Each island is subdivided into smaller municipalities ( municipios ). Las Palmas is divided into 34 municipalities , and Santa Cruz de Tenerife is divided into 54 municipalities . The international boundary of the Canaries is disputed in Morocco-Spain relations . In 2022 the UN declared
8160-424: The bird Serinus canaria (canary) and the Phoenix canariensis palm. Four of Spain's thirteen national parks are located in the Canary Islands, more than any other autonomous community. Two of these have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the other two are part of Biosphere Reserves . The parks are: Teide National Park is the oldest and largest national park in the Canary Islands and one of
8280-422: The buying and selling of Christians, but has been considered ineffectual as prior injunctions against the Viennese, including the Laws of Gazaria, made allowances for the sale of both Christian and Muslim slaves. Ten black African slaves were presented to Martin by Prince Henry of Portugal . According to Koschorke, Martin supported colonial expansion. Davidson (1961) argues that Martin's injunction against slavery
8400-458: The capital. Various castles were built along the coastline, to protect against these type of attacks. The population was moved inland as a second protective measure. Because of the raids, a first Captain General was dispatched to Fuerteventura, accompanied by a number of Sergeants Major , to defend the island in the name of the Crown. At that time, Betancuria became the religious capital of the island. Two major attacks took place in 1740, within
8520-406: The capitals of the islands. Those cities are also, respectively, the capitals of the provinces of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas . Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has been the largest city in the Canaries since 1768, except for a brief period in the 1910s. Between the 1833 territorial division of Spain and 1927, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands. In 1927, it
8640-412: The coast, 300 to 500 metres (1,000 to 1,600 ft) above sea level. These caves were sometimes isolated but more commonly formed settlements, with burial caves nearby'. Archaeological work has uncovered a rich culture visible through artefacts of ceramics , human figures, fishing, hunting and farming tools, plant fibre clothing and vessels, as well as cave paintings. At Lomo de los Gatos on Gran Canaria,
8760-496: The enslavement of Christians. However, voyages and discoveries brought other continents, where slavery still existed, into European consciousness, raising the question of whether slavery of unbelievers and outside of Europe was permitted. According to Burton, Martin authorized a crusade against Africa in 1418, and this, coupled with a later bull of Pope Eugene IV (1441), sanctioned the Portuguese trade in African slaves. In March 1425
8880-564: The friars to use moderate language. In the last years of his pontificate, however, he repealed several of his ordinances. A gathering, convoked by the Jews in Forlì , sent a deputation asking Pope Martin V to abolish the oppressive laws promulgated by Antipope Benedict XIII . The deputation succeeded in its mission. During the Middle Ages, slavery had fallen out of usage in Europe. The Church denounced
9000-494: The indigenous population and the Castilians" lasting over a century due to formidable resistance by indigenous Canarians. Professor Mohamed Adhikari has defined the conquest of the islands as a genocide of the Guanches . Béthencourt received the title King of the Canary Islands, but still recognised King Henry III as his overlord. It was not a simple military enterprise, given the aboriginal resistance on some islands. Neither
9120-448: The island erupted . It is the second-highest island of the Canaries, with the Roque de los Muchachos at 2,423 metres (7,949 feet) as its highest point. Santa Cruz de La Palma , known to those on the island as simply "Santa Cruz", is its capital. Tenerife is, with its area of 2,034 km (785 sq mi), the most extensive island of the Canary Islands. With 904,713 inhabitants, it is
9240-536: The island in 2018. By the 1940s the island had an airport (just west of Puerto del Rosario on the road to Tindaya, still visible today). Mass tourism began to arrive in the mid-1960s, facilitated by the construction of Fuerteventura Airport at El Matorral and the first tourist hotels. The island's proximity (a mere 100 km) to the West African coast and the fact that it is part of the Schengen territory make it
