The Canary Islands I

The Arrival of the Guanches in the Canary Islands

In between fiery volcanoes and salty oceans

Salty ocean, the Canary Islands (2019). Image source: Unsplash.

The Canary Islands are born out of volcanic fire, a process that is still ongoing. What we see of the islands is just the tip of the iceberg, as the biggest part is underwater. The fortunate islands (another name for the Canary Islands) are as high as the Andean mountain chain. To be precise they are 6.000–7.500 meters high, counted from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Moreover, they form an actual underwater mountain chain whose tops peek out of the water in the form of islands. The first islands to be born were Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, and the last ones; La Palma and Hierro. Most of them were born as twins.

Map of the Canary Islands (1900). Image source: Britannica.

If you are unfamiliar with the Canary Islands archipelago and want to familiarise yourself a bit more, you can read the following article.