Canary Islands, Spain: Atlantic Archipelago 🌴

The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean, 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Morocco at the closest point. The Canary Islands, which are also known informally as the Canaries, are among the outermost regions (OMR) of the European Union proper. It is also one of eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality as recognized by the Spanish Government. The Canary Islands belong to the African Plate like the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla, the two on the African mainland.

The eight main islands are (from largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. The archipelago includes many smaller islands and islets: Alegranza, Isla de Lobos, Montaña Clara, Roque del Oeste and Roque del Este. It also includes a series of adjacent roques (those of Salmor, Fasnia, Bonanza, Garachico and Anaga). In ancient times, the island chain was often referred to as "the Fortunate Isles".[8] The Canary Islands are the most southerly region of Spain and the largest and most populated archipelago of the Macaronesia region.[9] Historically, the Canary Islands have been considered a bridge between four continents: Africa, North America, South America and Europe.

The Canary Islands currently have a population of 2,127,685 inhabitants and a density of 283.08 inhabitants/km², being the eighth most populous autonomous community. The population of the archipelago is mostly concentrated in the two capital islands, around 43% on the island of Tenerife and 40% on the island of Gran Canaria.