Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of 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 ...

, off the north 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 from the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

. Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago. With 163,230 inhabitants at the beginning of 2024, it is the third most populous Canary Island, after

Tenerife Tenerife ( ; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands, an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. With a land area of and a population of 965,575 inhabitants as of A ...

and

Gran Canaria Gran Canaria (, ; ), also Grand Canary Island, is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands, a Spain, Spanish archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa. the island had a population of that constitut ...

. Located in the centre-west of the island is

Timanfaya National Park Timanfaya National Park () is a Spanish national park in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. It covers parts of the municipalities Tinajo and Yaiza. The area is , entirely made up of volcanic soil. It is the ...

, one of its main attractions. The island was declared a

biosphere reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

in 1993. The island's capital is

Arrecife Arrecife (; ; ) is the capital city and a municipality of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It was made the island's capital in 1852. The city owes its name to the rock reef ("arrecife" being Spanish for "reef") which covers its local beach. It als ...

, which lies on the eastern coastline. It is the smaller main island of the

Province of Las Palmas The Province of Las Palmas (, ; ) is a province (Spain), province of Spain, consisting of the eastern part of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Canary Islands. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, capital city of this p ...

. The first recorded name for the island, given by Italian-Majorcan cartographer

Angelino Dulcert Angelino Dulcert (floruit, fl. 1339), probably the same person known as Angelino de Dalorto (floruit, fl. 1320s), and whose real name was probably Angelino de Dulceto or Dulceti or possibly Angelí Dolcet, was an Italian people, Italian-Majorcan ca ...

, was ''Insula de Lanzarotus Marocelus'', after the

Genoese Genoese, Genovese, or Genoan may refer to: * a person from modern Genoa * a person from the Republic of Genoa (–1805), a former state in Liguria * Genoese dialect, a dialect of the Ligurian language * Ligurian language, a Romance language of whi ...

navigator

Lancelotto Malocello Lancelotto Malocello () (Latin: ''Lanzarotus Marocelus''; ; fl. 1312) was an Italian navigator, citizen of the Republic of Genoa, who gave his name to the island of Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands. ''Lancelotto'' is the Italian form of the pr ...

, from which the modern name is derived. The island's name in the native

Guanche language Guanche is an extinct language or dialect continuum that was spoken by the Guanches of the Canary Islands until the 16th or 17th century. It died out after the conquest of the Canary Islands as the Guanche ethnic group was assimilated into the d ...

was ''Tyterogaka'' or ''Tytheroygaka'', which may mean "one that is all

ochre Ochre ( ; , ), iron ochre, or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colou ...

" (referring to the island's predominant colour previous to the

Timanfaya Timanfaya National Park () is a Spanish List of Spanish national parks, national park in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. It covers parts of the municipalities Tinajo (municipality), Tinajo and Yaiza (munici ...

eruption A volcanic eruption occurs when material is expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure. Several types of volcanic eruptions have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior has ...

History

Lanzarote is believed to have been the first Canary Island to be settled. The

Phoenicians Phoenicians were an ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syrian coast. They developed a maritime civi ...

may have visited or settled there, though no material evidence survives. The first known record came from

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

author

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

in the encyclopaedia ''

Naturalis Historia The ''Natural History'' () is a Latin work by Pliny the Elder. The largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day, the ''Natural History'' compiles information gleaned from other ancient authors. Despite the work' ...

'' on an expedition to the Canary Islands. The names of the islands (then called ''Insulae Fortunatae'' or the "Fortunate Isles") were recorded as ''Junonia'' (

Fuerteventura Fuerteventura () is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, geographically part of Macaronesia, and politically part of Spain. It is located away from the coast of North Africa. The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO i ...

), ''Canaria'' (

), ''Ninguaria'' (

), ''Junonia Major'' (

La Palma La Palma (, ), also known as ''La isla bonita'' () and historically San Miguel de La Palma, is the most northwesterly island of the Canary Islands, a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean. La Pa ...

