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90-431: Nearly 450,000 tourists visit the park every year. There is accommodation for tourists just outside the park's boundary. The park is named after the rock formation of Garajonay, the highest point on the island at 1,487 metres (4,879 ft). It also includes a small plateau whose altitude is 790–1,400 metres (2,590–4,590 ft) above sea level. Features of the national park include the massive rocks that are found along

180-469: A Decade Volcano because of its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to several large towns, of which the closest are Garachico , Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz . Teide, Pico Viejo and Montaña Blanca form the Central Volcanic Complex of Tenerife. The volcano and its surroundings make up Teide National Park , which has an area of 18,900 hectares (47,000 acres) and

270-505: A shield volcano centered not far from Teide itself, with volcanic activity which endured to around 8.9 Mya. The volcanic activity then stopped, and the volcano underwent some collapses in the process of erosion. One new shield volcano formed between 6 and 5 Mya, more to the west, in Teno then another in Anaga , to the east, between 4.9 and 3.9 Mya. Together, these three shield volcanoes represent 90% of

360-411: A break in the slope at around 2,000 m (6,600 ft). The volcano of Teide itself can be described as a volcanic cone 8 km (5.0 mi) in diameter at its base, with quite steep slopes, approximately 20 to 40° for a total volume of 150 to 200 km (36 to 48 cu mi). The summit is marked by a small volcanic cone, about 150 m (490 ft) high, named El Pitón , which has

450-510: A catastrophic landslide . Teide's base is situated in Las Cañadas crater (the remains of an older, eroded, extinct volcano) at a height of around 2,190 m (7,190 ft) above sea level. Teide is an active volcano : its most recent eruption occurred in late 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift. The United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation designated Teide

540-421: A precursor to an eruption. Teide additionally is considered structurally unstable and its northern flank has a distinctive bulge. The summit of the volcano has a number of small active fumaroles emitting sulfur dioxide and other gases, including low levels of hydrogen sulfide . A scientific assessment in 2006, published in the journal Eos, observed that "in the past 30,000 years, eruptions have occurred at

630-419: A rate of only four to six per millennium, with a predominance (70%) of very low hazard, basaltic eruptions". The authors further commented that "the recent eruptive record, combined with the available petrological and radiometric data, provides a rather optimistic outlook on major volcanic hazards related to Teide and its rift zones, posing only very localized threats to the one million inhabitants of Tenerife and

720-542: A river was already there, though not necessarily on exactly the same course. Then, subterranean geological forces caused the land in that part of North America to gradually rise by about a centimeter per year for millions of years. An unusual balance occurred: the river that would become the Colorado River was able to erode into the crust of the Earth at a nearly equal rate to the uplift of the plateau. Now, millions of years later,

810-513: A small flat top while others have wider ones. Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, plate tectonics movements, and erosion by water and glaciers. Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity . The Columbia Plateau in the north-western United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava. The underlining mechanism in forming plateaus from upwelling starts when magma rises from

900-406: A summit crater 100 m (330 ft) in diameter and 30 m (98 ft) deep. A secondary cone, named Pico Viejo emerges on the western slopes of the main peak; its crater is much larger, with a diameter of 800 m (2,600 ft) and a depth of 140 m (460 ft). It rises to 3,414 m (11,201 ft), but with a low prominence , not more than 100 m (330 ft) higher than

990-577: A true subtropical rainforest where the largest laurel trees can be found. At higher altitudes, with less protection from wind and sun, the forest loses some of its more delicate species. Here it is called slope laurisilva (laurisilva de ladera). At the south the forest is mainly a mix of beech and heather, species adapted to the less humid atmosphere. In August 2012, a forest fire burned 747 hectares (18%) of this national park. Two species of reptile, Gallotia gomerana (Gomeran lizard) and Chalcides viridanus (Gomeran skink), can be found. Amphibians include

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1080-614: A wheelchair to reach 3,000 meters altitude with only the momentum of her arms. Initially, Gema wanted to reach the top of Teide, although, due to weather conditions, she could not meet this objective. The lava flows on the flanks of Teide weather to a very thin but nutrient- and mineral-rich soil that supports a wide variety of plant species. Vascular flora consists of 168 plant species, 33 of which are endemic to Tenerife. Forests of Canary Island Pine ( Pinus canariensis ) with Canary Island juniper ( Juniperus cedrus ) occur from 1,000 to 2,100 metres (3,300–6,900 ft), covering

