Gran Canaria

Area: 1,532 sq.km/592 sq.mi

Population: 660,000

Gran Canaria draws larger numbers of holidaymakers than any of the other islands. Although its scenery is less spectacular than that of Tenerife, it has the great attraction of the beautiful sandy beaches in the south of the island and is well equipped with sport and entertainment facilities.

Topography

The center of Gran Canaria, which is almost exactly circular in form, is occupied by a range of mountains which reach their highest point in the Pozo de las Nieves (1,949m/6,395ft). This central mountain massif, also known as the Cumbre ("Summit"), divides the island into two very different landscape zones. While the hill slopes in the north are covered with a luxuriant growth of vegetation, the south side, with the exception of a few fertile valleys, is desert like in character. From the Cumbre deep wedge shaped valleys (barrancos) run down to the coast. The largest of these gorges are on the west and south sides of the island; the barrancos of Agaete, Aldea, Mogán and Fataga are particularly impressive. On the west side of the island the mountains fall steeply down to the coast; on the north side they merge into an upland region of medium height with a fringe of coastal cliffs. Only at the mouths of the barrancos are there narrow beaches of sand and stones. On the east and south sides of the island there are coastal plains bordered by sandy beaches, some of them of considerable size. The longest and most beautiful sandy eaches are at Maspalomas/Playa del Inglés.