), ''Pluvialia'' (

El Hierro El Hierro (), nicknamed ''Isla del Meridiano'' (the "Meridian Island"), is the farthest south and west of the Canary Islands (an autonomous community of Spain), in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a population of 11,659 (2023). ...

), and ''Capraria'' (

La Gomera La Gomera () is one of Spain's Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. With an area of , it is the third-smallest of the archipelago's eight main islands. It belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. La Gomer ...

). Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, the two easternmost Canary Islands, were only mentioned as the archipelago of the "purple islands". The Roman poet

Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November AD 39 – 30 April AD 65), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba, Hispania Baetica (present-day Córdoba, Spain). He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imper ...

and the Greek astronomer and geographer

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

gave their precise locations. It was settled by the Majos tribe of the

Guanches The Guanche were the Indigenous peoples, indigenous inhabitants of the Spain, Spanish Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean some to the west of modern Morocco and the North African coast. The islanders spoke the Guanche language, which i ...

. After the

fall of the Western Roman Empire The fall of the Western Roman Empire, also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome, was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vast ...

, interaction with the Canary Islands is unrecorded before 999, when the

Arabs Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...

arrived at the island which they dubbed ''al-Djezir al-Khalida'' (among other names). In 1336, a ship arrived from

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

under the guidance of Genoese navigator

, who used the alias "Lanzarote da Framqua". A fort was later built in the area of Montaña de Guanapay near today's Teguise. Castilian slaving expeditions in 1385 and 1393 seized hundreds of Guanches and sold them in Spain, initiating the slave trade in the islands. French explorer

Jean de Béthencourt Jean de Béthencourt (; 1362–1425) was a French explorer who in 1402 led an expedition to the Canary Islands, landing first on the north side of Lanzarote. From there he conquered for Castile the islands of Fuerteventura (1405) and El H ...

arrived in 1402, heading a private expedition under Castilian auspices. Bethencourt first visited the south of Lanzarote at Playas de Papagayo, and the French overran the island within a matter of months. The island lacked mountains and gorges to serve as hideouts for the remaining Guanche population, and so many Guanches were taken away as slaves that only 300 Guanche men were said to have remained. At the southern end of the Yaiza municipality, the first European settlement in the Canary Islands appeared in 1402 in the area known as ''El Rubicón'', where the conquest of the Archipelago began.San Marcial del Rubicón y los Obispados de Canarias
/ref> In this place, the Cathedral of

Saint Martial of Limoges Martial of Limoges (3rd century), whose name is also rendered as Marcial, Martialis, and Marcialis, and is also called "the Apostle of the Gauls" or "the Apostle of Aquitaine," was the first bishop of Limoges. Venerated as a Christian saint, Mart ...

was built. The cathedral was destroyed by

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

pirates in the 16th century. A diocese was moved in 1483 to

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital city of the Canary Islands (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and the m ...

(

Roman Catholic Diocese of Canarias The Diocese of Canarias or Diocese Canariense-Rubicense () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church located in the Canary Islands in the ecclesiastical province of Seville in Spain. The dioceses includes the islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteven ...

). In 1404, the Castilians (with the support of the King of Castile) came and fought the local Guanches, who were further decimated. The islands of Fuerteventura and El Hierro were later similarly conquered. In 1477, a decision by the royal council of Castile confirmed a grant of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with the smaller islands of Ferro and Gomera to the Castilian nobles Herrera, who held their fief until the end of the 18th century. In 1586, the Ottoman admiral Murat Reis temporarily seized Lanzarote. In the 17th century, pirates raided the island and took 1,000 inhabitants into slavery in

Cueva de los Verdes Cueva de los Verdes ( Spanish for "Verdes' cave", from the "Verdes" family) is a lava tube and tourist attraction of the Haria municipality on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands (Spain). The cave lies within the Monumento Natural del ...