9360-424: The island of Lanzarote. It is the smallest and least populated of the main islands, with about 700 people. Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the archipelago. Gran Canaria , with 865,070 inhabitants, is both the Canary Islands' second most populous island, and the third most populous one in Spain after Tenerife (966,354 inhabitants) and Majorca (896,038 inhabitants). The island of Fuerteventura
9480-511: The island, Erbania, is derived from this wall's name. The island's conquest began in earnest in 1402, commanded by French knights and crusaders Jean de Béthencourt and Gadifer de la Salle . They arrived with only 63 sailors out of the original 283, as many had deserted along the way. After arriving and settling in Lanzarote , the invaders made some first excursions to the neighboring islands. In 1404, Bethencourt and Gadifer founded Betancuria , on
9600-416: The island. In the winter months, up to 80% of the rainwater flows unused into the ocean, as there is no vegetation to capture the water (also due to overgrazing by free-ranging goats near the coast). The mountain forests, which were still present in the 19th century, were all chopped down. Instead, there are many desalination plants (running on electricity) which produce the required amount of freshwater on
9720-616: The island. One of the more notable species is Hyles tithymali which feeds on endemic spurges such as Euphorbia regis-jubae . Acherontia atropos , the deaths-head hawkmoth also occurs on the island presumably feeding on members of the Solanaceae , for example, Datura innoxia and Nicotiana glauca which are common weeds in the vicinity of human habitation. The official natural symbols associated with Fuerteventura are Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae (hubara or houbara) and Euphorbia handiensis (Cardón de Jandía). The island had
9840-468: The island. The tourists on the island use about double the amount of water as the native inhabitants of Fuerteventura. Causes are the filling of swimming pools, watering hotel gardens and washing towels. Fuerteventura is the oldest island in the Canary Islands dating back 20 million years to a volcanic eruption from the Canary hotspot . The majority of the island was created about 5 million years ago and since then has been eroded by wind and precipitation. On
9960-665: The islands were organized around 1340, followed by Moors and European slave traders. At the end of the Iberian conquest, the island was divided into two Guanches kingdoms, one adhering to King Guize and the other to King Ayoze. The territories of these kingdoms were called Maxorata (in the North) and Jandía (in the South) respectively. They were separated by a wall, which traversed the La Pared isthmus. Some remains have been preserved. The ancient name for
10080-424: The largest and most populous archipelago of Macaronesia . Because of their location, the Canary Islands have historically been considered a link between the four continents of Africa , North America , South America , and Europe . In 2023, the Canary Islands had a population of 2,236,013, with a density of 299 inhabitants per km , making it the seventh most populous autonomous community of Spain. The population
10200-470: The largest island of the Chinijo Archipelago and the smallest inhabited island of the Canaries. La Palma, with 81,863 inhabitants covering an area of 708.32 km (273.48 sq mi), is in its entirety a biosphere reserve. For long it showed no signs of volcanic activity, even though the volcano Teneguía entered into eruption last in 1971. On 19 September 2021, the volcanic Cumbre Vieja on
10320-536: The majority of respondents from the Canary Islands (53.8%) considered themselves Spanish and Canarian in equal measures, followed by 24% who consider themselves more Canarian than Spanish. 6.1% of the respondents considered themselves only Canarian, and 7% considered themselves only Spanish. The defense of the territory is the responsibility of the Spanish Armed Forces . Components of the Army , Navy , Air Force and
10440-417: The moist Atlantic winds and is well vegetated. The south of the island around the tourist resorts of Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos is arid. The island rises to almost 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level. At altitude, in the cool relatively wet climate, forests of the endemic pine Pinus canariensis thrive. Many of the plant species in the Canary Islands, like the Canary Island pine and
10560-399: The most populated island of the archipelago and Spain. Two of the islands' principal cities are located on it: the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna , a World Heritage Site. San Cristóbal de La Laguna , the second city of the island, is home to the oldest university in the Canary Islands, the University of La Laguna . Teide , with its 3,715 metres (12,188 feet)
