Canary Islands

The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands consists of two provinces, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, whose capitals (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife) are co-capitals of the autonomous community. Each of the seven major islands is ruled by an assembly named cabildo insular.

The international boundary of the Canaries is the subject of dispute between Spain and Morocco. Morocco does not agree that the laws regarding territorial limits allow Spain to claim for itself sea-bed boundaries based on the territory of the Canaries, because the Canary Islands are autonomous. The boundary is relevant for possible seabed oil deposits and other ocean resource exploitation. Morocco therefore does not formally agree to the territorial boundary; it rejected a 2002 unilateral Spanish proposal. Morocco has also made some vague historical claims to the Canary Islands themselves, but these claims have not been formally pursued.

The Islands have 13 seats in the Senate. Of these, 11 seats are directly elected, 3 for Tenerife, 3 for Gran Canaria, 1 for each other island; 2 seats are indirectly elected by the regional Autonomous Government.

The nearest island is 108 km from the northwest African coast. The islands form the Macaronesia ecoregion with the Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira, and the Savage Isles. The Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain, and the third largest volcano on Earth. According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry. Several native species are laurisilva forests.

Ski resorts

Beach resorts

Corralejo, Costa Caleta (Caleta de Fuste), Maspalomas, Playa Amadores, Playa del Cura, Playa Del Ingles, Playa Meloneras, Puerto Rico, Costa Teguise, Matagorda, Playa Blanca, Playa De Los Pocillos, Puerto del Carmen, Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas

Spa resorts

Sands Beach Villas, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote; Hesperia Lanzarote, Puerto Calero, Lanzarote; Sheraton La Caleta Resort & Spa, Playa De Las Americas, Grand Hotel Residencia, Hotel Palm Beach, Melia Tamarindos, Grand Melia Salinas, Grand Melia Volcan, Princesa Yaiza, Grande Tacande, Jardines de Nivaria, Mare Nostrum Resort, Cleopatra Palace, Julio Cesar, Marco Antonio Palace, Mediterranean Palace, Sir Anthony Hotel, Aloe Spa

Golf regions

Hotel Las Madrigueras, Playa de las Americas, Tenerife, Sands Beach Villas, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote; Hesperia Lanzarote, Puerto Calero, Lanzarote; Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort, Costa Adeje, Tenerife; Sheraton Mencey Hotel, Santa Cruz, Tenerife; Mare Nostrum Resort, Arona, Tenerife, Gran Melia Volcan Lanzarote, Yaiza, Lanzarote