. Lanzarote and

would be the main exporters of wheat and cereals to the central islands of the archipelago during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries;

and

.Jornadas de Estudios sobre Lanzarote y Fuerteventura
/ref> Although this trade was almost never reversed for the inhabitants of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (due to the fact that the landowners of these islands profited from this activity), producing periods of famine, so the population of these islands had to travel to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The island of Tenerife is a major focus of attraction for the inhabitants of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, hence the feeling of union that has always existed in the popular sphere with Tenerife. From 1730 to 1736, the island was hit by a series of

volcanic eruption A volcanic eruption occurs when material is expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure. Several types of volcanic eruptions have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior h ...

s, producing 32 new volcanoes in a stretch of . The priest of Yaiza, Don Andrés Lorenzo Curbelo, documented the eruption in detail until 1731. Lava covered a quarter of the island's surface, including the most fertile soil and 11 villages. 100 smaller volcanoes were located in the area called ''Montañas del Fuego'', the "Mountains of Fire". In 1768, drought affected the deforested island, and winter rains did not fall. Much of the population was forced to emigrate to

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

and the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

, including a group which formed a significant addition to the Spanish settlers in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

San Antonio de Bexar San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the U ...

in 1731. In 1927, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura became part of the province of

Las Palmas Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital city of the Canary Islands (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and the m ...

. Several archaeological expeditions have uncovered the prehistoric settlement at the archaeologic site of ''El Bebedero'' in the village of Teguise. In one of those expeditions, by a team from the

University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria The University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, also known as the ULPGC (''Spanish'' Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) is a Spanish public university located in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital city of Gran Canaria island. It is t ...

and a team from the

University of Zaragoza The University of Zaragoza, sometimes referred to as Saragossa University () is a public university with teaching campuses and research centres spread over the three provinces of Aragon (Spain). Founded in 1542, it is one of the List of oldest u ...

, yielded about 100 Roman potsherds, nine pieces of metal, and one piece of glass. The artefacts were found in strata dated between the 1st and 4th centuries. They show that Romans did trade with the Canarians, though there is no evidence of settlements. The island has a

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

protected site status. According to a report in the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'', this status was endangered by a local corruption scandal. Since May 2009, police have arrested the former president of Lanzarote, the former mayor of Arrecife and more than 20 politicians and businessmen in connection with illegal building permits along Lanzarote's coastline. UNESCO has threatened to revoke Lanzarote's Biosphere Reserve status, "if the developments are not respecting local needs and are impacting on the environment".Building craze threatens to end Lanzarote's biosphere status

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

. 7 July 2010 The President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote denied "any threat to Lanzarote's UNESCO status". El Jable from Famara cliffs

Geography

Lanzarote is located north-west of

, north-east of

and just over from

La Graciosa Graciosa Island or commonly La Graciosa (; Spanish language, Spanish for "the graceful") is a volcano, volcanic island in the Canary Islands of Spain, located north of Lanzarote across the Strait of El Río. As the rest of the Canary Islands, ...

. The dimensions of the island are from north to south and from west to east. Lanzarote has of coastline, of which are sand, are beach, and the remainder is rocky. Its landscape includes the mountain ranges of

Famara Famara is the main mountainous massif in the north of the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It is the eastern slope of a volcano erupting in the Miocene. The cliffs of Famara (''Risco de Famara'') are the remains of a caldera of about te ...

() in the north and Ajaches () to the south. South of the Famara massif is the El Jable desert, which separates Famara and Montañas del Fuego. The highest peak is Peñas del Chache, rising to

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

. The " Tunnel of Atlantis", the largest underwater volcanic tunnel in the world, is part of the

lava tube A lava tube, more rarely called a pyroduct, is a 'roofed conduit through which molten lava travels away from its vent'. If lava in the tube drains out, it will leave an empty cave. Lava tubes are common in low-viscosity volcanic systems. La ...

Climate

Often called the "Island of Eternal Spring", Lanzarote has a subtropical

hot desert climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

(''BWh'') according to the

Köppen climatic classification Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author a ...