1170-609: Is divided into three main flat regions: the Bogotá savanna , the valleys of Ubaté and Chiquinquirá , and the valleys of Duitama and Sogamoso . The parallel Sierra of Andes delimit one of the world highest plateaux: the Altiplano , (Spanish for "high plain"), Andean Plateau or Bolivian Plateau. It lies in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet. The bulk of

1260-464: Is located on the slopes of the mountain. Before the 1496 Spanish colonization of Tenerife, the native Guanches referred to a powerful figure living in the volcano, which carries light, power and the sun. El Pico del Teide is the modern Spanish name. Teide was a sacred mountain for the aboriginal Guanches , so it was considered a mythological mountain, as Mount Olympus was to the ancient Greeks . When going on to Teide during an eruption , it

1350-416: Is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides have deep hills or escarpments . Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma , extrusion of lava , and erosion by water and glaciers . Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment as intermontane, piedmont, or continental. A few plateaus may have

1440-683: Is sometimes called the Roof of Africa due to its height and large area. Another example is the Highveld which is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above approximately 1,500 metres, but below 2,100 metres, thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions. It is home to some of the largest South African urban agglomerations . In Egypt are the Giza Plateau and Galala Mountain , which

1530-528: Is the Scottish Highlands . Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment. The highest African plateau is the Ethiopian Highlands which cover the central part of Ethiopia. It forms the largest continuous area of its altitude in the continent, with little of its surface falling below 1,500 metres (4,921 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4,550 metres (14,928 ft). It

1620-558: Is the home of more than 70 million people. The Western Plateau , part of the Australian Shield , is an ancient craton covering much of the continent's southwest, an area of some 700,000 square kilometres. It has an average elevation between 305 and 460 metres. The North Island Volcanic Plateau is an area of high land occupying much of the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes,

1710-508: Is the presence in the Earth's mantle of a convection cell which enters one part of the magma more towards the east, thus activating the old islands. According to this hypothesis, the magma would be also responsible for scattered volcanic activity to the northwest of the African continent to the south of Spain. The formation of Tenerife began a little less than 12 Mya. It started with the formation of

1800-495: The Azores high , as well as a very high UV index caused by the height of the peak (greater than 11 in the middle of the summer). This sunshine of around 3,450 h per year is partially compensated by the Canary current , a relatively cold ocean current which makes the climate more temperate. The situation at the level of Teide and its caldera is very unlike the climate at its base. In effect,

1890-462: The Berbers of Kabylie . The Guanches believed the mountain to be the place that housed the forces of evil and the most evil figure, Guayota. Guayota shares features similar to other powerful deities inhabiting volcanoes, such as the goddess Pele of Hawaiian mythology , who lives in the volcano Kīlauea and is regarded by the native Hawaiians as responsible for the eruptions of the volcano. The same

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1980-847: The Deccan Plateau (≈1,900,000 km (730,000 sq mi), elevation 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft)). A large plateau in North America is the Colorado Plateau , which covers about 337,000 km (130,000 sq mi) in Colorado , Arizona , New Mexico , and Utah . In northern Arizona and southern Utah the Colorado Plateau is bisected by the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon . This came to be over 10 million years ago,

2070-567: The Deccan Plateau in India and the Meseta Central on the Iberian Peninsula . Plateaus can also be formed by the erosional processes of glaciers on mountain ranges, leaving them sitting between the mountain ranges. Water can also erode mountains and other landforms down into plateaus. Dissected plateaus are highly eroded plateaus cut by rivers and broken by deep narrow valleys. An example

2160-810: The Enlightenment , most of the expeditions that went to East Africa and the Pacific had Teide as one of the most rewarding targets. The expedition of Lord George Macartney , George Staunton and John Barrow in 1792 almost ended in tragedy, as a major snowstorm and rain swept over them and they failed to reach the peak of Teide, just barely getting past Montaña Blanca. The German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt stopped in Tenerife during his voyage to South America in June 1799 and climbed Teide with his travelling companion Aimé Bonpland and some local guides. This excursion confirmed

