The Canary Islands are of purely volcanic origin, favored by a unique geography that produces climatic conditions considered among the best in the world, triggering the natural eruptions that make these islands unique. The volcanoes in the Canaries have left their mark in the form of lava flows, craters, and calderas.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the volcanoes in the Canary Islands, their origins, characteristics and eruptions.
Volcanoes in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have a high volcanic activity rate compared to the rest of Spain. Currently, there is limited data on the exact number of volcanoes, with an estimated 30 in the Canary Islands . The islands with the most volcanoes are Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and La Palma.
Volcanic activity in the Canary Islands originated from large volcanic eruptions in the Atlantic Ocean over 30 million years ago. As a result, the islands are among the most biodiverse geographical areas in the world , boasting a pristine and wild environment. This, combined with their beaches, makes them an extremely attractive tourist destination. Furthermore, this biodiversity is linked to the fact that submarine volcanoes have also influenced the islands' geography.
Therefore, the Canary Islands, like most volcanic islands, are structures that rise from the seabed, so much so that 10% of the island buildings protrude above sea level . This suggests that a significant volcanic layer still exists beneath them.
Now, we are going to see the 5 most important volcanoes that the Canary Islands have:
The Bandama Caldera – Gran Canaria
The Caldera de Bandama is located within the municipal terms of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde and Santa BrĂgida. It is an enclave that attracts many tourists due to its large dimensions, steep walls, cave excavations found inside and its location within the Bandama Natural Monument.
The crater originated from an explosive volcanic process that likely began around 4.000 to 5.000 years ago. It is one of the most striking volcanoes in the Canary Islands , both for its peaks and its caldera, two unique natural features that attract not only many tourists but also scientific interest. Furthermore, understanding how the islands were formed is crucial to appreciating their volcanic geography, which you can explore further in this article.
Teide-Tenerife
It's the most famous, but not the only one we can find in Tenerife. At 3.178 meters, it's the highest mountain in Spain and the third highest volcano in the world. However, its appeal also lies in the biodiversity of its ecosystems, making it a truly unique experience to climb to the summit and explore the different types of volcanoes found on the island.
The Teide-Pico Viejo massif is the most recent massive volcanic formation on the island of Tenerife and the last massif formed from the Caldera de las Cañadas del Teide. Its last eruption was in 1798. For more information on volcanic activity, you can consult our articles on active volcanoes.
TeneguĂa Volcano - La Palma
It had the distinction of being the last major volcano to erupt in 1971. It stands 449 meters above sea level and is located at the southern tip of Cumbre Vieja. Its eruption buried a large area under a vast expanse of lava, and it is one of the Canary Islands volcanoes that rise from the sea to form lava deltas, contributing to the island's growth.
Since then, the TeneguĂa volcano, named after the nearby rocks, and La Palma have become another tourist attraction in the Canary Islands. Volcanic eruptions of this type have left a significant mark on the island's geography.
The Caldera de Taburiente – La Palma
Considered a natural wonder of the island of La Palma, it is one of its major tourist attractions and is listed as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Formed from solidified lava that later transformed into basalt, this enormous crater plunges some 2.000 meters. It is now the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, which is 8 km in diameter and boasts breathtaking landscapes such as the Roque de los Muchachos and La Cumbrecita.
Underwater volcano of El Hierro
On October 10, 2011, in calm seas, an undersea volcanic eruption that had been brewing for months finally ended in March 2012.
The importance of these volcanic eruptions in the Canary Islands lies in the fact that they have transformed more than 9 square kilometers of the seabed, creating new habitats and life forms , wiping out others, and multiplying all the environmental conditions of the region, which cannot be evacuated from places like La Restinga. Here you can learn more about underwater volcanoes and their impact on the ecosystem.
All this has led many people to go to the smallest island in the archipelago so as not to miss the event, attracted by the idea of ​​seeing the eruption live.
Volcanoes in the Canary Islands that are active
Volcanic activity has always been present in the Canary Islands, both underwater and on land. However, scientists are currently studying several active volcanoes in the archipelago. Among them, we highlight Mount Teide, which, given its high activity, is expected to erupt in the coming years, making it a significant active volcano . For more information on active volcanoes, we recommend consulting the article on [topic missing].
The submarine volcano off El Hierro is another active volcano, having last erupted on the island in 2012. It remains a hotspot that continues to be studied and closely monitored. Another volcano that has been very active in recent years is Cumbre Vieja. Due to its high volcanic activity, it is one of the Canary Island volcanoes that has triggered several seismic events, including one of magnitude 2,7, which was felt on the island of La Palma.
Conclusions
Since ancient times, the Canary Islands have lived under the shadow of volcanoes and their activity . To speak of these islands and their formation is to speak of volcanic activity and the seismic movement caused by activity within or beneath their waters. To learn more about how the islands were formed, see How the Islands Were Formed.
The eruptions that shaped and sculpted the islands into their current form have, in some cases, such as the eruption of the TeneguĂa volcano or the eruption of the Mar de las Calmas off El Hierro, extended several kilometers into the sea. It is also interesting to learn about the differences between volcanic islands and island arcs, which you can find at this link: differences between volcanic islands and island arcs.
In short, to know the volcanoes of the Canary Islands is to know the history of the formation of these small paradisiacal islands, worthy of their title of fortunate archipelago due to their overwhelming biodiversity and magnificent climate.
