Gran Canaria is read through its relief, its coastline and the contrast between interior and coast. An island of contrasts: urban coastline, rugged relief and high interior summits behind its 'miniature continent' nickname.
Gran Canaria covers 1,560 km2 and its highest reference is Pico de las Nieves (1,949 m). These are not only figures: they help interpret coasts, midlands, summits, ravines and settlement patterns.
Among its main reference points are Historic Las Palmas, Aboriginal landscape, Natural contrasts, which connect landscape, memory and everyday life. Geography explains why some places concentrated paths, crops, defences, ports or ritual spaces, while others kept a more scattered human presence.
Key points
Barrancos radiales y cumbre central
Los barrancos de Gran Canaria parten desde la cumbre central hacia la costa en todas las direcciones, generando una estructura radial que condicionó el poblamiento y las comunicaciones.
Roque Nublo y los riscos de cumbre
El Roque Nublo (1.813 m) y los riscos del centro-sur son los iconos visuales de la isla, con paisajes de gran espectacularidad en Tejeda y Artenara.
Norte humedo y sur arido
El contraste entre la vertiente norte, mas humeda y agricola, y el sur arido y turistico es uno de los rasgos geograficos mas determinantes de la organizacion insular.
Dunas de Maspalomas
El campo de dunas del extremo sur es un ecosistema de alto valor ambiental y, al mismo tiempo, el enclave costero mas emblemático del turismo insular.
Barranco de Guayadeque
Uno de los barrancos habitados mas largos de la isla, con caserios trogloditas, fauna endemica y una densidad de patrimonio natural y cultural muy destacable.
Municipalities of Gran Canaria
See all →- AgaeteAgaete is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.
- AgüimesAgüimes is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.
- ArtenaraArtenara is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.
- ArucasArucas is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.
- FirgasFirgas is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.
- GáldarGáldar is a municipality of Gran Canaria, presented through settlement, landscape, local memory and its links with the rest of the island.