10680-414: The name majorero (originally majo or maxo) derives. However, it has been suggested that, at some point, Maxorata (which meant "the children of the country") was the aboriginal toponym of the entire island. The first settlers of Fuerteventura are believed to have come from North Africa. The word Mahorero ( Majorero ) or Maho is still used today to describe the people of Fuerteventura and is derived from
10800-456: The next day. Martin left Constance at the close of the council (May 1418), but travelled slowly through Italy and lingered at Florence . His authority in Rome was represented by his brother Giordano, who had fought under Muzio Attendolo against the condottiero Braccio da Montone . The Pope at the time ruled only Rome (when not rebellious) and its environs: Braccio held Umbria , Bologna as an independent commune, while much of Romagna and
10920-621: The official gazette of the Canary Islands, No. 142, pp. 13,432–13,433. It was adopted on 24 April 1998 by the Island Council and validated on 18 September 1998 by the Heraldry Commission of the Canary Islands. The heraldic description is " per pale and per fess . First, gules , a castle or, masoned sable , its gate and windows azure . Second, argent , lion gules, crowned, armed and langued or. Third, silver, three fesses chequy gules and or, in four rows, each one charged with
11040-462: The oldest in Spain. Located in the geographic centre of the island of Tenerife, it is the most visited national park in Spain. In 2010, it became the most visited national park in Europe and second worldwide. The park's highlight is the Teide volcano. Standing at an altitude of 3,715 metres (12,188 ft), it is the highest elevation in Spain and the third largest volcano on Earth from its base. In 2007,
11160-628: The opening of the Atlantic. Underwater magmatism began during the Cretaceous, and continued to the present day. The current islands reached the ocean's surface during the Miocene . The islands were once considered as a distinct physiographic section of the Atlas Mountains province, which is part of the larger African Alpine System division, but are now recognized as being related to a magmatic hot spot. In
11280-431: The option of the seller, were lawful. When the lawfulness of annuities was established, they were widely used in commerce; it seems that city states used them to raise compulsory loans from their citizens. A decree of the Council of Constance ( Frequens ) ordered that councils should be held every five years. Martin V summoned a council in 1423 that met first at Pavia and later at Siena (the " Council of Siena "). It
11400-549: The papacy of Martin V, and instead adhered to anti-Pope Benedict XIII . The Bishopric of Fuerteventura was based in the Parish of Santa María de Betancuria , bestowing upon the latter the status of Grant Cathedral. After the reabsorbtion of the Diocese of San Marcial del Rubicón by the papacy of Pope Martin V, the Bishopric of Fuerteventura was abolished in 1431, only seven years after it
11520-403: The pontifical name "Martin". Oddone Colonna was born at Genazzano , the son of Agapito Colonna and Caterina Conti, between 26 January and 20 February 1369. He belonged to one of the oldest and most distinguished families of Rome . His brother Giordano became Prince of Salerno and Duke of Venosa , while his sister Paola was Lady of Piombino between 1441 and 1445. Oddone studied law at
11640-591: The pope commanded that the remains of Wycliffe , who was posthumously declared a heretic in 1415, be dug up and burned. The crusades against the Lollards, however, were ultimately unsuccessful. According to Burton, Pope Martin authorized a crusade against Africa in 1418 in relation to the slave trade . In addition to the Hussite Crusades, Martin declared a Crusade against the Ottoman Empire in 1420 in response to
11760-550: The position of the islands with respect to the north-east trade winds , the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Several native species form laurisilva forests. The individual islands in the Canary archipelago tend to have distinct microclimates . Those islands such as El Hierro , La Palma and La Gomera lying to the west of the archipelago have a climate which is influenced by the moist Canary Current . They are well vegetated even at low levels and have extensive tracts of sub-tropical laurisilva forest. Travelling east toward
11880-580: The prevailing northeasterly trade winds . The name Islas Canarias is likely derived from the Latin name Canariae Insulae , meaning "Islands of the Dogs", perhaps because monk seals or sea dogs were abundant, a name that was evidently generalized from the ancient name of one of these islands, Canaria – presumably Gran Canaria. According to the historian Pliny the Elder , the island Canaria contained "vast multitudes of dogs of very large size". The connection to dogs
