Lanzarote Tourist Information
Lanzarote, an island of volcanic origin, created in the region of thirty five
million years ago, is the fourth largest and most easterly of the Spanish,
Canary Islands. It can be found basking in the Atlantic Ocean, a thousand
kilometres from mainland Spain and one hundred and twenty five kilometres from
the coast of Africa.
The original name of the island from the native Guanche language is
Titero(y)gaca which is said to mean "the red mountains". However, the modern day
name of Lanzarote derives from the Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malocello. In
1404 the island was conquered by Juan Bethencourt of Spain and along with the
other Canary Islands, Lanzarote has been under Spanish rule ever since.
In the 1730's the island suffered the most devastating and lengthy volcanic
eruptions, lasting over five and a half years. Covering an area of eight square
kilometres, twenty five outbreaks occurred destroying the fertile vineyards and
small peaceful villages. However, the last recorded volcanic action to take
place on the island was back in the 19th century.
Lanzarote is closest to Fuerteventura, another Canary Island with only eleven
kilometres separating the two, and is elongated in shape, 60 kilometres in
length and around 25 kilometres wide. The coastline, which ranges from sandy to
extremely rocky stretches on for over 200 kilometres with the fabulous backdrop
of the Famara Mountains at the north of the island and the Ajaches to the south.
The climate of Lanzarote is quite stable all year round. With only 14 cm of rain
each year, the temperature averages out at around 21 degrees, reaching highs of
32 degrees in the summer and seeing drops to between 15 and 25 degrees during
the winter months. As Lanzarote is in the path of the North Atlantic trade
winds, there is often a breezy or even windy element created by the lower winds
which is a welcome cooling effect on those really hot summer days. Without these
winds the island would be similar in temperature to the Sahara. Lanzarote, being
the closest island to the Sahara sometimes experiences hot winds containing bits
of sand which appear like a fog descending and covering everything in its path
with a layer of orange coloured dust.
At the last count in 2006, there were 127,457 people living on the island.
The capital of the island is Arrecife, which accounts for just under half of the
total population. The Spanish take up around 73 %, Europeans, including British
in the region of 4 % and the remainder of the population constitutes people from
Colombia, Morocco, Ecuador, Western Africa, China and India.
Even though the number of tourists visiting Lanzarote continues to increase, the
local authorities remain in strict control with regard to development of the
island. For example, houses have to be painted white and enhanced with shutters
which can only be green in colour. There are no high-rise buildings or apartment
blocks with the exception of a hotel which was built in Arrecife and duly closed
down for breaking the rules.
You can find your way to Lanzarote by air into its own international airport
in Arrecife. It is a busy airport with over five and a half million visitors
during 2006. You can also reach Lanzarote from the other Canary Islands and
mainland Spain by ferry boat. Tourism has continued to be the islands main
industry for over forty years, with agriculture being the only other factor.
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