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86-424: Agüimes is situated 5 km from the coast, and 26 km south of the island capital Las Palmas . The GC-1 motorway passes east of the town. The population is 30,214 (2013), and the area is 79.28 km². The elevation is 275 m. The major growth of the last few years has been the creation of a huge industrial estate on flat land once covered by tomato plantations. This has brought new jobs and industries into

172-738: A weekend supplementary Japanese programme . Las Palmas offers a variety of theater, cinema, opera, concerts, visual arts and dance performances. The city hosts the Canary Islands Music Festival, the Theatre and Dance and the International Film Festival. The main City Festival, celebrating the foundation of the "City Fiestas de San Juan" is held in June. The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

258-485: A 20% discount on both municipal buses and Global buses was discontinued on 1 January 2011. A separate bus company Global with distinctive blue color, inter-hire company, has 119 lines, many to or from the capital. This company was formed 17 March 2000, resulting from the merger of the previous Salcai and interurban lines Utinsa. There is also the Guagua Turística , which covers the most interesting sites of

344-620: A day) to around 300 in summer (average of 10 hours a day). It rains on average only 22 days a year, with total precipitation per year of only 151 mm (5.9 in). As of 2008 , nearly half (45.9%) of Gran Canaria's inhabitants live in Las Palmas, as well as 18.35% of the Canary Islands' total population. According to a study by the National Statistics Institute of Spain Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has

430-459: A growing Chinese population. One street near the city's port has a number of Korean businesses, and has been called the city's Koreatown. It caters to Korean sailors who arrive at the island, who affectionately call the city the "Second Busan ", after the port city in South Korea. Ethnically, most autochthonous Canarians are descendants of a mixture of aboriginal people ( guanches ) of

516-540: A life expectancy of 80.9 years. Throughout history, Las Palmas received waves of immigrants from mainland Spain and countries from every continent. The majority of the population is Spanish, although large North- and sub-Saharan African and Latin American communities exist (especially the Venezuelan community , which is growing fast), as well as important historical minorities such as Indians ( Sindhi ), Koreans , and

602-661: A luxury hotel complex, the Lopesan Costa Meloneras Hotel in Maspalomas . The hotel consists of buildings designed in a Canarian Spanish Colonial Revival style to recreate the historic environment of Agüimes, including a copy of the church. The Agüimes municipality's territory is rich in historical sites, among which the El Maipés necropolis in Agaete is a well-known site. The caves and granaries of

688-416: A round shape, with a diameter of approximately 50 km (31 mi) and a surface area of 1,560 km (600 sq mi). Gran Canaria's maximum elevation is 1,956 metres (6,417 ft) at Morro de la Agujereada , although the nearby Pico de las Nieves has traditionally been considered the island's tallest peak. The coastline measures 236 km. About 80% of the volume of the island was formed during

774-545: A series of surprises to a visit to the old town. The local plan for 'rural tourism' has led to the development of other small visitor centres on the district, the biggest of which is in the Guayadeque ravine . This area has many cave houses dating back hundreds of years, and a complete village excavated into the hillside, still occupied today, with its own cave chapel , cave bar and cave restaurants . The Temisas Astronomical Observatory , on Montaña de Arriba near Temisas,

860-417: Is 21.2 °C (70.2 °F) – 28 °C (82 °F) during the day and 18 °C (64 °F) at night. In January, the coldest month, the temperature typically ranges from 19 to 23 °C (66 to 73 °F) (and sometimes higher) during the day, and around 15 to 16 °C (59 to 61 °F) at night, with an average sea temperature at 20 °C (68 °F). In the warmest months – August and September –

946-492: Is a noted example of Canarian Neoclassical architecture . Construction of the church started in 1796 and it was only completed in 1940. Twenty-three kilometres (14 miles) south-west of Agüimes on the south coast of the island there stands a full-scale replica of the San Sebastián Church. It was erected in 2014 by the hotelier Eustasio López González  [ es ] , who originated from Agüimes, as part of

