Tenerife is the largest and most populated island of the seven which make up the Canarian Archipelago, northwest of the African continent. Its shape is triangular, it covers over a thousand square kilometers and is 1,100 km away from the Iberian peninsula. The Canary Islands are the result of volcanic eruptions, which has meant that they have grown higher and higher with time. The highest peak is the volcano Teide, 3,718 m which is the highest peak in Spain. Legend has it that the Canary Islands are the only remainders of the Atlantis continent which sank in the ocean as a result of a cataclysm. The ancient Carthagians already knew aboutt the Canary Islands, Elysian Islands, Hespérides or Fortunate Islands, as they could see the Teide when they were heading for the African coasts. The first written records of the existanceof the Canary Islands are from the XII century. The Canary Islands, due to their geographical position, became a compulsory stopover for the Spanish fleets on their way to the New World. These Galleons, which came back loaded with treasures from the American Continent, were often attacked by pirates protected by English and French crowns. In 1657 Blake, the English pirate, tried to conquer Tenerife and annex it to the English kingdom. Once this stormy period was over Tenerife started developing commercial activities and the population began to grow and cover the coasts. At first, La Laguna was the most important city, until Santa Cruz became the capital of the island and, therefore, the seat of the political and administrative bodies of Tenerife. The island's economy was based on agriculture- bananas, potatos and tomatoes- but new industrial activities, such as oil, tobacco, and paper mills ,have slowly appeared. Nowadays, the most important industry is tourism, which has been growing since 1967 until today, when over 2 million tourists visit the island every year.

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