TENERIFE

   THE ISLAND OF ETERNAL SPRINGTIME.

   Tenerife (Pintuaria) is the largest island of the archipelago belonging to Spain.  The island is situated in the Atlantic Ocean and lays North West of Morocco. The island is 97 Kilometres long and 16 – 48 Kilometres wide covering an area of approx. 2059 sq. kilometres. The population is approx. 692,100, the capital city is Santa Cruz de Tenerife which has a population of approx. 200,000, it is estimated that there are 112,000 long-term holiday makers on the island. The island is divided by an inactive volcano “Pico de Teide” which is 3,717 meters high and Spain’s highest mountain.  The Northern landscape is green and lush and there is a forest of Eucalyptus and pine trees “Pinar de la Esperanza” (well worth visiting).

In contrast the South of the island tends to be very dry and barren. The formation of Tenerife began approx. 10 million years ago.  The mountains near Adeje the “Teno” and the “Anagage” mountains were originally three islands which due to volcanic eruption melted into one.  It is believed that due to a massive earthquake this 6,000 meter. Volcano collapsed which led to the formation of the “Orotava” valley and also one of the world’s largest craters “Caldera” with a diameter of 16km and 500mtr high crater walls.

For 500,000 years the “Pico Viejo” and the “Pico del Teide” formed from the crater.  The “Teide” became Spain’s highest mountain. The last eruption on Tenerife in Chinyero near Santiago del Teide was in 1909, however sulphur smoke can still be seen and smelt rising from the sides of “Pico del Teide”.  There is no need for panic though, the government constantly monitors volcanic movement and they have a traffic light warning system operating, this is on green which means there is no danger.