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1032-462: Is a popular visitor attraction, offering regular events related to astronomy . Sporting activities are also very important in the area, with its windsurfing and scuba diving recognized as "world-class". The windsurfing world cup at Pozo Izquierdo is an important event on the PWA World Tour . The whole of the coast in this area can provide challenging windsurfing conditions at any time of

1118-714: Is also known for its annual carnaval . It was the first stop of Christopher Columbus' expedition on his way back from the Americas, a commemoration of which is the Hermitage of San Antonio Abad, where the navigator prayed, and the Casa de Colón . Other attractions in the capital city include the Museo Canario (the most important archaeology museum in the archipelago), the cathedral and the Plaza del Espíritu Santo . In Teror

1204-467: Is also the second longest superhighway in the Canary Islands. The road provides easy access from the Airport to the major cities and resorts, which include Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés . The increase in tourism over the years has necessitated the route's upgrading and widening to cope with traffic growth. The GC-1 begins south of the downtown area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the highway runs within

1290-602: Is also the third most populated island in Spain. In antiquity , Gran Canaria was populated by the North African Canarii , who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. In the medieval period , after over a century of European incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on 29 April 1483, by the Crown of Castile , under Queen Isabella I . The Canarian queen Abenchara was captured and imprisoned by

1376-399: Is currently suspended due to funding difficulties. Las Palmas is home to three major professional sports teams. These are: Gran Canaria Gran Canaria ( UK : / ˌ ɡ r æ n k ə ˈ n ɛər i ə , - ˈ n ɑːr -/ , US : / ˌ ɡ r ɑː n k ə ˈ n ɑːr i ə , - ˈ n ɛər -/ ; Spanish: [ɡɾaŋ kaˈnaɾja] ), also Grand Canary Island ,

1462-406: Is held to have started some 2.8 million years ago and is considered to be still active. The last eruptions are held to have occurred some 2000 years ago. The changes in volume and, therefore, weight of the island have also caused the island to rise above the previous sea level during erosive periods and to sink during eruptive periods. Some of these "fossil beaches" can be seen in the cliff faces of

1548-633: Is home to CB Gran Canaria – a basketball club playing in Liga ACB at the Gran Canaria Arena , with a capacity of 11,000. The island is also home to UD Las Palmas – a football club playing in La Liga at the Estadio de Gran Canaria , with a capacity of 32,392. Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) holds its annual competitions at Pozo - Pozo Izquierdo: This spot, which is situated in

1634-485: Is located in the Atlantic Ocean in a region known as Macaronesia about 150 kilometres (93 mi) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1,350 km (840 mi) from Europe. With an area of 1,560 km (600 sq mi) and an altitude of 1,956 m (6,417 ft) at Morro de la Agujereada , Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the archipelago in both area and altitude. Gran Canaria

1720-430: Is located in the eastern part of the island, about 18 km (11 mi) from Las Palmas city centre. In 2008, it handled 10,212,106 passengers and 33,695,248 kg (74,285,306 lb) of cargo, and is the fourth busiest in Spain. It is also the only airport on the islands with two runways, thus can accommodate up to 53 landings and take-offs per hour. The lengthy runways made the airport an alternative landing site for

1806-523: Is located in the northeastern part of the island of Gran Canaria, about 150 km (93 mi) west of the Moroccan coast in the Atlantic Ocean . Las Palmas experiences a hot desert climate , offset by the local cooler Canary Current , with warm temperatures throughout the year. It has an average annual temperature of 21.2 °C (70.2 °F). The city was founded in 1478, and considered

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1892-779: Is one of the main attractions for tourists. The city center of Las Palmas, specifically the Vegueta and Triana neighbourhoods, are included in the tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The city has 11 municipal libraries and there are three specialized centres: A library is also situated on the first floor of Woermann Tower . Source: Among the places of worship , they are predominantly Christian churches and temples: Roman Catholic Diocese of Canarias ( Catholic Church ), Spanish Evangelical Church ( World Communion of Reformed Churches ), Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain ( Baptist World Alliance ), Assemblies of God . There are also Muslim mosques. Urban road infrastructure

