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Tenerife
(previously known and spelled as Teneriffe in English, before mass tourism
adopted the Spanish spelling), is a Spanish island and is the largest of
the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.
The island's population is 853,000. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the second
biggest city in the archipelago, the capital of the island and the head
of the cabildo insular (island government).
The
island has a surface area of 2,034 km² (785 sq.mi). Like the rest
of the Canary Islands, it is of volcanic origin. The last of the three
eruptions that created the island happened about 3.5M years ago, although
small murmurs still occur. The most recent earthquake of about 4 on the
Richter scale was in 2002. The highest point of Spain, Teide (3,717 m),
is on this island. The island itself is clearly divided into a very dry
southern part and a very humid and green north. |
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