2250-462: The Las Cañadas caldera, an asymmetric depression 15 km (9.3 mi) in diameter in the form of a horseshoe which opens to the north. The floor of the caldera varies from 2,000 to 2,200 m (6,600 to 7,200 ft) in altitude, although its sides in the south rise to 2,717 m (8,914 ft), the level of Mount Guajara . To the north, the slopes of Teide continue directly to the ocean, with

2340-457: The Soufrière Hills , Mount Unzen and elsewhere. During 2003, there was an increase in seismic activity at the volcano and a rift opened on the north-east flank. No eruptive activity occurred but a quantity of material, possibly liquid, was emplaced into the edifice and is estimated to have a volume of ~10 m . Such activity can indicate that magma is rising into the edifice, but is not always

2430-582: The blue chaffinch ( Fringilla teydea ), Berthelot's pipit ( Anthus berthelotii berthelotii ), the Atlantic canary ( Serinus canaria ) and a subspecies of kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus canariensis ). Three endemic reptile species are found in the park: the Canary Island lizard ( Gallotia galloti galloti ), the Canary Island wall gecko ( Tarentola delalandii ), and the Canary Island skink ( Chalcides viridanus viridanus ). The only mammals native to

2520-408: The mantle , causing the ground to swell upward. In this way, large, flat areas of rock are uplifted to form a plateau. For plateaus formed by extrusion, the rock is built up from lava spreading outward from cracks and weak areas in the crust. Tectonic plateaus are formed by tectonic plate movements which cause uplift, and are normally of a considerable size, and a fairly uniform altitude. Examples are

2610-552: The " Roof of the World ", which is still being formed by the collisions of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates . The Tibetan Plateau covers approximately 2,500,000 km (970,000 sq mi), at about 5,000 m (16,000 ft) above sea level. The plateau is sufficiently high to reverse the Hadley cell convection cycles and to drive the monsoons of India towards

2700-458: The "hat of Teide" ( Toca del Teide ) which was probably confused with signs of an eruption by sailors. Teide is a stratovolcano created by the same forces which formed the Canary Islands. The islands are aligned relatively east to west, but continue to the northeast in a series of undersea mountains which are part of the same volcanic region as the Canary Islands. Dating indicates that

2790-562: The 17th century, gives a description of Teide, in which he notes the suitable paths to the top and the effects its considerable height causes for travellers, indicating that the volcano had been accessed via different routes before the 17th century. In 1715 the English traveler J. Edens and his party made the ascent and reported their observations in the journal of the Royal Society in London. After

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2880-411: The 4.5 million annual visitors to Teide National Park." However, another study in 2009 concluded that Teide will probably erupt violently in the future, and that its structure is similar to that of Vesuvius and Etna. Thus the magnitude of the risk posed by Teide to the public remains a source of debate. In a publication of 1626, Sir Edmund Scory, who probably stayed on the island in the first decades of

2970-662: The Altiplano lies within Bolivian and Peruvian territory while its southern parts lie in Chile. The Altiplano plateau hosts several cities like Puno, Oruro, El Alto and La Paz the administrative seat of Bolivia. Northeastern Altiplano is more humid than the Southwestern, the latter of which hosts several salares , or salt flats, due to its aridity. At the Bolivia-Peru border lies Lake Titicaca ,

3060-480: The Atlantic Ocean, 290 km (180 mi) northwest of the coast of Western Sahara . The volcano is located in a central position on the Tenerife island. Administratively, the Canary Islands are a Spanish autonomous community. Teide itself is located within the commune of La Orotava in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Before reliable measurements were available, Teide was considered by Europeans to be

3150-458: The Canary Island wallflower ( Erysimum scoparium ), which has violet flowers; and the Teide bugloss ( Echium wildpretii ), whose red flowers form a pyramid up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in height. The Teide daisy ( Argyranthemum teneriffae ) can be found at altitudes close to 3,600 m (11,800 ft) above sea level, and the Teide violet ( Viola cheiranthifolia ) can be found right up to