. The small amount of precipitation is mainly concentrated in the winter. Rainfall during summer is a rare phenomenon and very often summers are completely dry without any precipitation. On average the island receives approximately 16 days of precipitation between December and February. Sometimes, the hot

sirocco Sirocco ( ) or scirocco is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season. Names ''Sirocco'' derives from '' šurūq'' (), verbal noun o ...

wind prevails, causing dry and dusty conditions across the island. Average precipitation in June and August is less than .

Geology

Lanzarote is the northernmost and easternmost island of the main Canary Islands and has a volcanic origin. The island emerged about 15 million years ago as product of the

Canary hotspot The Canary hotspot, also called the Canarian hotspot, is a hotspot (geology), hotspot and volcanically active region centred on the Canary Islands located off the north-western coast of Africa. Hypotheses for this volcanic activity include a deep ...

. The island, along with others, emerged after the breakup of the African and the American continental plates. The greatest recorded eruptions occurred between 1730 and 1736. The eruption period started outside the

area, at

Caldera de Los Cuervos A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcanic eruption. An eruption that ejects large volumes of magma over a short period of time can cause significant detriment to the str ...

volcano on 1 September 1730 and ended with the eruption of

Montaña Colorada Montana or Montaña is a surname and given name. People with the surname * Allison Montana (1922–2005), New Orleans cultural icon who acted as the Mardi Gras Indian "chief of chiefs" * Bob Montana (1920–1975), cartoonist who drew the characte ...

volcano, north-east of El Cuervo, which has ceased the activity on 16 April 1736.

Biodiversity

Flora

There are five hundred different kinds of plants on the island, of which 17 species are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

. These plants have adapted to the relative scarcity of water in the same way as

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

s. They include the

Canary Island date palm ''Phoenix canariensis'', the Canary Island date palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the Canary Islands off the coast of Northwestern Africa. It is a relative of ''Phoenix dactylifera'', the true date palm ...

(''Phoenix canariensis''), which is found in damper areas of the north, the

Canary Island pine ''Pinus canariensis'', the Canary Island pine, is a species of gymnosperm in the conifer family Pinaceae. It is a large, evergreen tree, native and endemic to the outer Canary Islands of the Atlantic Ocean. Description ''Pinus canariensis'' is ...

(''Pinus canariensis''),

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s, and wild olive trees (''Olea europaea''). ''

Laurisilva Laurel forest, also called laurisilva or laurissilva, is a type of subtropical forest found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable, mild temperatures. The forest is characterized by broadleaf tree species with evergreen, glossy and el ...

'' trees, which once covered the highest parts of Risco de Famara, are rarely found today. After winter rainfall, the vegetation comes to a colourful bloom between February and March. The

vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...

s of La Gería,

Lanzarote Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, off the north coast of Africa and from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago. With 163,230 inhabi ...

'' DO'' wine region, are a protected area. Single vines are planted in pits wide and deep, with small stone walls around each pit. This agricultural technique is designed to harvest rainfall and overnight dew and to protect the plants from the winds.

Fungi

There are 180 different species of lichen-forming fungi. These survive in the suitable areas like rock surfaces, and promote weathering.

Fauna

Apart from the native bats and the mammals which accompanied humans to the island (including the

dromedary The dromedary (''Camelus dromedarius''), also known as the dromedary camel, Arabian camel and one-humped camel, is a large camel of the genus '' Camelus'' with one hump on its back. It is the tallest of the three camel species; adult males sta ...

, which was used for agriculture and is now a tourist attraction), there are few vertebrate species on Lanzarote. These include birds (such as

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...

s) and reptiles. Some interesting endemic animals are the ''

Gallotia The genus ''Gallotia'' are the lacertids (wall lizards) of the Canary Islands. This genus consists of a group that has been evolving there ever since the first islands emerged from the sea over 20 million years ago. The endemic species and sub ...

