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Gran Canaria Travel Guide

Travel to Gran Canaria - The Miniature Continent

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Gran Canaria is located in the heart of the Canary Islands archipelago, deep in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. The island is of volcanic origin, mostly made of fissure vents. The island was populated by the Canarios, who are said to have arrived as early as 500 BC, giving it the name of Tamarán. Gran Canaria covers an area of 1 560 square kilometres at an altitude of 1 949 metres.

The island's capital city, Las Palmas, was founded in 1478 under the name of Real de Las Palmas by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas on his first trip to the Americas.