3240-617: The Canary Islands or La Gomera, and the Garajonay forest harbors a rich biota of understory plants, invertebrates , and birds and bats , including a large number of endemic species . The park provides the best example of Canarian laurisilva , a humid subtropical forest that in the Tertiary covered almost all of Southern Europe . It is also found on the Azores and the Madeira Islands . Laurus azorica , known as Azores laurel, or by

3330-568: The Cordillera Dorsal or northeast rift (Fasnia in 1704, Siete Fuentes and Arafo in 1705). The 1706 Montañas Negras eruption destroyed the town and principal port of Garachico, as well as several smaller villages. Historical activity associated with the Teide and Pico Viejo stratovolcanoes occurred in 1798 from the Narices del Teide on the western flank of Pico Viejo. Eruptive material from Pico Viejo, Montaña Teide and Montaña Blanca partially fills

3420-413: The Las Cañadas caldera. The last explosive eruption involving the central volcanic centre was from Montaña Blanca around 2000 years ago. The last eruption within the Las Cañadas caldera occurred in 1798 from the Narices del Teide or Chahorra (Teide's Nostrils) on the western flank of Pico Viejo. The eruption was predominantly strombolian in style and most of the lava was ʻaʻā . This lava is visible beside

3510-698: The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is at an elevation of about 2,450 m (8,040 ft) above sea level , and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is about 2,150 m (7,050 ft) above sea level. At its deepest, the Colorado River is about 1,830 m (6,000 ft) below the level of the North Rim. Another high-altitude plateau in North America is the Mexican Plateau . With an area of 601,882 km (232,388 sq mi) and average height of 1,825 metres, it

3600-504: The Portuguese names louro , loureiro , louro-da-terra , and louro-de-cheiro , can be found in the park, as well as Laurus novocanariensis , known as Canary laurel. Although named as a single type of forest, the national park englobes several varieties of forests. Most humid and protected valleys oriented to the North have the richest and most complex forests. It is known as valley laurisilva,

3690-732: The Vilaflor–Chio road. Christopher Columbus reported seeing "a great fire in the Orotava Valley " as he sailed past Tenerife on his first voyage to the New World in 1492. This was interpreted as indicating that he had witnessed an eruption there. Radiometric dating of possible lavas indicates that in 1492 no eruption occurred in the Orotava Valley, but one did occur from the Boca Cangrejo vent. The last summit eruption from Teide occurred about

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3780-533: The age of these islands changes from east to west, with the older islands and undersea mountains to the east and more recent ones to the west. This makes Fuerteventura and Lanzarote the oldest islands, from 20.2 Mya , and El Hierro the youngest, from 1.1 Mya. Counting the undersea mountains, Mount Lars is the oldest, from 68 Mya. The Madeira islands , located not far to the north of the Canary islands and also volcanic, have many islands and undersea mountains aligned in

3870-402: The altitude, the air is significantly thinner than at sea level. This can cause people (especially with heart or lung conditions) to become light-headed or dizzy, to develop altitude sickness , and in extreme cases to lose consciousness. The only treatment is to return to lower altitudes and acclimatise. An astronomical observatory is located on the slopes of the mountain, taking advantage of

3960-452: The attention of Gara, and the two fell in love. Unfortunately, when the engagement was announced, the volcano Teide , visible from La Gomera, began to erupt as if in disapproval. This was interpreted as a bad omen and the couple’s respective parents broke the engagement. Jonay was made to return to Tenerife, but one night, he swam across the channel that separated the two islands and rejoined his beloved. Their respective fathers ordered that

4050-516: The central volcano of Las Cañadas, and the Anaga massif. The Las Cañadas volcano developed over the Miocene shield volcanoes and may have reached 40 km (25 mi) in diameter and 4,500 m (14,800 ft) in height. Around 160–220 thousand years ago the summit of the Las Cañadas I volcano collapsed, creating the Las Cañadas (Ucanca) caldera . Later, a new stratovolcano, Las Cañadas II, formed in

4140-423: The climate of Tenerife is marked by an inversion layer around at an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft), isolating the high-altitude zones from ocean influences present at the lower altitudes. This leads to a more continental climate on Teide, with strong changes in temperature over the course of the day (typically on the order of 15 °C) and in the course of the year (with a range of -15 °C in winter to 30 °C in

