By Jason Chavis
About the Canary Islands
The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands is a territory of Spain located in the Spanish archipelago. It accounts for the western-most portion of the European Union and is located only 100 kilometers off the coast of
Africa. The government of the Canary Islands features an independent government that is divided into two different provinces known as Tenerife and Las Palmas.
Identification
It is believed that the name for the Canary Islands stems from Latin and was established by the ancient Romans who first visited the island by sea. Most historians believe that the extinct species of monk seal that was prevalent on the islands caused the Romans to name them "Islands of the Dogs."
History
During first contact with Roman explorers, the indigenous population of the Canary Islands was found to be in a state of Neolithic development. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants stem from the Berber populations in northern Africa.
Size
The largest island in the chain is known as Tenerife. It covers an area of 2,034 square kilometers and supports a population of 865,071. It also has two of the largest cities on the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristobal de La Laguna.
Considerations
The Canary Islands are a site of much political disagreement over international boundary rights. Both Spain and Morocco lay claim to much of the overlapping waters in accords to the Exclusive Economic Zone, which defines the Law of the Sea.
Fun Fact
The Canary Islands offer a few unique sports unlike other parts of the planet. A style of wrestling known as "lucha canaria" is very popular, along with "game of the sticks," a form of fencing with sticks. A form of vaulting known as the "Shepard's jump" is also widely practiced.
Resources
About the Author:
Jason lives and works out of Minneapolis. After 11 years of professional writing, he is the author of four books, two movies and a play as well as numerous articles for Scientific American, The History Channel, City Pages and The Onion. Jason is a graduate of the film school at USC.
Photo Credits:
Zirland, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Canary_Islands.svg
