The Canary Island archipelago is made up of seven larger islands. From East to West they are, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. There are also six smaller islands; Alegranza, Graciosa, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Lobos. The islands are situated to the Northeast of the African continent, between the latitudes 27º37'and 29º25' North (subtropical situation) and longitude 13º20' and 18º10' to the East of Greenwich. This means the islands are one hour behind the Iberian peninsula time or 15 degrees difference.
The Canary Islands are 1.000 Kms from the peninsula coast. With regards to the African coast, the minimum distance is about 100 Kms and the maximum is 500 Kms. This geographical position is unique in that it is an intercontinental route, linking Europe, Africa and America. That is the reason it has been attacked by pirate ships so often in the past. Other countries have also had an interest in conquering the islands, due to its strategic situation.
