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88-457: Jandía is a peninsula in the southwestern part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands . The peninsula is entirely in the municipality of Pájara . Within the peninsula is Fuerteventura's tallest mountain, Pico de Jandía or Pico de la Zarza , that rises to an elevation of 807 m. Jandía is connected with the rest of Fuerteventura through the isthmus Istmo de la Pared . Most of

176-594: 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

264-516: A different kind of ritual infanticide than those who were thrown overboard. Child sacrifice has been seen in other cultures, especially in the Mediterranean — Carthage (now Tunisia ), Ugarit in what is now Syria , Cyprus and Crete . The political and social institutions of the Guanches varied. In some islands like Gran Canaria, hereditary autocracy by matrilineality prevailed, in others

352-521: 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

440-544: 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

528-513: 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

616-421: 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,

704-644: A reddish-brown complexion. During the 14th century, the Guanche are presumed to have had other contacts with Balearic seafarers from Spain. This is based on the Balearic artifacts found on several of the Canary Islands. The Castilian conquest of the Canary Islands began in 1402, with the expedition of Jean de Béthencourt and Gadifer de la Salle to the island of Lanzarote. Gadifer invaded Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. The other five islands fought back. El Hierro and

792-614: 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 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),

880-514: A syncretic beliefs combining elements of the Guanche religion and Christianity. As in other countries close to the islands (e.g. marabouts from the Maghreb ), the Animeros were considered "persons blessed by God." The Guanches had priests or shamans who were connected with the gods and ordained hierarchically: Gran Canaria Beñesmen or Beñesmer was a festival of the agricultural calendar of

968-428: A vertical rock by the shore 5 km (3 mi) from Santa Cruz on Tenerife are said still to contain remains. The process of embalming seems to have varied. In Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the corpse was simply wrapped up in goat and sheep skins, while in other islands a resinous substance was used to preserve the body, which was then placed in a cave difficult to access, or buried under a tumulus . The work of embalming

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1056-769: 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

1144-455: 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

1232-505: Is a large stock of vocabulary that does not bear any resemblance to Berber whatsoever. Other strong similarities to the Berber languages are reflected in their counting system, while some authors suggest the Canarian branch would be a sister branch to the surviving continental Berber languages, splitting off during the early development of the language family and before the terminus post quem for

1320-578: Is believed that the Guanche may have arrived at the archipelago some time in the first millennium BC . The Guanche were the only indigenous people known to have lived in the Macaronesian archipelago region before the arrival of Europeans . There is no accepted evidence that the other Macaronesian archipelagos (the Cape Verde Islands, Madeira and the Azores ) were inhabited. After the commencement of

1408-461: 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

1496-403: 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

1584-507: 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

1672-406: 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

1760-528: Is still used today to describe the people of Fuerteventura and is derived from 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

1848-569: The Bimbache population were the next to fall, then La Gomera, Gran Canaria, La Palma and in 1496, Tenerife. In the First Battle of Acentejo (31 May 1494), called La Matanza (the slaughter), Guanche ambushed the Castilians in a valley and killed many. Only one in five of the Castilians survived, including the leader, Alonso Fernandez de Lugo . Lugo later returned to the island with the alliance of

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1936-439: The 6th century BC . This is based on the analyses of ceramics and pottery artifacts that were found inside the cave. Historically, the Guanche were the first peoples of Tenerife. Their population seems to have lived in relative obscurity and isolation up until the time of Castilian conquest (ca. the 14th century ); Genoese , Portuguese , and Castilian ships may have visited the archipelago earlier for trade purposes, from

2024-458: 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,

2112-636: 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

2200-529: The Numidians , Phoenicians , and Carthaginians all knew of the islands and made frequent visits, including expeditions dispatched from Mogador by Juba . Based on Roman artifacts , found on and near the island of Lanzarote , the Romans visited the Canary Islands during their occupation of mainland North Africa between the 1st and 4th centuries AD ; the artifacts found show that the Romans engaged in trade with

2288-514: The Sahara (post- 6000 BC ). There are ties between the Guanche language and the Berber languages of North Africa, particularly when comparing numeral systems . Research into the genetics of the Guanche population has led to the conclusion that they share an ancestry with Berber peoples who immigrated from around Western Sahara . The islands were visited by a number of other peoples and representatives of distant civilizations during recorded history;

2376-462: The Schengen territory make it 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

2464-683: The Spanish conquest of the Canaries , starting in the early 15th century , many natives were outright killed by the Spanish or died of exposure to new pathogens during the social disruption. Eventually, any remaining survivors were assimilated into the new Spanish population and associated culture. Elements of their original culture survive within Canarian customs and traditions, such as Silbo (the whistled language of La Gomera Island), as well as some lexicon of Canarian Spanish . Some scholars have classified

