Gran Canaria brings together pine forests, crags, dunes, ravines, coastal habitats and protected areas that sum up a remarkable ecological diversity.
An island of contrasts: urban coastline, rugged relief and high interior summits behind its 'miniature continent' nickname.
Among its main reference points are Historic Las Palmas, Aboriginal landscape, Natural contrasts, which connect landscape, memory and everyday life. Island nature is best understood as a relationship between ecosystems and human uses, not as scenery separated from history.
Key points
Biosphere Reserve
Gran Canaria was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2005, in recognition of the diversity of its ecosystems and the conservation work carried out in areas such as Pilancones and Tamadaba.
Bandama and the island's volcanism
The Bandama caldera is one of the most visible examples of the island's volcanism, with its steep walls and a cultivated floor still farmed by a single family.
The pine forest of Tamadaba
Tamadaba is the last great stronghold of Canary pine in the north-west, in an area of high rainfall that generates significant water resources.
The special value of the ravines
Ravines such as Guayadeque, Fataga and Arguineguin are ecological corridors linking the summit with the coast, home to highly distinctive flora and fauna.