1978-411: Is overburdened on workdays and in certain areas; the city street plan is not at all rectilinear, and may be confusing even to experienced drivers. However, there are no toll roads; entrances, exits, main streets and important zones are all well-signposted. Las Palmas, being the centre of the Las Palmas metropolitan area, is the hub for the island's motorway network. The city is linked with three highways:

2064-695: Is responsible for inspecting all types of imports and exports between the European Economic Union and its trading partners. Muelle Deportivo is the main yachting marina on the island opposite the commercial port with a capacity of 1250 boats. Close to the centre of the city it is popular with yachtsmen largely as a base for preparing their trans Atlantic passage. It is the start point for the ARC and ARC+ ( Atlantic Rally for Cruisers ) in which up to 300 yachts of different sizes leave in November for

2150-538: Is that the islands name derives from the people Canario or Canarii living near the Atlas mountain range . Jean de Béthencourt named the island Gran Canaria as the people on the island were valorous opponents to his conquest . Gran Canaria is located in the Canary Islands archipelago southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura . The island is of volcanic origin, mostly made of fissure vents . It has

2236-580: Is the first Mid-Atlantic fishing base, with an annual traffic of more than 4,500 stopovers and with some 400,000 tons of frozen fish processed. Despite experiencing some decline in recent years, it retains its dominance in the fishing industry over other ports in the Canary Islands. At the foot of pier, special refrigerated containers and preparation rooms for frozen products can carry out the entire chain of post-processing and storage of fish, from refrigeration and distribution, to manufacture and supply of industrial ice. The port's EU-approved border inspection post

2322-462: Is the only commercial airport on the island. The large number of aircraft and passengers passing through it each year make it one of the busiest in Spain. Gran Canaria is also responsible for all air traffic control in the Canaries. By destination island, Gran Canaria is the second island that congregates the largest number of passengers in the Canary Islands. Car rental companies that have offices in

2408-480: Is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands , an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa and is part of Spain. As of 2023 the island had a population of 862,893 that constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , the capital of the island, is the biggest city of the Canary Islands and the ninth of Spain. Gran Canaria

2494-426: Is under protection as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO . The number of annual visitors was 3.6 million in 2014 (of which 450.000 Spaniards). It is the second island in the archipelago in number of annual tourists, after Tenerife. Most of the tourists visit the southern part of the island. The north tends to be cooler, while the south is warmer and sunny. The east coast of the island is flat, dotted with beaches, while

2580-598: The de facto (without legal and real recognition) capital of the Canary Islands until the seventeenth century. It is the home of the Canarian Ministry of Presidency (shared in a four-year term with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), as well as half of the ministries and boards of the Canarian government, and the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands. The city was founded by Juan Rejón on 24 June 1478, with

2666-502: The Canary Islands , in the Atlantic Ocean . It is the capital city of the Canary Islands (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife ) and the most populous city in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, and the ninth-largest city in Spain with a population of 381,223 in 2020. It is also the fifth-most populous urban area in Spain and (depending on sources) ninth or tenth most populous metropolitan area in Spain. Las Palmas

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2752-517: The GC-1 to the south, the GC-2 to the west and GC-3 acting as a city bypass connecting the other two. The GC-1 links the capital with Puerto de Mogán in the south. It is the fastest route from the top of the island to the bottom and vice versa with a speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph). It is approximately 75 km (47 mi) in length and runs along the eastern and the southern coasts, and

2838-521: The Gran Canaria Cabildo and the autonomous Canary Islands' Government, though the discussion with the central Spanish Government hinges now on budget. The planned 57 km (35 mi) railway line would run between Las Palmas and Meloneras, with the section in the capital running entirely underground as far as the suburb of Jinámar. The line is planned to have 11 stations, including an underground station at Gran Canaria Airport. The scheme