4230-548: The depression is the result of a vertical collapse of the volcano triggered by the emptying of shallow magma chambers at around sea level under the Las Cañadas volcano after large-volume explosive eruptions . The second theory is that the caldera was formed by a series of lateral gravitational collapses similar to those described in Hawaii . Evidence for the latter theory has been found in both onshore observations and marine geology studies. From around 160,000 years ago until

4320-658: The gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon , the Indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana . Tepuis can be considered minute plateaus and tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. Some of the most outstanding tepuis are Neblina , Autana , Auyan and Mount Roraima . They are typically composed of sheer blocks of Precambrian quartz arenite sandstone that rise abruptly from

4410-503: The good weather, and the altitude, which puts it above most clouds, and promotes stable Astronomical seeing . The Teide Observatory is operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias . It includes solar, radio and microwave telescopes, in addition to traditional optical night-time telescopes. Teide is the main symbol of Tenerife and the most emblematic natural monument of the Canary Islands. An image of Teide, gushing flames, appears at

4500-424: The hapless lovers Gara and Jonay. Their romance evokes those of Romeo and Juliet and Hero and Leander . Gara was a princess of Agulo on La Gomera. During the festival of Beñesmén, it was customary for unmarried girls of Agulo to gaze at their reflections in the waters of Chorros del Epina. If the water was clear, they would find a husband; if it was cloudy, some misfortune would befall them. When Gara looked at

4590-508: The highest mountain on Earth for a long time. With a height of 3,715 m (12,188 ft), it is the highest point in Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. If it is measured from the ocean floor, it surpasses 7,000 m (23,000 ft), making it the third highest volcanic structure in the world after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea , both on the island of Hawaii . The formation of the mountain is marked by its long and complex volcanic history. It rests on

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4680-492: The highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic . If measured from the ocean floor, its height of 7,500 m (24,600 ft) makes Teide the third-highest volcano in the world, UNESCO and NASA rank it as Earth's third-tallest volcanic structure. Teide's elevation above sea level makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world . Teide started forming 170,000 years ago due to volcanic activity following

4770-406: The inversion layer also stops these clouds from rising, and the climate is thus very dry below the level of Teide. The precipitation in the caldera in the caldera is thus less than 500 mm per year, the majority falling in the winter, and in total, around one third in the form of snow. Variation can be quite high from one year to the next. Meanwhile the peak of Teide is covered by wave clouds , forming

4860-403: The island of La Gomera at dawn, and the island of Gran Canaria at sunset. The shadow has a perfectly triangular shape, even though Teide's silhouette does not; this is an effect of aerial perspective . Visitors and tourists climb to the top of the volcano at sunset to witness this phenomenon. Teide National Park is a useful volcanic reference point for studies related to Mars because of

4950-527: The island. These are former volcanoes whose shapes have been carved by erosion. Some, like the "Fortaleza" (fortress in Spanish) were considered sacred by the native islanders, as well as ideal refuges when attacked. The park is crossed by a large network of 18 footpaths, trekking being one of the main tourist activities in the island. Many of the species of flora and fauna are endemic to the Macaronesian islands,

5040-482: The jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyán-tepui is the source of Angel Falls , the world's tallest waterfall . The Colombian capital city of Bogota sits on an Andean plateau known as the Altiplano Cundiboyacense roughly the size of Switzerland. Averaging a height of 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, this northern Andean plateau is situated in the country's eastern range and

5130-511: The largest lake in South America. [REDACTED] Media related to Plateaus at Wikimedia Commons Teide Teide , or Mount Teide , ( Spanish : El Teide, Pico del Teide , pronounced [ˈpiko ðel ˈtejðe] , "Peak of Teide") is a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands , Spain . Its summit (at 3,715 m (12,188 ft)) is the highest point in Spain and

5220-548: The late spring or early summer, in May and June. Teide National Park contains a large number of invertebrate species, over 40% of which are endemic species, and 70 of which are found only in the National Park. The invertebrate fauna includes spiders , beetles , dipterans , hemipterans , and hymenopterae . In contrast, Teide National Park has only a limited variety of vertebrate fauna. Ten species of bird nest there, including

