Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Coat of arms | Map |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Autonomous Region: | Canary Islands |
| Province: | Las Palmas |
| Island: | Gran Canaria |
| Area: | 100.55 km² some reads 99.77 km² |
| Population: | 376,953 (ISTAC, 2003) |
| Population density: | 3,778.22/km² |
| Elevation: | Atlantic Ocean 8 m southern part |
| Postal code: | 35000 |
| Location: | 28.1/28°6' N lat. 15.41667/15°25' W long. |
| ISTAC code: | E-35016 |
| Car designation: | GC |
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a Spanish city, the capital city of Gran Canaria which is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, 210 kilometers located off the northwestern coast of Africa. It is also the capital of the province of Las Palmas and co-capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.
The population of the city of Las Palmas was 377,600 as of the 2003 census, making it the largest city in the Canary Islands. The population of the whole urban area was estimated in 2003 to be 609,628, ranking as the 10th-largest urban area of Spain. (Gran Canaria island had 789,908 inhabitants in 2003).
| 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 354,877 | 355,563 | 354,863 | 376,953 |
The city was founded on June, 24th, 1478 with the name "Real de Las Palmas" by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castillian army, before engaging in war with the local Guanches (aboriginal people of the Canary Islands). In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas. He also stopped on the way back to Spain. Today, a museum is named after him - Casa Colon in the Vegueta area of the city.
Las Palmas is today a cosmopolitan city. It has three beaches (Las Canteras, Las Alcaravaneras and San Cristobal) and an big sea-port (Puerto de la Luz harbor) - a very important on during the 70s~early 90s (that benefitted greatly from the closure of the Suez Canal during the Arab-Israeli wars). Due to its situation as nexus of three continents and its importance as a touristic spot, many foreign workers has migrated and settled in the city. Merchants and traders from Africa, China, Russia and the Middle East mingle with each other in the streets of the city's business centers. The Korean and Indian communities are the largest ones, although the majority have been acquiring Spanish citizenships over the years.
According to a study carried out by Thomas Whitmore, director of research on climatology at the Syracuse University (USA), the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria enjoys the best climate in the world.
The main City Festival (Fiestas de San Juan) is in June, celebrating the foundation of the City.
The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria[1] is also widely known not only in Spain but worldwide, one of the main attractions for tourists.
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[edit] Historical population
| Year | Population | Density |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 354,887 | - |
| 1996 | 355,563 | - |
| 2001 | 354,863 | 3,513.49km² |
| 2002 | 370,649 | - |
| 2003 | 377,760 | 3,755.35/km² |
| 2004 | 376,953 | 3,778.2/km² |
[edit] Sites of interest
- Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Theater and Dance Festival
- Canarian Museum
- CAAM Modern Art Gallery
- Science and Technology Museum
- Nestor Museum
- Columbus House
- Canary Islands Exhibition Centre
- City Council
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
[edit] Transportation
The city is linked with three superhighways including the GC1 to the south, the GC2 to the west and GC3 to the center of the island. The nearest airport is the Gran Canaria International Airport or the Las Palmas - Gando International Airport located 18 km from the capital.
[edit] Notable Natives and Residents
- Javier Bardem, a famous Spanish actor
- Juan Fernando López Aguilar (Spanish Minister of Justice)
- Alfredo Kraus, was a Spanish tenor, one of the best tenors in the 20th Century
- Benito Pérez Galdós, one of the best writers in the 19th Century
- Antonia San Juan, a Spanish actress, director and screenwriter
- José Viera y Clavijo
- Sven Giegold, a German politician
- Mateo Gil
- Juan José Armas Marcelo, a Spanish writer
- Marta Marrero, tennis player
- Juan Negrín, politician
- Nicolas Estevanez, military officer, politician and poet
- Magui Serna, tennis player
- Juan Carlos Valerón, football (soccer) player
- Manuel Pablo García Díaz, football (soccer) player
[edit] External links
- Info, maps, forum and webcams from Las Palmas and Gran Canaria
- The Gran Canaria Weather Forecast
- Map and aerial photos
- Street map from Mapquest, MapPoint, Google or Yahoo! Maps
- Google or Microsoft Virtual Earth - image now available
- Coordinates:
| North: Atlantic Ocean | ||
| West: Arucas | Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | East: Atlantic Ocean |
| South: Santa Brígida and Telde |
| Island capitals of the Canary Islands |  |
|---|---|
| Arrecife | Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | Puerto del Rosario | San Sebastián de La Gomera | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Santa Cruz de La Palma | Valverde | |
| Municipalities of Gran Canaria |  |
|---|---|
| Agaete | Agüimes | Artenara | Arucas | Firgas | Gáldar | Ingenio | Mogán | Moya | Las Palmas | San Bartolomé de Tirajana | San Nicolás de Tolentino | Sta. Brígida | Sta. Lucía de Tirajana | Sta. María de Guía | Tejeda | Telde | Valleseco | Valsequillo | Vega de San Mateo | |
