Alegranza () is an uninhabited island in the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
, located off the coast of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
and is in the province of
Las Palmas in the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...
,
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. It is the northernmost point in the Canary Islands, and part of the
Chinijo Archipelago. The island is part of the municipality of
Teguise on Lanzarote.
Geographical overview
The area is 10.2 km². The island features a volcano with a crater of about 1.1 km in diameter and an altitude of 289 m. The second highest is Montaña de Lobos at 256 m and following La Rapagura. The northern portion is mainly flat.
File:Alegranza NWW.png, NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
satellite image of Alegranza
File:Alegranza 3D version 1.gif
Conservation
The island is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park (''Parque Natural del Archipiélago Chinijo'').
The
Punta Delgada Lighthouse is located in the eastern part of Alegranza. The lighthouse was built between 1861 and 1865 and was designated a historic monument (''
Bien de Interés Cultural'') in 2002.
History
Its name, derived from the Spanish word for "joy," was given, according to some scholars, by
Jean de Bethencourt because he felt joy upon spotting land. The island has been owned by the Jordán-Martinón family since the 1940s.
See also
*
Geology of the Canary Islands
*
*
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Islands of the Canary Islands
Uninhabited islands of Spain