2552-462: The extinction of uniquely-adapted endemic species , such as reptiles and mammals exhibiting insular gigantism ; one example is believed to be Canariomys bravoi , the extinct giant rat of Tenerife. Pliny the Elder , a Roman author and military officer drawing from the accounts of Juba II (ancient King of Mauretania ), stated that a Mauretanian expedition to the islands, circa 50 BC , found

2640-583: The ruins of great buildings, albeit with no population to speak of. If this account is accurate, it may suggest that the Guanche were not the only inhabitants, or the first ones; alternatively, this could imply that the Mauretanian expedition did not explore the islands thoroughly. Tenerife, specifically the archaeological site of the Cave of the Guanches in Icod de los Vinos , has provided evidence of habitation dating to

2728-592: The Americas. The native Guanche language is now known only through a few sentences and individual words, supplemented by several placenames. Many modern linguists propose that it belongs to the Berber branch of the Afroasiatic languages . However, while there are recognizable Berber words (particularly with regards to agriculture) within the Guanche language, no Berber grammatical inflections have been identified; there

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2816-753: The Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi in the Nuzhatul Mushtaq , a book he wrote for King Roger II of Sicily . Al-Idrisi reports a journey in the Atlantic Ocean made by the Mugharrarin ("the adventurers"), a family of Andalusian seafarers from Lisbon . The only surviving version of this book, kept at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France , and first translated by Pierre Amédée Jaubert , reports that, after having reached an area of "sticky and stinking waters,"

2904-744: 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

2992-456: The Berber languages. The first reliable account of the Guanche language was provided by the Genoese explorer Nicoloso da Recco in 1341, with a translation of numbers used by the islanders. According to European chroniclers, the Guanche did not possess a system of writing at the time of conquest; their potential writing system may have fallen into disuse, or aspects of it were simply overlooked by

3080-453: The Canary Islands were the scene of "Europe's first overseas settler colonial genocide," and that the mass killing and enslavement of natives, along with forced deportation, sexual violence and confiscation of land and children constituted an attempt to "destroy in whole" the Guanche people. The tactics used in the Canary Islands in the 15th century served as a model for the Iberian colonisation of

3168-615: The Canary Islands, the southern kingdoms joined the Castilian invaders on the promise of the richer lands of the north; the Castilians betrayed them after ultimately securing victory at the Battles of Aguere and Acentejo . In Tenerife, the grand Mencey Tinerfe and his father Sunta governed the unified island, which afterwards was divided into nine kingdoms by the children of Tinerfe. Guanches wore garments made from goat skins or woven from plant fibers called Tamarcos, which have been found in

3256-714: 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. Guanches It

3344-555: 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

3432-535: 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

3520-695: The Government of the Canary Islands and published on 11 November 1998 in 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

3608-509: The Guanches (the Guanche new year) to be held after the gathering of crops devoted to Chaxiraxi (on August 15). In this event the Guanches shared milk, gofio , sheep or goat meat. At the present time, this coincides with the pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Virgin of Candelaria (Patron of Canary Islands). Among the cultural events are significant traces of aboriginal traditions at the holidays and in

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3696-403: The Mugharrarin moved back and first reached an uninhabited Island ( Madeira or Hierro ), where they found "a huge quantity of sheep, which its meat was bitter and inedible". They "continued southward" and reached another island where they were soon surrounded by barks and brought to "a village whose inhabitants were often fair haired with long and flaxen hair and the women of a rare beauty." Among

3784-702: 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

3872-568: 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

3960-535: The arrival of the Europeans, Guanche nobility from Gran Canaria were known to wield large wooden swords (larger than the European two-handed type) called Magido , which were said to be very effective against both infantrymen and cavalry. Weaponry made of wood was hardened with fire. These armaments were commonly complemented with an obsidian knife known as Tabona . Dwellings were situated in natural or artificial caves in

4048-821: The body in various colours. They manufactured rough pottery , mostly without decorations, or ornamented by making fingernail indentations. Guanche weapons adapted to the insular environment (using wood, bone, obsidian and stone as primary materials), with later influences from medieval European weaponry. Basic armaments in several of the islands included javelins of 1 to 2 m in length (known as Banot on Tenerife); round, polished stones; spears; maces (common in Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and known as Magado and Sunta , respectively); and shields (small in Tenerife and human-sized in Gran Canaria, where they were known as Tarja , made of Drago wood and painted with geometric shapes). After

