How Were The Canary Islands Created?

Today the Canary Islands have become one of the most popular winter holiday destinations in Europe and attract a broad variety of visitors from around the world. Many visitors are brought to the islands in search of warm sunshine, sandy beaches, stunning marine life and the great natural scenery found on the Spanish archipelago. Indeed, approximately 12 million holidaymakers are drawn to the canaries each year to enjoy a pleasant summer vacation - the majority from the UK, Germany and mainland Spain.



However, in spite of its popularity in the holiday industry it seems that few visitors to the islands know of their geological past that allowed the Canaries to form in the first place. Experts believe that the Canary islands first came to be through a series of volcanic eruptions from the so called "Canary Hotspot" - a centre for volcanic activity in the region thought to have first emerged as long as 60 million years in the past. The islands themselves are thought to have originated through tectonic activity around 30 million years ago, and have been further shaped by ongoing volcanic eruptions in the years that followed.



Today, volcanic activity above the surface is very rare indeed, although there are still some active volcanoes in the region. This has of course allowed visitors and holidaymakers alike the chance to enjoy all of the natural and man made attractions of the Canary Islands in safety - and indeed it seems that Canary Islands Holidays are now more popular than ever.