12000-546: The rebels, but died of a stroke in August, 1419. The next months were marked by deeds of violence; many citizens, especially Germans, had to flee. Wenceslaus was succeeded by his brother Sigismund, King of the Romans and King of Hungary , who prepared to restore order. On 1 March 1420, Pope Martin V issued a Bull inviting all Christians to unite in a crusade against the Wycliffites ( Lollards ), Hussites, and other heretics. In 1428,
12120-616: The rising pressure from the Ottoman Turks. In 1419–1420 Martin had diplomatic contacts with the Byzantine emperor Manuel II , who was invoking a council in Constantinople. On 12 July 1420 the Pope conceded to attach an indulgence to anyone who would contribute to a crusade against the latter, which would be led by Sigismund , King of the Romans. The main concern of Martin's pontificate from 1423
12240-446: The seabed off the west coast of the island rests an enormous slab of bedrock 22 km (14 mi) long and 11 km (7 mi) wide, which appears to have slid off the island largely intact at some point in prehistory, similar to the predicted future collapse of Cumbre Vieja , a geological fault on another Canary Island, La Palma . The last volcanic activity in Fuerteventura occurred between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. Fuerteventura
12360-463: The summer of 2011, a series of low-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath El Hierro. These had a linear trend of northeast–southwest. In October a submarine eruption occurred about 2 km ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 mi) south of Restinga. This eruption produced gases and pumice, but no explosive activity was reported. The following table shows the highest mountains in each of the islands: The official natural symbols associated with Canary Islands are
12480-522: The title of Governor at Arms , a hereditary, lifelong appointment which has remained in the Sánchez-Dumpiérrez family. In time, this family increasingly garnered power over the other islands through alliances with the family of Arias de Saavedra and the Lady of Fuerteventura. During the same year the Assistant Parish of La Oliva and Pájara was created, to become operational in 1711. On 17 December 1790,
12600-495: The two provinces that form the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. The island's capital is Puerto del Rosario , where the Insule Council is found, the government of the island. Fuerteventura had 124,152 inhabitants (as of 2023), the fourth largest population of the Canary Islands and the third of the province. At 1,659.74 km (640.83 sq mi), it is the second largest of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife . From
12720-409: The vicariate of Todi , Orvieto , Perugia and Umbria . He was excommunicated for this in 1411 by Pope Gregory XII . Oddone was with John XXIII's entourage at the Council of Constance and followed him in his escape at Schaffhausen on 21 March 1415. Later he returned to Constance and took part in the process leading to the deposition of John XXIII. After deposing Antipope John XXIII in 1415,
12840-491: The vicinity of holiday developments. Despite its arid climate, the island is also home to a surprisingly large insect fauna. Butterflies which commonly occur on the island include the clouded yellow ( Colias hyale ) and the bath white ( Pontia daplidice ) which feeds on xerophytic cruciferae . The island is also home to the monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus ) and its close African relative Danaus chrysippus . Around holiday developments such as Caleta de Fuste , water
12960-433: The war with Braccio da Montone in exchange for his recognition as vicar and reconciled with the deposed John XXIII, to whom he gave the title of Cardinal of Tusculum. Canon law prohibited interest upon a loan. To avoid this, annuities were paid, interest in effect but not in name. The dispute as to the legality of annuity contracts was brought before Martin V in 1423. He held that purchased annuities, which were redeemable at
13080-431: The westernmost known land in the world. Ancient European geographers such as Ptolemy recognised the island as the prime meridian of longitude. That remained so until the 19th century, when it was displaced by the one passing through Greenwich . Fuerteventura, with a surface of 1,660 km (640 sq mi), is the second largest island of the archipelago. It has been declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO . It