2924-548: The Gran Canaria Cabildo to develop a rapid transit railway line on Gran Canaria. If built, the Tren de Gran Canaria (TGC) line would run along the eastern coast and connect Las Palmas with the airport and Maspalomas in the south. In 2004 the Spanish Ministry of Development put a contract out to competitive tender for a feasibility study on a 50 km railway line from Las Palmas to Maspalomas. This railway project

3010-524: The Miocene period eruptions, between 14 and 9 million years ago. This is called the "Old Cycle" and is estimated to have lasted some 200,000 years and have emitted about 1,000 km (240 cu mi), mostly of fissural alkali basalt . This cycle continued with the emission of trachytes , phonolites and peralkaline rocks. This period was followed by one of erosion, which lasted some 4 million years. A second cycle of volcanic eruptions, known as

3096-629: The Province of Canary Islands was split into two provinces: of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria became the capital of the latter, and integrated the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Las Palmas is a sister city of San Antonio, Texas , in the United States, which was founded in 1718 by about 25 Canary Islanders. Las Palmas is divided into five administrative districts, which in turn are subdivided into districts, not necessarily consistent with

3182-513: The Tenerife airport disaster . Pliny claimed that the island was named for the dogs on the island, of which two were presented as a gift to Juba , King of Mauretania . This opinion is disputed as when the Europeans arrived on the island, no dogs were found. Another source suggested the way the natives ate fish was doglike and this was the reason for its name. A more plausible assumption

3268-550: The necropolis of Maipés ), and the port of Sardina del Norte (one of the island's ports where, as in Las Palmas', Christopher Columbus used to get supplies for his ships). Heading west along the southern coast is the fishing city of Arguineguín in the Municipality of Mogán . The official natural symbols associated with Gran Canaria are the Canary Mastiff and Euphorbia canariensis (Cardón) Nearly half of

3354-493: The "Roque Nublo cycle", took place between 4.5 and 3.4 million years ago. This shorter cycle emitted about 100 km (24 cu mi). Most of the inland peaks were formed by erosion from these materials. This period also started with fissural basalts, but ended with violent eruptions of pyroclastic flows . Some phonolitic features, like the Risco Blanco, were also formed in its last stages. The third or recent cycle

3440-406: The "archaeological site" category) in the municipality of Santa María de Guía bears testimony of it by being the largest pre-Hispanic collective granary of the Canaries. This island is called a "miniature continent" due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found, with long beaches and dunes of white sand, contrasting with green ravines and picturesque villages. A third of the island

3526-650: The 1960s, Gran Canaria was selected as the location for one of the 14 ground stations in the Manned Space Flight Network (MSFN) to support the NASA space program. Maspalomas Station , located in the south of the island, took part in a number of space missions including the Apollo 11 Moon landings and Skylab . Today it continues to support satellite communications as part of the ESA network. The island

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3612-512: The Americas. He also stopped there on the way back to Spain. The Colón House  [ es ] - a museum in the Vegueta  [ es ] district of the city - is named after him. In 1595, Francis Drake tried to plunder the town, leading to the Battle of Las Palmas . A Dutch raid under vice-admiral Pieter van der Does in 1599 was only slightly more successful; some of the town

3698-599: The Audience site in Temisas and the caves and hillocks in Avila have been declared Sites of cultural interest in 2016. Las Palmas Las Palmas ( UK : / ˌ l æ s ˈ p æ l m ə s , - ˈ p ɑː l -/ , US : / ˌ l ɑː s ˈ p ɑː l m ə s , - m ɑː s / ; Spanish: [las ˈpalmas] ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria , in

3784-501: The Canary Islands (now extinct), the Spanish conquistadores and later European (mainly Spanish, Portuguese, Flemish , French, Italian, German, and British) colonizers. Las Palmas is home to University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , founded in 1989. The city also has a variety of state and public primary and secondary schools. International schools include: The Escuela Complementaria Japonesa de Las Palmas previously provided

