Lanzarote is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands ( Spain ). Situated in the Atlantic Ocean and approximately 125km from the coast of Africa. Covering 845.9 km2, it is the fourth largest of the Canary Islands.
The first recorded name for the island, given by Angelino Dulcert, was Insula de Lanzarotus Marocelus, after the Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malocello, from which the modern name is derived. The island’s name in the native language was Titerro(y)gatra, which may mean “the red mountains”.
Geographic
Lanzarote is situated at 29.035ºN 13.633º W. It is approximately 10 km northeast of Fuerteventura and just 1 km from La Graciosa. The island’s dimensions are approximately 60 km from north to south and 25km from west to east. Lanzarote has 213 km of coastline, of which approx 17 km are beach, and the remainder is rocky.
The dramatic landscape includes the mountain ranges of Famara, with 671 m in the north and Los Ajaches, with 608 m to the south. South of the Famara massif is the El Jable desert which separates Famara and Montañas del Fuego.
The mountainous area, Montañas del Fuego, is well known and called “ Timanfaya National Park”. The tallest mountain on the island is Peñas del Chache elevating 671 m above sea level.
The “Tunnel of Atlantis” is the largest submarine volcanic tunnel in the world. The 1.500 m long tube was formed some 20,000 years ago when the Monte Corona volcano erupted.
The island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve protected site.