'' lizards and the blind '' Munidopsis polymorpha'' crabs found in the Jameos del Agua salt lake, which was formed by a volcanic eruption. The island is also home to one of two surviving populations of the threatened Canarian Egyptian vulture.

Natural symbols

The official natural symbols associated with Lanzarote are '' Munidopsis polymorpha'' (Blind crab) and ''

Euphorbia balsamifera ''Euphorbia balsamifera'' (balsam spurge) is a flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It is distributed in the Canary Islands and the western Sahara. It is the vegetable symbol of the island of Lanzarote. '' Euphorbia adenensis'' has ...

'' (Tabaiba dulce). File:Munidopsis polymorpha.jpg, '' Munidopsis polymorpha'' File:Tabaiba Lanzarote.JPG, ''

Demographics

, people live on Lanzarote, an increase of 4.6% from the previous year (). The seat of the island government (''

Cabildo insular A ''cabildo insular'' () is the government and administration institution of each of the seven major islands in the Canary Islands archipelago: Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The island of La ...

'') is in the capital,

, which has a population of in 2024. According to the 2024 census, the majority of the inhabitants are

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

(76.1%) with a sizeable number of residents of other nationalities, notably

Colombians Colombians () are people identified with the country of Colombia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Colombians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their bein ...

(4.4%),

Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, w ...

(3.8%),

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...

(2.6%),

Moroccans Moroccans () are the Moroccan nationality law, citizens and nationals of the Morocco, Kingdom of Morocco. The country's population is predominantly composed of Arabs and Berbers (Amazigh). The term also applies more broadly to any people who ...

(2.4%) and

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

(1.4%).

Administration

Lanzarote is part of the province of

, and is divided into seven

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

Transport

Air

The island's main point of entry is César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport which, in 2018, handled passengers. It was renamed in 2019 to include the name of local artist

César Manrique César Manrique Cabrera ( or ) (24 April 1919 – 25 September 1992) was a Spanish artist, sculptor and nature activist from Lanzarote, known particularly for the architectural projects in which he was involved as artistic director in his islan ...

, in honour of the legacy he left behind on the island and coinciding with the centenary of his birth. The airport has two passenger terminal buildings, T1 and T2, with T2 being used exclusively for inter-island flights to and from the other Canary Islands. These inter-island flights are operated by regional airlines

Binter Canarias Binter Canarias S.A. is the flag carrier of the Spanish autonomous community of the Canary Islands, based on the grounds of Gran Canaria Airport in Telde, Gran Canaria and Tenerife North Airport, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain. It is a r ...

and Canaryfly. Lanzarote Airport is located about southwest of the island's capital, Arrecife, to which it is connected by the LZ-2 road.

Sea

Most of the goods arrive by sea through the Port of Arrecife,

Puerto de los Mármoles Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to: Places *El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain *Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines *Puerto Colombia, Colombia *Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela *Puerto Galera, Oriental Mi ...

. This port is also used by cruise ships. There are regular ferry lines that connect the Port of Arrecife with

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Santa Cruz de Tenerife (; locally ), commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz, is a city, the capital of the island of Tenerife, Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and one of the capitals of the Canary Islands, along with Las Palmas. Santa Cruz has a ...

and Cadiz. Ferry services to the neighbouring island of

depart from

Playa Blanca Playa Blanca (Spanish language, Spanish for "White Beach") is the southernmost town of the Spain, Spanish island of Lanzarote. It is the newest resort on the island, and is part of the municipality of Yaiza (municipality), Yaiza. Approximately ...

, the island's southernmost town. Ferries to the island of

depart from

Órzola Órzola is a village in the municipality of Haría on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It is the northernmost settlement of the island. As of 2021, it has a population of 352 inhabitants. The port of Órzola is the departure point ...

, Lanzarote's northernmost town. The two main companies operating these services are Fred Olsen Express and

Naviera Armas Naviera Armas is a Spanish company, founded in the 1940s, which operates a number of ferry services in Spain. The company mainly operates in the Canary Islands, with additional routes connecting the Canary Islands and the north African coast to ...

