Gran Canaria can be found in a region of the Atlantic called ‘Macaronesia’ which is where you can also find the island groups of Madiera, The Azores, Cape Verde, parts of morocco, as well as the Canary islands themselves.  Gran Canaria and Tenerfire are the two islands at the centre of this archipelago – Gran Canaria on the East and Tenerife to the West.  As mentioned, Gran Canaria has a diameter of only 47 Km (roughly 29 miles) and a surface area of 1500 squared Kilometers. Many people mistakenly believe that Roque Nublo is the highest point of the island. It is more or less at the centre of the island, and is very dramatic, therefore, frequently to be seen on postcards. However, the actual highest point is Pozo de las Nieves, which is 1949 meters ( 6431 ft ) above sea level. Gran Canaria, the third largest island in this group boasts 236 Km of coast line, and sandy beaches predominantly located along the southern coast. This is including the famous beaches of Playa del Ingés and the spectacular ‘Dunes of Maspalomas’ The western coastline is predominantly dominated by dramatic cliffs, dropping 100’s of ft to the ocean, and there are many ‘Miradors’ (viewpoints) along the coastal roads where people can safely stop and appreciate the natural strength and splendor of the scenery. On clear days, from the southern and western coasts, you have many opportunities to see our nearest companion of the Canaries – Tenerife.
Apart from the splendors of our coastline, weather, and scenery, the interior of Gran Canaria has to be seen to be believed, and it’s so unfortunate that many of the islands visitors are so happy with the coasts and beaches, that it may take years of visiting the island before they venture into it’s interior.  The subtropical climate is ideal for many forms of vegetation, and between the mountainous ridges the intrepid explorer can find lush valleys hiding plantations of the most amazing varieties of fruits. In fact, most of the palm trees of the Caribbean started their lives here in the Canaries – the Canarian Palm has been exported world wide! To places such as the United States, Canada and the UK  – such is the way of the Canarians, to share natures beauty with the World, plus it’s been a thriving export business. Nowadays however, we export much smaller items, which include many varieties of fruits and vegetables such as bananas, tomatoes and even soon Olive Oil , as out climate is suitable for producing harvests year round.