Which country are the Canary Islands part of?

The Canary Islands are part of Spain, forming one of the country’s autonomous communities in the Atlantic Ocean.

The archipelago lies roughly 100 kilometers off the northwest coast of Africa, which sometimes leads people to assume that the islands belong politically to Morocco or another African country. Geographically, however, the Canaries are Spanish territory and are among Spain’s southernmost and westernmost regions. They have been integrated into Spain for centuries and operate with their own regional parliament and autonomous institutions.

The seven principal islands are Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. La Graciosa is also inhabited and is administratively linked to Lanzarote. The islands are volcanic, with landscapes ranging from beaches and desert-like terrain to forests and high mountain peaks. Tenerife’s Mount Teide rises to 3,715 meters, making it Spain’s highest point. The autonomous community has two capitals: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.