5310-489: The middle slopes of the volcano and reaching an alpine tree line 1,000 m (3,300 ft) lower than that of continental mountains at similar latitudes . Within the Las Cañadas caldera and at higher altitudes , plant species endemic to the Teide National Park include: the Teide white broom ( Cytisus supranubius ), which has white flowers; Descurainia bourgaeana , a shrubby crucifer with yellow flowers;

5400-588: The most notable of which is the country's largest lake, Lake Taupō . The plateau stretches approximately 100 km east to west and 130 km north to south. The majority of the plateau is more than 600 metres above sea level. A tepui ( / ˈ t ɛ p w i / ), or tepuy ( Spanish: [teˈpuj] ), is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela and western Guyana . The word tepui means "house of

5490-518: The most recent centres of activity on the volcanic island of Tenerife , which is the largest (2,058 km or 795 sq mi) and highest (3,715 m or 12,188 ft) island in the Canaries . It has a complex volcanic history. The formation of the island and the development of the current Teide volcano took place in the five stages shown in the diagram on the right. Like the other Canary Islands , and volcanic ocean islands in general, Tenerife

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5580-411: The north, forming the caldera of Las Cañadas. These massive landslides were quite frequent and were in part cased by the fractures of the rifts. Besides the caldera, the landslides were also responsible for the valley of La Orotava (around 600,000 years ago) and Güímar (around 850,000 years ago). The stratovolcanoes Teide and Pico Viejo (Old Peak, although it is in fact younger than Teide) are

5670-502: The northern part. The main ravines, with prominence around 100 m (330 ft), are located on the south slope: from east to west, the Corredor Mario , Corredor La Corbata and Corredor La Bola . Despite its proximity to the Sahara, the Canary Islands have a relatively temperate climate. The sunshine duration is very high due to Teide's subtropical latitude and proximity to

5760-490: The park are bats , the most common of which is Leisler's bat ( Nyctalus leisleri ). Other mammals, such as the mouflon , the rabbit , the house mouse , the black rat , the feral cat , and the North African hedgehog , have all been introduced to the park. Teide casts the world's largest shadow projected on the sea. The shadow is cast for more than 40 km (25 mi) from the mountain's summit, reaching as far as

5850-510: The present day, the stratovolcanoes of Teide and Pico Viejo formed within the Las Cañadas caldera. Teide last erupted in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent, on the Santiago Ridge. Historical volcanic activity on the island is associated with vents on the Santiago or northwest rift (Boca Cangrejo in 1492, Montañas Negras in 1706, Narices del Teide or Chahorra in 1798, and El Chinyero in 1909) and

5940-477: The same general direction and with similar dates. This pattern is consistent with archipelagoes which have formed over a hotspot such as the Hawaiian Islands. However, there are many differences with Hawaii. First, the Hawaiian Islands are sinking rapidly (in geological time) into the ocean, forming atolls , yet the rate of subsidence is insignificant in the Canary Islands. If the Canary islands were sinking at

6030-534: The same rate as the Hawaiian islands, Teide would be actually below sea-level. But one of the most fundamental differences, and which lends doubt to the theory of a hotspot, is the fact that the volcanic activity is not constrained to the most recent island, but continues through all the islands in the chain. This has aroused an intense debate in the scientific community, which continues to a certain extent today. One hypothesis which allows reconciliation of these observations

6120-462: The similarities in their environmental conditions and geological formations. In 2010 a research team tested the Raman instrument at Las Cañadas del Teide in anticipation of its use in the 2016–2018 ESA-NASA ExoMars expedition. In June 2011 a team of researchers from the UK visited the park to test a method for looking for life on Mars and to search for suitable places to test new robotic vehicles in 2012. The volcano and its surroundings, including

6210-420: The slopes of the main volcano. On the outside of these two main peaks, the relief Teide also has some smaller formations, of which the most notable are Roques Blancos , Pico Cabras , and Montaña Blanca , situated next to the base of Teide. The slopes of Teide are covered in radial ravines. However, the majority of the ravines have been covered by recent lava flows, the Lavas Negras , in particular