3870-663: The Caribbean. Las Palmas boasts a bus system, provided by the company Guaguas Municipales . Municipal Bus Lines offers 40 urban transport routes. The main lines are the 1 (Teatro – Puerto), 2 (Alameda de Colón – Puerto), 17 (Teatro – El Rincón), 25 (Campus Universitario – El Rincón), 12 (Puerto – Hoya de la Plata) and 30 (Alameda de Colón – Santa Catalina, via Rehoyas). In addition, two circular lines (A: Santa Catalina – Santa Catalina, via Alcaraveneras) and B (Santa Catalina – Santa Catalina, via Ciudad Alta). The most important bus lines have frequencies of between 3 and 15 minutes during

3956-550: The GC31 at a roundabout interchange. The freeway runs within the beaches and the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean for the half part but at around the 20th km, it becomes a highway after the unidirectional parclo interchanges and runs within the coastline, it later has several interchanges and several towns as it passes to the northwest and finally, it ends in Agaete. Las Palmas is served by Gran Canaria Airport , also called Las Palmas Airport ( IATA : LPA , ICAO : GCLP ). The airport

4042-605: The NASA Space Shuttle . This airport is also a base for Binter Canarias and Canaryfly , airlines which operate regional inter-island flights within the Canary Islands. An airbase of the Spanish Air Force is located to the east of the runways. Beyond several hangars opposite the passenger terminal, the Gando Air Base ( Base Aérea de Gando ) contains ten shelters situated on the southern end of

4128-555: The Port of La Luz, where Trasmediterránea operates a weekly ferry route to Cádiz on the Spanish mainland, and the Port of Las Nieves , located in Agaete on the west side of the island, where Fred Olsen Express operates a catamaran ferry service to Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Plans for a Tren de Gran Canaria railway network linking the capital with the south have been approved by both

4214-584: The Roque de Gando, and the Peñón Bermejo. Traditionally, the highest peak of the island has been considered to be the Pico de las Nieves , at 1,949 metres (6,394 ft); however, Morro de la Agujereada is taller, at 1,956 metres (6,417 ft). The capital city is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Las Canteras beach , a protected area and diving zone, lies in the heart of the city. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

4300-430: The Spanish during the conquest. The conquest succeeded after a war that lasted five years, and it was an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain. The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded on 24 June 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón , head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on

4386-587: The TransGC Card, which is valid across the whole network. Inter-urban bus services across the island are operated by the Global bus company. Global was created in 2000 after the merger of two bus companies, Utinsa (which operated in the north of the island) and Salcai (the bus operator for the south). Local bus services in Las Palmas are run by the municipal bus company, Guaguas Municipales de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria Airport ( IATA : LPA)

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4472-435: The airports are: Autoreisen , Avis, Cicar, Europcar, Goldcar (only south airport), Hertz, Sixt and TopCar. The most important ports in the island are the Port of Las Palmas ( Puerto de la Luz ), in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ; Arguineguín , which exports cement from a large factory; and Arinaga , located in the main industrial zone of Canaries and one of the major ones of Spain. The main passenger ports are

4558-422: The area and has spurred the development of a new purpose-built port which is due to open in 2007. The district was not at one time a major tourist destination, but after the careful restoration of the old town, this has become the best example of a traditional Canarian hill town . The streets of the old town exude a gentle, relaxed, timeless atmosphere, and the carefully positioned street statues and sculptures add

4644-551: The armies sent by the Catholic monarchs. Even so, resistance was fierce. The end of the conquest came in 1483, with the incorporation of the island into the Crown of Castile by Pedro de Vera  [ ca ; de ; es ; fr ; ro ; ru ] , who managed to subjugate the natives of Gáldar in the northwest of the island. 20 November 1485 the diocese was transferred from El Rubicón (Lanzarote) to Real de Las Palmas. The importance of