Road

The LZ-1 road connects the capital, Arrecife, to the northernmost town of Órzola. The LZ-2 road connects Arrecife to the southernmost town of Playa Blanca. LZ-3 is a

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

that acts as a ring road around Arrecife, connecting Puerto de los Mármoles on the northern side of the city to LZ-2 on the southern side. These three roads form the island's central road axis from which other roads connect to the rest of the island's towns, settlements and points of interest. Public transport on the island is provided b
Arrecife Bus
operating under the name of Intercity Bus Lanzarote. The company operates 30 bus lines connecting the island's major and minor settlements, as well as serving the airport, and includes internal bus services in the towns of

, San Bartolomé and Tías. Most lines begin or end in the capital, Arrecife. The public bus service within the city of Arrecife is provided by the local council and consists of five lines, including one to the neighbouring town of Playa Honda.

Notable people

Francisco Aguilar y Leal Francisco Aguilar y Leal (1776–1840) was a soldier and Spanish merchant, who became one of the main leaders of Uruguayan independence. Life and the military Francisco Aguilar y Leal was born in 1776 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, ...

(1776–1840), soldier and merchant *

Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark (; born 10 July 1965) is the eldest child of Constantine II and Anne-Marie, who were King and Queen of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973. She was heiress presumptive to the Greek ...

(born 1965), Greek royalty, resides on the island *

Rosana Arbelo Rosana Arbelo Gopar (; born October 24, 1963), known professionally by her mononym Rosana, is a Spanish singer and songwriter. Biography Early life and beginnings She was born in 1963 on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, where ...

(born 1963), singer *

Diego Barber Diego Barber is a classical and jazz guitarist. He has recorded albums for Sunnyside Records, Sunnyside and Origin Records. Early life Barber was born into a family of musicians. He studied at the Lanzarote Conservatory of Music with Miguel Áng ...

, guitarist *

Benito Cabrera Benito Cabrera Hernández (born 1963 in Venezuela) is a Canarian timple composer and virtuoso. He was born in Venezuela. Although he moved to Lanzarote at a young age, he has spent most of his life in Tenerife, having moved there to study psycho ...

(born 1963), musician *

Blas Cabrera Felipe Blas Cabrera y Felipe (May 20, 1878 – August 1, 1945) was a Spanish physicist. He worked in the domain of experimental physics with focus in the magnetic properties of matter. He is considered one of the greatest scientists of Spain and one ...

(1878–1945), physicist *

José Clavijo y Fajardo José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...

(1726–1806), journalist *

Saúl Coco Saúl Basilio Coco-Bassey Oubiña (born 9 February 1999), better known as Saúl Coco, is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club Torino. Born in Spain, he represents Equatorial Guinea at international level. Earl ...

(born 1999), footballer * Juan Curbelo (1680–1760), politician, ''Alcalde'' (mayor) of San Antonio de Bexar, Texas (1737, 1739) *

Robbie Dale Robbie Robinson (21 April 1940 – 31 August 2021), better known by the name Robbie Dale and nicknamed The Admiral, was a British radio disc jockey who was the chief DJ of Radio Caroline during the 1960s. Pirate radio Dale was born in Littleb ...

(1940-2021), British radio disc jockey *

Archie Davies Archie Daniel Davies (born 7 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two side Carlisle United. He played youth football with Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion and had a loan spell from ...

(born 1998), English footballer * Dorotea de Armas (1899 – 1997), traditional ceramist *

Pupo De Luca Giovanni "Pupo" De Luca (18 December 1924 – 18 December 2006) was an Italian actor and jazz musician. Life and career Born in Milan, after the World War II De Luca started his career in the theaters of his hometown, performing in revues, dia ...

(1924-2006), Italian actor and jazz musician * Paco Delgado (born 1965), costume designer. *

Penelope Farmer Penelope Jane Farmer (born 1939) is an English fiction writer well known for children's fantasy novels. Her best-known novel is '' Charlotte Sometimes'' (1969), a boarding-school story that features a multiple time slip. Life Farmer was born a f ...