6300-529: The south side of the structure, the internal walls rise as almost sheer cliffs from 2,100 to 2,715 m (6,890 to 8,907 ft). The 3,715 m (12,188 ft) summit of Teide itself, and its sister stratovolcano Pico Viejo (3,134 m (10,282 ft)), are both situated in the northern half of the caldera and are derived from eruptions later than this prehistoric explosion. Future eruptions may include pyroclastic flows and surges similar to those that occurred at Mount Pelée , Merapi , Vesuvius , Etna ,

6390-463: The south). Each shield was apparently constructed in less than three million years, and the entire island in about eight million years. The initial juvenile stage was followed by a period of 2–3 million years of eruptive quiescence and erosion . This cessation of activity is typical of the Canaries; La Gomera , for example, is currently at this stage. After this period of quiescence, the volcanic activity became concentrated within two large edifices:

6480-849: The south. The Deosai Plains in Pakistan are situated at an average elevation of 4,114 meters (13,497 ft) above sea level. They are considered to be the second highest plateaus in the world. Other major plateaus in Asia are: Najd on the Arabian Peninsula , elevation 762 to 1,525 m (2,500 to 5,003 ft), Armenian Highlands (≈400,000 km (150,000 sq mi), elevation 900–2,100 metres (3,000–6,900 ft)), Iranian Plateau (≈3,700,000 km (1,400,000 sq mi), elevation 300–1,500 metres (980–4,920 ft)), Anatolian Plateau , Mongolian Plateau (≈2,600,000 km (1,000,000 sq mi), elevation 1,000–1,500 metres (3,300–4,900 ft)), and

6570-579: The stripeless tree frog, Hyla meridionalis . The park is renowned as one of the best places to observe the two Canarian endemic pigeons , laurel pigeon ( Columba junoniae ) and Bolle's pigeon ( Columba bollii ). The park has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of various birds. As well as the two endemic pigeon species, these include Barbary partridges , plain swifts , Eurasian sparrowhawks , Berthelot's pipits and island canaries . The peak and park are named after Guanche lore,

6660-545: The summer). Humidity is also very affected by this inversion layer. The presence of the Axores high in the northwest of the Canaries in summer induces relatively constant winds ( trade winds ) blowing from the northeast to the southwest. These winds carry moisture across the Atlantic and goes to rain on the north of Tenerife, forming in particular a dense layer of clouds between 800 and 1,600 ft (240 and 490 m) of altitude. But

6750-399: The summit, making it the highest flowering plant in Spain. These plants are adapted to the tough environmental conditions on the volcano, such as high altitude, intense sunlight, extreme temperature variations, and lack of moisture. Adaptations include hemispherical forms, a downy or waxy cover, a reduction of the exposed leaf area, and high flower production. Flowering takes place in

6840-473: The surrounding coastline through enormous glaciers . The polar ice cap is so massive that the echolocation measurements of ice thickness have shown that large areas are below sea level . But, as the ice melts, the land beneath will rebound through isostasy and ultimately rise above sea level. The largest and highest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau , sometimes metaphorically described as

6930-425: The two be found. The lovers were soon trapped on a mountain, where they decided to take their own lives. Plateau In geology and physical geography , a plateau ( / p l ə ˈ t oʊ , p l æ ˈ t oʊ , ˈ p l æ t oʊ / ; French: [plato] ; pl. : plateaus or plateaux ), also called a high plain or a tableland , is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that

7020-550: The vicinity of Guajara and then catastrophically collapsed. Another volcano, Las Cañadas III, formed in the Diego Hernandez sector of the caldera. All of the Las Cañadas volcanoes attained a maximum altitude similar to that of Teide (which is sometimes referred to as the Las Cañadas IV volcano). Two theories on the formation of the 16 km × 9 km (9.9 mi × 5.6 mi) caldera exist. The first states that

7110-410: The volcanic activity began in the rifts of the island, formed by radial fractures due to the thrust of magma in the central volcano. The eruptions of Las Cañadas were initially basic and fluid lavas, but they differentiated over time ( trachybasalts and phonolites ), which gave place to more explosive eruptions. Around 200,000 years ago, the peak of the volcano was swept away in a giant land slide to