13200-560: Was chosen among 500 European destinations by the Quality Coast International Certification Program of the European Coastal and Marine Union as one of the most attractive tourist destinations for visitors interested in cultural heritage, environment and sustainability. The best beaches to visit are Playa de Cofete, Playas de Jandia, Playas de Corralejo, Playa de Ajuy, and Playas de El Cotillo. The island
13320-554: Was created. The first census recorded a population of some 1,200 inhabitants. The population increased gradually thereafter. In 1476 the territory became the Señorío Territorial de Fuerteventura , subjected to the Catholic Monarchs . In later years, the island was invaded by the Spanish, French and the English. Over time, the island endured numerous raids. A Berber -led expedition invaded in 1593, sweeping as far inland as
13440-461: Was finally dissolved in 1859, and Puerto de Cabras (now Puerto del Rosario ) - the only municipal seat on the coast - became the new capital. The Canary Islands obtained self-governance in 1912. In 1927, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote became part of the province of Gran Canaria . The seat of the island's government ( cabildo insular ) is located in Puerto del Rosario . A total of 118,574 people lived on
13560-536: Was formed by the Canary hotspot. The island is part of the Chinijo Archipelago and the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park (Parque Natural del Archipiélago Chinijo). It is administered by the municipality of Teguise. In 2018, La Graciosa was declared as the eighth Canary Island by the Spanish Senate , though it is not recognized as such by the Canarian administration. It is administratively dependent on
13680-402: Was it politically, since the particular interests of the nobility (determined to strengthen their economic and political power through the acquisition of the islands) conflicted with those of the states, particularly Castile, which were in the midst of territorial expansion and in a process of strengthening of the crown against the nobility. Historians distinguish two periods in the conquest of
13800-546: Was not a condemnation of slavery itself, but rather driven through fear of "infidel power". Norman Housley finds it "... hard to avoid the conclusion that the pope was agreeing to whatever was asked of him by the king. ... [P]olitical weakness compelled the Renaissance Papacy to adopt an acquiescent and unchallenging position when approached for requests for privileges in favour of these ventures." During his permanence in Rome, Martin moved his residence from
13920-598: Was ordered by decree that the capital of the Canary Islands would be shared between two cities, and this arrangement persists to the present day. The third largest city in the Canary Islands is San Cristóbal de La Laguna , another World Heritage Site on Tenerife. During the Age of Sail , the islands were the main stopover for Spanish galleons during the Spanish colonisation of the Americas , which sailed that far south in order to catch
14040-446: Was passed on via the female line. Social status and wealth were hereditary and determined the individual's position in the social pyramid, which consisted of the king, the relatives of the king, the lower nobility, villeins, plebeians, and finally executioners, butchers, embalmers, and prisoners". Their religion was animist , centring on the sun and moon, as well as natural features such as mountains. The islands may have been visited by
14160-458: Was placed under interdict for sheltering the excommunicated Jan of Jesenice . Beghards arrived attracted by Bohemia's reputation for religious liberty. In 1419 King Wenceslaus IV , who had resisted what he considered interference in his kingdom, commanded that all ejected Catholic beneficiaries should be reinstated in their offices and revenues. Prague prepared for armed resistance. Jan Želivský , an extreme anti-Catholic preacher of Prague, led
14280-554: Was rather poorly attended, which gave the Pope a pretext for dissolving it, as soon as it had come to the resolution that "internal church union by reform ought to take precedence over external union". It was prorogued for seven years. The seventeenth council then met as the " Council of Basel " in February 1431 shortly before Martin's death. On December 9, 1425, Martin founded the University of Louvain or Universitas Lovaniensis in Leuven (also known as "Louvain" in both English and French),
14400-471: Was the resumed war against Braccio da Montone. The following year, the combined Papal-Neapolitan army, led by Giacomo Caldora and Francesco Sforza , defeated him at the Battle of L'Aquila (2 June 1424); Braccio died a few days later. In the same year Martin obtained a reduction of the autonomy of the commune of Bologna, whose finances would be thenceforth under the authority of a papal treasurer. He also ended
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