The Spanish controlled Island of Lanzarote is the most Eastern Canary Island. It lies 125km off the East African coast and a 1000km from the Iberian Peninsula. It covers 845 square kilometres making it the fourth largest of the Canary islands. Lanzarote holidays are popular with holiday makers, particularly Lanzarote package deals
The first recorded settlers were the Phoenicians in about 1100 BC. Herodotus mentions the garden of Hespiris, the land of fertility which is believed to be Lanzarote. The Roman Historian Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia records the Canary Islands on an expedition. Lanzarote was simply mentioned as being in the Archipelago of the Purple Islands. From the late tenth til the fourteenth century Lanzarote fell under Arab control. In 1336 a ship carrying Lanzarote de framqua from Lisbon arrived. He built a fort on the Island at Montana de Guana pay. In 1402 the French explorer Jean de Bethencourt brought slavery to the Island. Later in 1585 The Ottaman admiral Murat Reis captured Lanzarote.
From 1730 to 1736 vulcanism was apparent on the Island which created 32 new Volcanoes in a stretch of 18km. It was documented that a quarter of Lanzarote was covered with Lava. In 1768 drought affected the Island and winter rains did not fall. Emigration to the Americas ensued.
The island has 213 km of coastline in which 10km are sand, 16.5 km are beach and the remainder rocky. These beaches are popular for Lanzarote package deals. Lanzarote has two mountain ranges. Famara in the North and Ajaches in the south of the Island. This mountainous interior is included in the Timanfaya National Park. The parkland is almost entirely made up of volcanic soil. Volcanic activity continues as surface temperatures near the core ranges from 100 to 600 degrees C at a depth of only 13 m. A geyser of steam is a popular tourist attraction for those on their Lanzarote holidays. In 1993 UNESCO granted the park a Biospherical Reserve. Famously the Geolgist Alfred Wegener studied the Island in 1912 to see how it fitted in with his theory of Continental Drift. The Island was created after the breakup of the African and American continental plates.
The population of the Island is 127,000. The capital Arrecife has 55,000 of these. While 73% of the population are Spanish; British, Germans, Irish, Moroccans and Ecuadorians make up sizeable minorities.
Tourism accounts for much of the islands economy and the Islands airport near the capital Arrecife took over 5.6 million holidaymakers in 2006. Lanzarote holidays are a perrenial favourite, with Lanzarote package deals being popular.
The mild and subtropical climate of the Island is relatively stable throughout the year. The summer months have an average temperature of 28 degrees C while the winters rarely go beneath 14 degrees C. The locals have the name of Siroco for the Saharan sandstorms which occasionally cross the water into Lanzarote.
The island has 17 unique plants which are Endemic. The Island is important for Lichens which have adapted to the Islands scarcity of water. Plants include date sut, Ferns and Wild Olive trees. The dromedary, a type of camel is a major tourist attraction. Possibly brought to the Island a thousands year before when the Arabs controlled Lanzarote. Lanzarote holidays, whilst popular for those seeking sun and sand, has a lot to offer the those seeking history, culture and biodiversity.