4730-511: The beach of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and 2 km (1 mi) south intersects with the GC-2 and later runs with a few clover leaf interchanges and later forms a junction with GC-5 and south, the GC-31. The GC-2 North Highway connects Las Palmas with the small northern port and village of Agaete . The highway begins by the beach area of the island, and runs through the downtown area, linking with

4816-654: The botanical gardens Jardín Canario (in Tafira Alta) and Cactualdea (in La Aldea de San Nicolás ). El Dedo de Dios , or "God's Finger", was a rocky spire jutting from the sea in Puerto de las Nieves , and was previously the signature attraction of the Canary Islands until it was destroyed by tropical storm Delta that crossed the archipelago in November 2005. Other well-known rock formations are El Cura (also known as El Fraile), The Frog (La Rana), Roque Bentayga ,

4902-400: The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife . Gran Canaria has roads encircling the whole island and extending into the mountain areas. In the late 20th century, its dual carriageway, among the first in the Canary Islands, were opened and run around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and were later extended to

4988-749: The city grew gradually, with the establishment of the Bishopric of the Canary Islands, the first Court of the Holy Inquisition, the Royal Court of the Canary Islands and the residence of the Captains General of the Canary Islands. Although the capital, as understood from the 19th century onwards, did not exist as such in the archipelago, given that the Captain General's Residence was in Las Palmas, it can be considered that this

5074-514: The city with a guide in several languages. There is currently no rail transport system on Gran Canaria. Between 1893 and 1944 steam tram ran between Las Palmas and Puerto de La Luz . The line was electrified in 1910, although the line reverted to steam traction in 1944, when trams were hauled by a steam locomotive known as La Pepa . A reproduction of this locomotive is now on display in the Elder Museum  [ es ] in Las Palmas. In

5160-399: The coast. Inland the climate is still mild but mountainous areas see the occasional frost or snow. Annual rainfall averages 228 mm (9.0 in), most of this falling in the cooler months, with July, August and September normally rainless. Rainfall is unevenly distributed through the island with some areas being much drier than others. Cloud cover and sunshine is often quite variable during

5246-433: The cooler months, and there can be several rather cloudy days at times in winter. Summers are generally quite sunny however, with the south of the island being most favoured. Until the conquest, Gran Canaria had extensive forests, but then suffered extensive deforestation as a result of continuous logging, land divisions and other intensive uses. This reduced the forest cover to just 56,000 hectares (140,000 acres), making

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5332-536: The day and between 10 and 40 minutes at night; some lines have service throughout the night. The bright yellow buses are known simply as 'guaguas'. The 10-ride ticket ('bono de diez') was once a disposable paper card ticket with magnetic stripe at one time widely available in city shops. This is now replaced by a reusable plastic card issued by the company which may be re-charged in multiples of 10 at bus stations and at machines situated at various sites such as public libraries. The Tarjeta Insular (Island Card) which offered

5418-470: The early 1970s an experimental elevated railway line operated through Las Palmas. Called the Tren Vertebrado ("vertebrate train"), it was designed by Basque engineer Alejandro Goicoechea and consisted of an unusual low-profile train running on elevated concrete tracks through the city. The project was unsuccessful and was dismantled in 1974. In the early 21st century, plans were put forward by

5504-497: The eastern part of the Canary Islands community. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the provincial capital, one of the two capitals of the Canary Islands along with Santa Cruz de Tenerife . The island of Gran Canaria is governed by the Cabildo insular de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria Island itself is divided into twenty-one smaller municipalities : The island has a population at the start of 2023 of 862,893 - with 380,863 of those in

5590-491: The eastern runway. Puerto de Las Palmas (Las Palmas Port), also known as Puerto de la Luz , is a main port for fishing, commercial, passenger and sports in the northwest of the city. It has been the traditional base for scale and supplying ships on their way through the Middle Atlantic for five centuries. The Port of Las Palmas is not only the first port of the Canary Islands, it is one of the main ports of Spain and