(born 1939), English fiction writer * Alan Kitching, British graphic designer and architect *

Juan Leal Juan Leal Goraz (1676–1742 or 1743), also called Juan Leal Gonzal, was a Spanish settler and politician who served as the first ''alcalde'' (a municipal magistrate with both judicial and administrative functions) of La Villa de San Fernando, ...

(1676–1742/1743), settler and politician, first mayor of San Antonio *

(1919–1992), artist, architect and sculptor * Jordi Martín (born 1991), footballer * Óscar Martín (born 1988), footballer * Manuel Medina (born 1935), politician *

Claudio Mendes Claudio Mendes Vicente (born 8 December 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Primeira Liga club Casa Pia. Born in Spain, he represents Guinea-Bissau at youth international level. Club career Born in Arrecife, Lanz ...

(born 2000), footballer *

Carlos Mendes Gomes Carlos Mendes Gomes (born 14 November 1998) is a professional footballer who plays for club Bolton Wanderers as a winger. Born in Senegal, he plays for the Guinea-Bissau national team. Early life Born in Yeumbeul, Dakar Region, to a family ...

(born 1998), footballer *

Rafael Morera Rafael Morera López (born 1 November 1903 in Lanzarote, died 1981), known as Morera, was a Spanish professional association football player. He played with most of his career at Real Madrid C.F. He played his career as a forward. He scored 7 goa ...

(1903-unknown), footballer *

Jonathan Pérez Olivero Jonathan Pérez Olivero (born 6 June 1982), commonly known as Jotha, is a Spanish former footballer who played for Norwegian club FK Tønsberg mainly as a right winger. Football career Born in Tinajo, Lanzarote, Jotha graduated through UD Las P ...

(born 1982), footballer *

Hernan Peraza the Younger Hernán (or Fernán) Peraza de Ayala, (Seville, c. 1450 - San Sebastián de La Gomera, 1488), also known as Hernán/Fernán Peraza The Younger (“el Joven”) or The Groom (“el Mozo”) to distinguish him from his grandfather, was a noblema ...

(c.1450-1488), nobleman and Castilian conquistador *

Jonathan Proietti Jonathan Proietti (born 17 July 1982) is a former Luxembourgish international footballer who last played club football for FC Progrès Niederkorn, as a midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of assoc ...

(born 1982), Luxembourgish footballer * Salvador Rodríguez (1688–unknown), politician, ''Regidor'' (council member) of San Antonio de Bexar, Texas *

Carlos Morales Quintana Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark (; born 10 July 1965) is the eldest child of Constantine II and Anne-Marie, who were King and Queen of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973. She was heiress presumptive to the Greek ...

(born 1970), architect and husband of Princess Alexia, resides on the island *

Patricia Díaz Perea Patricia Díaz Perea is a Spanish professional triathlete. She was declared "Best Individual Sports Woman 2009" by the ''Consejo Superior de Deportes'', she is one of Spain's ''High Performance Athletes'' (DAN: ''Deportistas de Alto Nivel),'' an ...

(born 1984), triathlete, represents Lanzarote-based club Triatlón Titanes *

Stephan Remmler Stephan Remmler (born 25 October 1946) is a German singer, composer and producer. He became famous as the lead singer of the German band Trio, alongside Gert Krawinkel, who played the guitar, and Peter Behrens, who played the drums. After the ...

(born 1946), German musician *

Nasser Saleh Nasser Saleh (born 19 December 1992) is a Spanish actor. He is best known for his role as Román Lorente on the Spanish television show ''Física o Química''.

(born 1992), actor *

José Saramago José de Sousa Saramago (; 16 November 1922 – 18 June 2010) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese writer. He was the recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony ith which ...

(1922–2010), Portuguese writer, resided on the island * Beverly Swerling (1938-2018), American writer * Jason deCaires Taylor">Beverly Swerling">ith which ...