Where is Gran Canaria? Where are the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria on the map of Europe
Where is Gran Canaria?
The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago just off the coast of Morocco, at a distance of about 200 kilometers in the Atlantic Ocean. They belong to Spain, even though the islands are 1,250 kilometers south off the mainland. The official language is Spanish, and they pay with the 'Euro'. These are the names of all the Canary Islands: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
The Canaries
The Canary Islands are divided into two provinces. Gran Canaria is in the province Las Palmas. Las Palmas is also the name of the capital which is located in the north of Gran Canaria. The islands Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro belong to the province Tenerife. The island group as a whole is one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain.
Belearic Islands
It's a common mistake to confuse the archipelago and the Balearic Islands, where Mallorca and Ibiza belong to. This archipelago is also Spanish but is in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast near Valencia. So a lot further to the north, at the eastside of Spain. The climate is different and the Balearic Islands are therefore a not as suitable winter destination as the Canaries.