5676-423: The first of the geographical area of West Africa. As the leading port in the mid-Atlantic, it serves as the crossroads between Europe, Africa and America. In 2007, the port received some 11,262 ships; it welcomed a total of 907,782 cruise passengers, a 16.26% increase on 2006. In terms of annual TEU , the port of Las Palmas ranks as the 5th in Spain, and is among the first 15 ports of Europe. The Port of Las Palmas

5762-573: The island territory — 667 km (258 sq mi) (42.7% of island) — is under protection from the Red Canaria de Espacios Naturales Protegidos ( Canary Islands Network for Protected Natural Areas ). Of the 146 protected sites under control of network in the Canary Islands archipelago, a total of 33 are located in Gran Canaria, the second most protected island in the group. There are seven different categories of protection: In

5848-434: The island the most deforested of the Canary Islands. However, in the twentieth century reforestation of the ridge of the island was begun, recovering some of the lost forest mass. Much of the summit of the island is forested mostly due to reforestation . Gran Canaria is in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands ( Islas Canarias ). It lies within the Province of Las Palmas , a Spanish province which consists of

5934-424: The island) on his first trip to the Americas. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is, jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife , the capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. Much of Iberian migration to the island consisted of conversos of Jewish origin. On 27 March 1977, a bomb went off in Gran Canaria Airport, the main airport on the island. Flights were diverted to the nearby Tenerife Airport: this led to

6020-455: The island. Still further to the west along the southern shore, in the Municipality of Mogán, are the communities of Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán , a village referred to as "Little Venice" on account of its many canals. Other attractions include Cocodrilos Park, Roque Nublo (an 80 m monolith), Cenobio de Valerón with more than 350 storage cavities, Painted cave of Galdar the most important archaeological park in Canary Islands, or

6106-403: The local dialect as guaguas . The Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria Transport Authority, TGC) manages the network and operates a number of bus stations across the island, including San Telmo and Santa Catalina bus stations in Las Palmas, Maspalomas and Galdar. Bus tickets may be purchased with cash, and AUTGC also operates a contactless electronic ticket called

6192-624: The more eroded northern coast. According to the Köppen climate classification , Gran Canaria is considered to have a hot desert climate (BWh) due to its severe lack of precipitation. Gran Canaria has consistent warm temperatures in spring, summer and autumn, and mild winters. Gran Canaria is noted for its rich variety of microclimates . Generally speaking though, the average daytime high ranges from 20 °C (68 °F) in winter to 26 °C (79 °F) in summer. Some cool nights occur in winter, but lows below 10 °C (50 °F) are unknown near

6278-516: The municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana) and Gáldar , that contains an important diving zone. In Arucas there is a Neogothic temple, popularly known as "Arucas' Cathedral", as well as a large fertile plain where bananas are grown. In Gáldar and its surroundings there is also a banana-growing plain and some remarkable archaeological remains, such as the Painted cave of Galdar or the cenobio de Valerón 's communal silos, ancient tombs (among which

6364-525: The name "Real de Las Palmas". Rejón was head of the invading Castilian army, which then engaged in war with the locals. The war began at the mouth of the Guiniguada ravine, where he settled together with his 30 soldiers El Real de Las Palmas, which today is the district of Vegueta . The struggle lasted for a period of five years, costing a great number of lives, especially on the aboriginal side, which lacked sufficient means to defend itself against

6450-401: The north coast and the airport and subsequently to the south coast in response to increased tourist traffic. The only highway of Gran Canaria are GC1 . Dual carriageway is GC2 , and GC31 , GC4 and GC5 . The western and the north-western parts, with the fewest inhabitants, are linked only with main roads. Public transport around Gran Canaria is provided by an extensive bus network, known in

6536-501: The protected area of the Guayadeque ravine , where even the church has been built into the mountainside and visitors can find a number of popular cave restaurants. The district also includes the most renowned scuba diving area on the island: the marine reserve at the playa de El Cabrón just outside the town of Arinaga. Other important towns are Telde , known among other things for their surf schools in Salinetas, Vecindario (within