7200-504: The volcanic origin of basalt. During an expedition to Kilimanjaro , the German adventurer Hans Heinrich Joseph Meyer visited Teide in 1894 to observe ice conditions on the volcano. He described the two mountains as "two kings, one rising in the ocean and the other in the desert and steppes". More recently in November 2017, Gema Hassen-Bey became the first Paralympic athlete in the world in

7290-417: The volume of Tenerife. The lavas are basalts , basic rocks (i.e. having a low content of silica) and therefore very fluid, this explains the characteristic form of shield volcanoes. Around 3.5 Mya, after a pause of 5.5 million years, volcanic activity resumed to the level of the first shield volcano. This is the start of the rejuvenation phase, forming the volcano Las Cañadas. It was also in this period that

7380-472: The water, she saw her reflection clearly. However, she gazed too long and the sun's reflection blinded her temporarily. A wise man named Gerián told her that this meant that she needed to avoid all fire or else it would consume her. Jonay was the son of the Guanche mencey or king of Adeje on Tenerife , who arrived on the island to celebrate these ceremonies. Jonay's participation in the ensuing games attracted

7470-422: The way to the summit, reaching 3,555 m (11,663 ft), carrying up to 38 passengers (34 in a high wind) and taking eight minutes to reach the summit. Access to the summit itself is restricted; a free permit is required to climb the last 200 m (660 ft). Numbers are normally restricted to 200 per day. Several footpaths take hikers to the upper cable car terminal, and then onto the summit. Because of

7560-401: The whole of the Las Cañadas caldera, are protected in the Teide National Park. Access is by a public road running from northeast to southwest across the caldera. TITSA runs a return service to Teide once a day from both Puerto de la Cruz and Playa de las Americas . The park has a Parador (hotel) and a small chapel. A cable car goes from the roadside at 2,356 m (7,730 ft) most of

7650-461: The year 850 AD, and this eruption produced the "Lavas Negras" or "Black Lavas" that cover much of the flanks of the volcano. About 150,000 years ago, a much larger explosive eruption occurred, probably of Volcanic Explosivity Index 5. It created the Las Cañadas caldera, a large caldera at about 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level, around 16 km (9.9 mi) from east to west and 9 km (5.6 mi) from north to south. At Guajara, on

7740-454: Was built by accretion of large shield volcanoes , three of which developed in a relatively short period. This early shield stage volcanism formed the bulk of the emerged part of Tenerife. The shield volcanoes date back to the Miocene and early Pliocene and are preserved in three isolated and deeply eroded massifs : Anaga (to the northeast), Teno (to the northwest) and Roque del Conde (to

7830-476: Was customary for the Guanches to light bonfires to scare Guayota . Guayota is often represented as a black dog, accompanied by his host of demons ( Tibicenas ). The Guanches also believed that Teide held up the sky. Many hiding places found in the mountains contain the remains of stone tools and pottery. These have been interpreted as being ritual deposits to counter the influence of evil spirits, like those made by

7920-411: Was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. Teide is the most visited natural wonder of Spain, the most visited national park in Spain and Europe and, by 2015, the eighth most visited in the world, with some 3 million visitors yearly. In 2016, it was visited by 4,079,823 visitors and tourists, reaching a historical record. Teide Observatory , a major international astronomical observatory ,

8010-598: Was once called Gallayat Plateaus, rising 3,300 ft above sea level. Another very large plateau is the icy Antarctic Plateau , which is sometimes referred to as the Polar Plateau or King Haakon VII Plateau, home to the geographic South Pole and the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station , which covers most of East Antarctica where there are no known mountains but rather 3,000 m (9,800 ft) high of superficial ice and which spreads very slowly toward

8100-463: Was true for the ancient Greeks and Romans, who believed that Vulcano and Mount Etna were chimneys of the foundry of the fire god Hephaestus ( Vulcan in Latin). In 1492, when Christopher Columbus arrived at the island of Tenerife, his crew claimed to see flames coming from the highest mountain of the island (Teide). Teide is located on Tenerife, the largest island of the Canary Islands, situated in

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