Canary Islands, a group of islands belonging to Spain in the Atlantic Ocean, off the NW. coast of Africa, in 27° 40'—29° 25' N. lat., and 13° 25'—18° 16' W. long., forming a Spanish province. The group consists of seven large and several small islets, with a joint area of about 2800 sq. m., and a pop. of (1887) 280,000. The principal islands, proceeding from east to west, are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, Palma, and Hierro or Ferro. The distance from Fuerteventura to the African coast is about 62½ geographical miles. The coasts are steep and rocky, and the surface is diversified with high mountains, narrow gorges, and deep valleys. All the islands are volcanic, and everywhere show plain marks of their origin, in the shape of cones, craters, beds of tuff and punice, and streams of lava; but eruptions have taken place within the historical period only in Tenerife, Palma, and Lanzarote. There are no rivers, and on several of the islands water is very scarce. The springs on those better supplied are diverted by long artificial channels for the purpose of irrigation.
Upwards of 900 species of wild flowering plants have been found on these islands. About 420 of them are peculiar to the group, and 48 others are common to it and to the other groups of North Atlantic islands, but found nowhere else. Above the region of cultivated plants in Tenerife and Grand Canary are found four species of laurel and other evergreen trees belonging to the genera Notelaea, Ardisia, Visnea, Rhamnus, &c. Higher still are forests of the handsome Pinus canariensis, and large tracts are covered with arborescent heaths and brooms of many species. Looking at the flora as a whole, it is seen to be mainly of a South European character, with a large infusion of genera allied to African types. As to the cultivated plants, the warmth of the lowest region allows of the growth of the sugar-cane, sweet potato, bananas, date-palm, and other natives of hot climates; whilst above, to the height of about 3000 feet, the vine and various cereals are cultivated in a climate resembling that of the south of Europe.
Minerals are few and of little importance. The temperature near the sea is genial. Taking Puerto Orotava on the north coast of Tenerife as an example, the annual mean is about 69.5° F.; the mean of January and February, the two coldest months, is ; the mean of August, the hottest month, is ; the daily range during the colder months is from to . The mean annual fall of rain amounts to about 14 inches, and the mean number of days on which rain falls during the year is 52. Rain falls irregularly on the coast from November to April; for the rest of the year the cultivators of the soil rely upon artificial irrigation. The north-east trade-winds prevail for eight months, April to October; during the remaining months south-west winds are prevalent. Occasionally the islands are visited by hot east and south-east winds from Africa, which bring dust and are otherwise disagreeable. In consequence of the higher temperature, the less rainfall, and drier atmosphere compared with Madeira, and of the much increased facilities for reaching the islands, Orotava and Las Palmas are coming into note as winter-resorts for invalids.
A few years ago cochineal was the staple production, but the competition of aniline dyes has been severely felt, and cochineal, no longer bringing in a good profit, has fallen into neglect. The cultivation of the vine (almost ruined after 1853 by the grape disease—see VINE) and sugar-cane is extending; wine being exported to the European continent, and sugar to Spain. Tobacco is also grown. The Spanish government is making great efforts to ameliorate the condition of the islands, and to attract commerce. Excellent roads have been formed; the ports of Santa Cruz and Las Palmas are being improved; a large harbour of refuge is in process of construction at Las Palmas, and the ports have been made free, no duties being levied on goods wherever they may come from. The steamers of many English and French lines now touch at the Canaries, and there are coal depôts at Santa Cruz and Las Palmas. British consuls or vice-consuls are stationed at these and other places in the islands. Submarine cables connect them telegraphically both with the continent of Europe and the African coast.
TENERIFE, the largest island of the group, has an area of 877 miles, with a population of 112,000. The chief town and port is Santa Cruz de Santiago (q.v.), on the south-east coast. It is the seat of the officials of the general government. The other towns are Laguna, a few miles from Santa Cruz, on a plain 1800 feet above the sea; Puerto Orotava, on the north coast; Villa Orotava, 1060 feet higher; and Icod de los Vinos, near which the largest existing dragon-tree grows. The famous Peak of Tenerife (q.v.) is in the north-west of the island.
GRAN CANARIA, which is next in importance, has an area of 753 sq. m., with a population of 80,000. Its culminating peak is El Cumbre, with a height of 6648 feet. The capital, Las Palmas (q.v.), on the east coast, is the largest town of the archipelago. The surface of this island is so broken that only a small part is under cultivation. At Artinara, at a height of 3850 feet, there is a village of caves, with a population of 1100 persons. A few miles from Las Palmas is the cone of Vandama, 1800 feet high, with an extinct crater, circular and perfect, 800 feet deep.
PALMA, a classic spot for geologists, has an area of 718 sq. m., and a population of 36,000. Its highest peak, Pico de los Muchachos, has an elevation of more than 7600 feet. The ancient crater of the Caldera is of enormous size, though open to the sea on one side. Capital, Santa Cruz de las Palmas (q.v.), on the east coast.
The area and population of the other islands are as follows: LANZAROTE is 323 sq. m., pop, 19,000; FUERTEVENTURA, 326 sq. m., pop, 15,000; GOMERA, 169 sq. m., pop, 13,000; HIERRO, 82 sq. m., pop, 5000. In former times the first meridian of longi- tude was commonly drawn through Hierro. The chief towns of these islands are small.
The Canaries are supposed to have been the Fortunate Islands of the ancients. The geographers of Greece and Rome were acquainted with their position, and King Juba's account of them has been preserved by the elder Pliny. For many centuries they were lost sight of, and not rediscovered until 1334, when a French vessel was driven amongst them by a storm. In 1402 the Norman Jean de Bethencourt fitted out an expedition for the purpose of subduing the islands, and in 1404, having obtained assistance from Spain, he succeeded in mastering four of them. His successor having sold his rights in Spain, they were afterwards acquired by the king, who sent a large force in 1477 to conquer the Guanches, a brave and intelligent race of large stature, and comparatively fair. Their origin is unknown, but they are assumed by many to have been of Berber or of Libyan stock. Their resistance was so stubborn, that it was not until 1495 that the last of the islands was mastered. They have been ever since the property of Spain. The Guanches suffered terribly from their conquerors, and have long ceased to exist as a separate people; but in the local museums may be seen specimens of their mummies, skeletons, weapons, and pottery works.
See books on the islands by Pegot-Ogier (Eng. trans. 1882); Olivia Stone (1888); C. Edwardes (1889); J. Whitford (1890); and J. H. T. Ellerbeck (1892).