6622-479: The shrine of Virgen del Pino ("Virgin of the Pine"), patron saint of Gran Canaria, can be found. Its feast is celebrated on 8 September. The town of Agüimes , on the eastern part of the island, has been carefully restored and its town centre, centered on its old church and a peaceful square, now evokes the quiet living of a traditional Canarian town. The district also has some of the best preserved cave dwellings, in

6708-420: The temperature typically ranges from 27 to 30 °C (81 to 86 °F) during the day, above 21 °C (70 °F) at night, with the average sea temperature at 23 °C (73 °F). Large fluctuations in temperature are rare. August 1990 was the warmest month on record, with the average maximum temperature of the month during the day being 30.6 °C (87.1 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded

6794-545: The towns of San Agustín , Playa del Inglés and Meloneras . The Maspalomas Dunes are located between Playa del Inglés ("The Englishman's Beach") and the distinctive 19th century Maspalomas lighthouse . Playa del Ingles is home to the Yumbo Centre, which was opened in 1982 and has almost 200 shops, including bars, restaurants, cafes, fashion boutiques, electronic outlets and jewellery stores. In Tarajalillo, an Aeroclub exists from where tourist flights can be taken over

6880-491: The traditional neighborhoods. The city has four main beaches: Las Canteras , Las Alcaravaneras, La Laja, and El Confital. Las Palmas has a hot desert climate (according to the Koppen climate classification: BWh ) with tropical climate influences has the average temperature on the coldest month does not drop below 18 °C (64 °F). Summers are dry and warm, while winters are also warm. Its average annual temperature

6966-537: The western coast is rockier and mountainous. The island possesses 32 Natural Protected Spaces, notably the Rural Park of Nublo, The Doramas Jungle, the Azuaje Ravine, Tamadaba, Pino Santo, etc. In the south there is a large bird park, Palmitos Park , as well as many beach resort communities. Resorts are concentrated in the central eastern part of the southern coast in the Maspalomas area, which includes

7052-552: The year. The main area for scuba diving in Gran Canaria is in the area known as the 'El Cabrón' marine reserve, next to the town of Arinaga. The diving in this area includes caves, arches, walls and volcanic reefs where an extremely wide range of sub-tropical marine species can be found, from tiny seahorses up to rays and angel sharks . In the centre of the town, the large, domed Church of San Sebastián  [ es ] in Plaza Nuestra Señora del Rosario

7138-571: Was 44.2 °C (111.6 °F), and the coldest temperature ever recorded was 9.4 °C (48.9 °F). The highest wind speed ever recorded was on 28 November 2005, measuring 113 km/h (70.21 mph). Las Palmas city has never recorded any snow or sleet. Annual average relative humidity is 66%, ranging from 64% in March to 69% in October. The amount of annual sunshine hours is above 2,800 per year, from around 190 in winter (average of six hours

7224-523: Was destroyed, but the raiders were repelled. Las Palmas' seaport, Puerto de la Luz (known internationally as La Luz port ), the construction of which began in 1883 played significant role in modernizing the city and sped up its advancement. The port benefited greatly from the closure of the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis . Many foreign workers migrated to the city at this time. In 1927,

7310-559: Was first announced in 2009, with a planned operational date in 2015. A public company called Ferrocarriles de Gran Canaria has been formed by the Cabildo's Gran Canaria Transport Authority. Plans were still being discussed in 2018. Gran Canaria agriculture is unique among the Canaries islands in that it was traditionally dominated by plantations, with much of these being grains as well as sugarcane , rather than by stock-breeding. The caves of Valerón (a property of cultural interest in

7396-479: Was the capital of the Canary Islands during part of the 16th and 17th centuries; afterwards, although without legal or real significance, it continued to be considered the honorary capital of the Canary archipelago. In 1492, Christopher Columbus (Spanish: Cristóbal Colón) anchored in the port of Las Palmas for a repair of the rudder of his ship Pinta and spent some time on the neighbour island on his first trip to

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