4136-557: 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

4224-516: The colonizers. Inscriptions, glyphs, rock paintings and carvings are all quite abundant throughout the archipelago. Petroglyphs attributed to other Mediterranean civilizations have also been found on some of the islands. In 1752 , Domingo Vandewalle , a military governor of Las Palmas , ventured to investigate the petroglyphs. Aquilino Padron, a priest at Las Palmas, catalogued inscriptions at El Julan, La Candía and La Caleta, all on El Hierro . In 1878 , Dr. René Verneau discovered rock carvings in

4312-565: The current Romería Relief in Güímar ( Tenerife ) and the lowering of the Rama, in Agaete (Gran Canaria). Mummification was not commonly practiced throughout the islands but was highly developed on Tenerife in particular. In Gran Canaria there is currently a debate on the true nature of the mummies of the ancient inhabitants of the island, as researchers point out that there was no real intention to mummify

4400-550: The deceased and that the good conservation of some of them is due rather to environmental factors. In La Palma they were preserved by these environmental factors and in La Gomera , and El Hierro the existence of mummification is not verified. In Lanzarote and Fuerteventura this practice is ruled out. The Guanches embalmed their dead; many mummies have been found in an extreme state of desiccation, each weighing not more than 3 kg (7 lb). Two almost inaccessible caves in

4488-435: The destruction of the Guanche people and culture as an example of colonial genocide . In 2017, the first genome -wide data analysis of the ethnic Guanche confirmed a North African origin, genetically being most similar to ancient North African Berber peoples of the mainland African deserts. The native term guanachinet literally translated means "person of Tenerife " (from Guan = person and Achinet = Tenerife). It

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4576-455: The gods. Bethencourt Alfonso has claimed that goat kids were tied by the legs, alive, to a stake so that they could be heard bleating by the gods. It is likely that animals were also sacrificed on the other islands. As for human sacrifices, in Tenerife it was the custom to throw a living child from the Punta de Rasca at sunrise at the summer solstice. Sometimes these children came from all parts of

4664-408: The government was elective . In Tenerife all the land belonged to the kings who leased it to their subjects. In Gran Canaria, suicide was regarded as honorable, and whenever a new king was installed, one of his subjects willingly honored the occasion by throwing himself over a precipice. In some islands, polyandry was practised; in others they were monogamous . Insult of a woman by an armed man

4752-454: 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

4840-513: 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

4928-645: The island, even from remote areas of Punta de Rasca . It follows that it was a common custom of the island. On this island sacrificing other human victims associated with the death of the king, where adult men rushed to the sea are also known. Embalmers who produced the Guanche mummies also had a habit of throwing themselves into the sea one year after the king's death. Bones of children mixed with lambs and kids were found in Gran Canaria , and in Tenerife amphorae have been found with remains of children inside. This suggests

5016-416: 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

5104-617: 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

5192-518: 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

5280-615: 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

5368-414: The islands, including the Idol of Tara ( Museo Canario , Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ) and the Guatimac (Museum Archaeological of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife). But many more figures have been found in the rest of the archipelago. Most researchers agree that the Guanches performed their worship in the open, under sacred trees such as pine or drago , or near sacred mountains such as Mount Teide , which

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5456-419: The kings of the southern part of the island. He defeated the Guanches in the Battle of Aguere . The northern Menceyatos or provinces fell after the Second Battle of Acentejo with the defeat of the successor of Bencomo , Bentor, Mencey of Taoro—what is now the Orotava Valley—in 1496. Various scholars have used the term "genocide" to describe the conquest of the Canary Islands. Mohamed Adikhari argues that

5544-509: The mountains, emerging at night to attack livestock and human beings. In Tenerife , Magec (god of the Sun) and Chaxiraxi (the goddess mother) were also worshipped. In times of drought, the Guanches drove their flocks to consecrated grounds, where the lambs were separated from their mothers in the belief that their plaintive bleating would melt the heart of the Great Spirit. During the religious feasts, hostilities were held in abeyance, from war to personal quarrels. Idols have been found in

5632-426: The mountains. In areas where cave dwellings were not feasible, they built small round houses and, according to the Castilians, practiced crude fortification. Maca-Meyer et al. 2003 extracted 71 samples of mtDNA from Guanches buried at numerous Canary Islands (c. 1000 AD). The examined Guanches were found to have closest genetic affinities to modern Moroccan Berbers , Canary Islanders and Spaniards . They carried

5720-541: 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 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

5808-406: The origin of Proto-Berber. Little is known of the religion of the Guanches. There was a general belief in a supreme being, called Achamán in Tenerife, Acoran in Gran Canaria, Eraoranhan in Hierro, and Abora in La Palma. The women of Hierro worshipped a goddess called Moneiba . According to tradition, the male and female gods lived in mountains, from which they descended to hear the prayers of

