| Lanzarote is situated just 70 miles off the coast of Africa and is the most easterly
of the Canary Islands. The island itself is 37 miles (60km) long and 12 miles (20 km) wide, and is the fourth largest island in the Canaries.
As with the other Canary Islands, Lanzarote is Volcanic in origin. The landscape is often described as 'lunar' or 'Martian', so much so that parts of 'Planet of the Apes' were shot here. Lanzarote has the longest Volcanic Tunnel in the world, known as the Atlantida Tunnel Despite the Volcanic nature of the island, Lanzarote has several beautiful white beaches. The south is dry and sparsely populated and very popular with the tourists because of its beautiful golden beaches around EL Papagayo. The north around the village Haría is unexpectedly green and sumptuous and forms the agricultural part of the island.
There are still fishermen actively working and further inland near the white villages you can still find a strange, traditional kind of agriculture. Nowhere else in the
world is vine cultivated the way it is in Lanzarote. The vines are grown in funnels
of clinker each surrounded by a little wall and the clinker collects the dew and the funnel directs it towards the vines.
The charm of the island is created by a combination of the primeval, volcanic nature, the tranquil life of the natives, the sea and the reasonable way of dealing with tourism. Costa Teguise and Puerto del Carmen are the touristic hotspots of this individual island which is biosphere reservation protected by the UNESCO. The local authorities do not allow high rise buildings or billboard advertising (with the exception of the Grand Hotel in Arrecife).
History / Places of Interest
The name Lanzarote is the direct translation into spanish of lancolot (lancelloto).
At the time of Marcello´s arrival a king, Zonzamas, ruled the island. The name is still borne by the ruins of his palace which stand on a plateau near San Bartolome, considered one of the most important archeological sites in the Canary Islands.
The original inhabitants, (known as the Gaunches), were divided into three levels: the royal family, the noblemen and the people. The people at the bottom of the hierarchy laboured and fished while those at the top occupied positions of command and administered justice. King Zonzamas was succeeded by Ico, his daughter, and her consort, guanarteme. They in turn, were followed by their son gaurdafia who was the ruler at the time of the spanish colonisers led by Juan De Bethencourt in 1402.
In 1987 Lanzarote was declared one of the six universal models of sustainable development by the World Tourism Organization and in 1994 it was declared a Reserve of the Biosphere by UNESCO. Lanzarote is the most easterly of the seven major Canary Islands and lies in the Atlantic Ocean only some 100 km (60 miles) from the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. The island enjoys an average temperature of 22ºC all year-round due to its advantageous location in the Tropic of Cancer.
Weather
Lanzarote enjoys a mild dry climate with average daytime temperatures ranging from about 21°C in January to 29°C in August. Annual rainfall is just 140mm (5.5 inches) and this makes Lanzarote the perfect year-round destination.
Population / Demographics
Size: 795 m²
Population: ca. 53.100
Capital: Arrecife
Economy
Before the influx of Tourism the mainstays of the economy were agriculture and fishing. Cereals, potatoes, fruit and vegetables of various types, not only formed part of the local market, but were also exported. Fishing, which was also for local consumption, formed an integral part of the export industry.
Transport
Lanzarote airport is located At Las Palmas (capital) and there are many Airlines / Tour Operators flying to Lanzarote Airport (ACE) including British Airways, Iberia and many of the British lowcost companies. Wherever you stay on the island you will never be further away than one hours travel from the airport.
Education
The Colegio Hispano Británico was founded in 1976, the school accepts children between the ages of three and 19 with a maximum of 250 children. It is situated
in a quiet countryside position a mile behind the San Antonio Hotel in Puerto del Carmen. Facilities include four laboratories taking Biology, Chemistry and
Physics to "A" Level and covering Technology and Computer Studies. |
