The Island Tenerife:

A piece of history of the Canarian Islands. 

European but still exotic. The Canarian Islands offers the best of Spain and the climate of North-Africa. You can visit Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura en La Palma the whole year round and enjoy the summer. It is become the best winter destination for the European tourists.

CANARIES ?

Some scientists think that the Canarian Islands well know were onder the name 'Fortunatae Insulae' (The Island of good luck). The Feniciërs and the Carthagers knew them alraidy. According to the scientist Plinius, were big groups of wild dogs running around on the Island (Latin : Canis ). That's why he called the Island group the 'Canarians'. Arabic navigators reached the Islands in the 12the century and in 1334 the French navigator. Pope Clemens VI gave the Islands to Castilië in 1344. The French marine Jean de Bethencourt then conquered them in 1402 and he then became the king of the Canarian Islands in 1404 by the Castilian king Hendrik III. Although also Portugal a claim made on the Island group, they were assigned to Spain in 1479. From that time, the Islands became more and more Spanish and the original inhabitants "de Guanche" died out.

   The islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean, Northwest of the coast of Africa , next to Morocco. There are two provinces (Las Palmas and Santa Cruz the Tenerife ) with his capitals Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Santa Cruz the Tenerife (Tenerife). The complete island group encompass the islands (according to size) : Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. There are 7 more small uninhabited islands.

The islands group is from origin volcanic . The most famous volcano is the "Pico the Teide" on Tenerife (3718 m). The Canarian islands are well known by their beautiful landscape and their dry climate. In the areas that are lower than 400 m is the vegetation typically North-African: dates, Palms, dragons blood trees and cactuses. On higher levels grows, laurier, eucalyptus, mirre, pine trees and different plants with flowers.

Agriculture and fishing are the most important industry branch. The volcanic ground of the Canarian Islands is extremely fertile. There are no rivers and it is very dry. Therefore a large part must be watered by artificial manners . Most important harvests: Bananas, citrus fruit, sugarcane, peaches, figs, grapes , grain, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Industry and trade produces textile and fine plate clocks. Since the 70´s the tourism has grown . Especially in the winter period are the islands very loved by North-Europeans.

The total surface of the islands is 7273 Km², and the population in 1991 has grown to  1,493,784 inhabitants in 1991 total.

The flags of the Canarian Islands is a vertical white-blue-yellow with  in the middle the weapon of this region. This flag is in use since 10 August 1982.

This is the flag of  Tenerife.

Symbolism:

The colors have been diverted by the colors of the cities Santa Cruz the Tenerife (blue and white) and Las Palmas the Gran Canaria (yellow). These colors you will also see in the flags of the seven Canarian Islands.

Historical flags

The first flag that all seven islands represented, became around 1907 used by the Partido Nacionalista Canario (Canarian Nationalistic Party). This flag consisted seven white stars of a blue field with on that; this symbolized the seven islands in the middle of the water of the Atlantic Ocean.

design of 1907  -   design of 1961

In 1961, the Movimiento Canarias Libre designed a new flag , with three verticals in the colors, white, blue and yellow. This flag resembles the present flag, but in the version of 1961 is the blue more broadly than the other and it is missing the weapon. After the death of Francisco Franco arose the possibility for the Spanish regions to take a flag of there own , after which the Canarian Islands presented their first official flag (the present flag) based on the design of 1961.

Santa Cruz the Tenerife Province Santa Cruz the Tenerife Municipality code (3figures) 38,038 Surface 151 km² Population - Totally (2001) - Compactness 188,477 1248 in/km²

Santa Cruz the Tenerife or briefly Santa Cruz is the capital of the island Tenerife, one of the Canarian islands. Together with Las Palmas the Gran Canaria is the capital divided in the autonomous community of the Canarian islands , that has two capitals. The city had 217,415 inhabitants in 2002.

The city lies in the northeast of the island, at the Atlantic Ocean. There is a regular ferry connection with Las Palmas the Gran Canaria, as well a cheaper, slow service as expensive, faster services. Through the harbor, products of the Canarian islands are exported, among bananas, vegetables and tobacco. 

The center of the city is close to the harbor: it is an easy walk from the harbor to the busy shopping streets and store complexes. The city has green parks. The archaeological museum and the anthropological museum are situated by the Plaza the España. Also the urban museum for fine arts is situated in town.

Monuments its o. a. the baroque church Borrow Conceptión and a castle from 1577.

In the city is the military headquarters of the Canarian islands.

There is a airport, the Tenerife Norte (North ) airport, nine kilometers of the city , and the Reina Sofia international airport, Tenerife Sur (South), on 60 kilometers distance of the city. The airport Tenerife Norte is named also Los Rodeos. On this airport in 1977, the airplane disaster of Tenerife took place.

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