5896-400: 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

5984-401: The peninsula has been a nature reserve ( Parque Natural de Jandía ) since 1987. On the south and east coasts of Jandía there are the beach resorts Jandía Playa and Morro Jable . The western coast has some of the most beautiful and sandiest beaches in Fuerteventura and these are also used by surfers. The small fishing village of Cofete and the Villa Winter are situated on the north side of

6072-423: The peninsula. 28°05′N 14°22′W  /  28.083°N 14.367°W  / 28.083; -14.367 Fuerteventura 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

6160-411: The people of the island. However, there is no evidence of them ever settling on or invading the Canaries. Archaeology of the Canaries seems to reflect diverse levels of technology, with items differing widely from the Neolithic culture that would have been encountered by the Spanish, at the time of their conquest. Scholars believe that the original settling by humans on the islands likely resulted in

6248-436: The people. On other islands, the natives venerated the sun , moon , earth , and stars . A belief in an evil spirit was general. The demon of Tenerife was called Guayota and lived at the peak of Teide volcano, which was the hell called Echeyde ; in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the minor demons took the form of wild black woolly dogs called Jucanchas in the first and Tibicenas in the latter, which lived in deep caves of

6336-468: The ravines of Las Balos that resembled Libyan or Numidian script, dating from the time of Roman occupation or earlier. In other locations, Libyco-Berber script has been identified. The geographic accounts of Pliny the Elder and of Strabo mention the Fortunate Isles but do not report anything about their populations. An account of the Guanche population may have been made around AD 1150 by

6424-446: 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

6512-412: The second half of the 8th century onward. The Spanish gradually applied the term "Guanche" to the indigenous populations of all seven Canary Islands, with those living on Tenerife being the most important or powerful. What remains of their language, Guanche—a few expressions, vocabulary words and the proper names of ancient chieftains, still borne by certain families —exhibits positive similarities with

6600-408: The south of the island of Tenerife. This cemetery was almost completely looted; it is estimated to have contained between 60 and 74 mummies. Although little is known about this practice among them, it has been shown that they performed both animal sacrifices and human sacrifices . In Tenerife during the summer solstice, the Guanches killed livestock and threw them into a fire as an offering to

6688-412: 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 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

6776-523: 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,

6864-413: The tombs of Tenerife. They had a taste for ornaments and necklaces of wood, bone and shells, worked in different designs. Beads of baked earth, cylindrical and of all shapes, with smooth or polished surfaces, mostly colored black and red, were fairly common. Dr. René Verneau suggested that the objects the Castilians referred to as pintaderas , baked clay seal-shaped objects, were used as vessels for painting

6952-491: 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

7040-419: The villagers, one spoke Arabic and asked them where they came from. Then the king of the village ordered them to bring villagers back to the continent. There they were surprised to be welcomed by Berbers. Apart from the marvelous and fanciful content of this history, this account suggests that the Guanche had sporadic contacts with populations from the mainland. Al-Idrisi described the Guanche men as tall and of

7128-468: Was allegedly a capital offense. Anyone accused of a crime had to attend a public trial in Tagoror, a public court where those prosecuted were sentenced after a trial. The island of Tenerife was divided into nine small kingdoms ( menceyatos ), each ruled by a king or Mencey . The Mencey was the ultimate ruler of the kingdom, and at times, meetings were held between the various kings. When the Castilians invaded

7216-412: Was believed to be the abode of the devil Guayota . Mount Teide was sacred to the aboriginal Guanches and since 2007 is a World Heritage Site . But sometimes the Guanches also performed worship in caves, as in "Cave of Achbinico" in Tenerife. Until the 20th century, there were in the Canary Islands (especially in northern Tenerife) individuals called "Animeros." They were similar to healers and mystics with

7304-561: 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

7392-557: 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

7480-473: Was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2009. Fuerteventura belongs to the Province of Las Palmas , one of 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

7568-461: 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

7656-501: Was modified, according to Juan Núñez de la Peña , by the Castilians into "Guanche". Though etymologically an ancient, Tenerife-specific term, the word Guanche is now used mostly to refer to the pre-Hispanic Indigenous inhabitants of the entire archipelago. Genetic and linguistic evidence show that North African peoples made a significant contribution to the aboriginal population of the Canaries, notably, following desertification of

7744-465: Was reserved for a special class, with women tending to female corpses, and men for the male ones. Embalming seems not to have been universal. In the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre ( Santa Cruz de Tenerife ) mummies of original inhabitants of the Canary Islands are displayed. In 1933, the largest Guanche necropolis of the Canary Islands was found, at Uchova in the municipality of San Miguel de Abona in

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