The Canary Islands are an archipelago of seven islands located off the western coast of Morocco. The seven islands are Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma and Hierro. They are on the same latitudinal line as the Sahara Desert, giving the Canary Islands a very tropical climate for most of the year.
The average temperature on the Canary Islands ranges from about 65 degrees to 72 degrees Fahrenheit (19 to 22 degrees Celsius) year round, though winter can get as cool as the middle 40's Fahrenheit--especially when it rains in December through March.
Typically, the Canary Islands tend to be more arid, with small deserts in the south, but are much more green in the northern portions of all the islands. Strong breezes from the west bring humidity and cooler air that counteracts the relative heat of the tropical climate; these breezes tend to be stronger in the summer than the winter months.
The Canary Islands are part of Spain, though they are autonomous, similar to Puerto Rico being a protectorate of the United States. The majority of the Canary Islands' residents speak Spanish or Portuguese, though there are segments which speak Italian, German, English and French.
The majority of the Canary Islands relies upon tourism for its livelihood, though there is significant fishing and agricultural production. About 10 million tourists, mostly Europeans, visit the Canary Islands every year--the majority staying on Tenerife Island, which is the Canary Islands' and Spain's most populous island. Peak tourist season is June through August when the weather is the warmest, though there is some off-season travel in the spring and autumn months.
