The Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. They belong to Spain but are close to the coast of Africa. There are seven main islands and many smaller ones. The islands are warm and sunny all year long. People love visiting for the beaches, mountains, and volcanoes.

Volcanic Islands

The Canary Islands were made by volcanoes under the sea. Tall mountains rise out of the water, and many are still active. The biggest is Mount Teide on the island of Tenerife. It is the highest mountain in all of Spain. The ground on the islands is often dark from old lava. In 2021, a volcano on La Palma erupted for almost three months.

Plants and Animals

The Canary Islands have many plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. The dragon tree has a big umbrella-shaped top and a red sap that looks like blood. Small lizards scurry over the rocks. Whales and dolphins swim in the waters around the islands. The islands were even named after dogs, not birds, because of the large dogs early visitors saw here.

Fun Facts

• The Canary Islands are named after dogs, from the Latin word 'canis'.
• Mount Teide is 12,198 feet tall.
• The small Canary bird that people keep as pets comes from these islands.

Did You Know?

On the island of La Gomera, people use a special whistling language called Silbo Gomero to talk across the deep valleys.