Which Continent Is Closest to Lanzarote?

Lanzarote, the easternmost of Spain's Canary Islands, lies in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 125 kilometers (78 miles) off the northwest coast of Africa. Geographically, it sits on the African tectonic plate.

Africa is the nearest continent to Lanzarote. The island is closer to Morocco and Western Sahara than to mainland Europe (Spain is about 1,000 km away). This proximity shapes its climate—arid, subtropical—and its unique volcanic landscapes, which resemble those of North Africa more than Europe.

Politically, Lanzarote is part of Spain and the European Union, but physically and ecologically, it is an extension of the African continent.