located about 120 km west of the Maroccan Coast in the Atlantic Ocean. With 1659.74 km2 is Fuerteventura, after Teneriffa the second largest of the Canary Islands or the Islands of archipelago. However, the population of the Island can not be compared with Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Fuerteventura forms with the northern island Lanzarote, the eastern boundary of the Canaries. The airport is located in Puerto del Rosario, the Capital of the island.
The Canary Islands are part of Spain, but enjoy a special status as autonomous community with its own parliament and president (since 2007). Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria belong to the province of Las Palmas. The Canary Islands were inhabited from about 3000 BC by the Guanches, whose origin is believed to be part of the North African Berber tribes. As the Spanish arrived in the 15th Century, there was supposed to be a wall of stones accross the isthmus (Istmo de La Pared) of Fuerteventura. This wall seperated the two kingdoms of the island into a northern and southern Maxorata Gandia (today Jandia) part.
The first part of Fuerteventura, the oldest of the Canary Islands, was formed about 20.6 Million years ago, but the majority was created about 5 Million years ago. The island is of vulcanic origin and has eroded greatly by wind and the weather. The vulcanos have been extinct since 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.
The island is only about 100 km long and is, even at its widest point, just about 31 km. The Istmo de La Pared, which devided the island into two parts is even only 5 km wide.
Due to some magnificent reports, which Lancelotto Malocello brought from Lanzarote in 1312, several Spanish and Portuguese expeditions occured on the Canary islands in about 1340. From this time on, European fortune hunters and unfortunatley also European slave holders afflicted the island.
Jean de Bethencourt started its expedition in 1402 form Lanzarote, which he already had conquered. The king of the north, as well as the king of the southern peninsula and their followers, were baptized within a short time span. The kings remined on the island and even were given back their land and Betancuria became the capital.
In the following centuries, Fuerteventura saw the Franciscan Dictatorship, who founded the monastery Fort Aventura and is regarede as a missiionary of the Guanches. Fuerteventura saw Diego Garcia de Herrera, who took possession of the island. Herrera and his successors, who ruled as Señores also developed systematically the island.
Fuerteventura suffered from various pirate incursions. In 1740, English corsainrs tried to enter in Gran Tarajal and subdue the island. But brave Majojeros defeated them in two battles around Tuineje. The two defence towers, one in El Cortilla, the other in Caleta de Fuste, were constructed in order to protect the island from invaders. In 1834, the capital Betancuria obsoleted and Antigua became the new capital. However, the headquaters was already placed in Puerto de Cabras (Puerto del Rosario) in 1835. Finally in 1836, the feudal leadership of the Señores was abolished. Puerto de Cabras (as you already know) became the new capital of Fuerteventura in 1860.
I don't want to bore you with things you already know, such as, that Spain and therefore the Canary Islands joined the EU. There is only one other historical event worth mentioning : about 4,500 Spanish legionnaires were stationed to Puerto del Rosario in 1975. However they left again in 1996.
The climate has quite rightly been given the nickname „Island of Eternal Spring".The vllimate is pleasant throughout the year. The sea balances the temperatures and most of the time the Passatwind keeps the hot aire from the Sahara (which is quite close) away. If this is not the case, a weather condition called „Calima" appears. Fuerteventuras mountains are so low that clouds pass by quickly and the island has therefore only 147 mm rainfall per year. Due to lack of vegetation, the heavy rainfalls in the winter months are flowing unused and without hinderance into the sea. And still the erosions caused by the wind are very high.
A special phenomenon is the so called Calima, were hot east winds from the Sahara approach the island. The temperatures clime dramastically, sometimes by 10 degrees or more and the aire becomes extremely dry. Sometimes the Sahara winds blow very fine sand accross, creaing a darkness in the sky (it looks like mist). And occationally the infamous African locusts (krickets) appear.
Miles of endless sandy beaches, impressive sand dunes, magical mountain scenery, friendly locals and a constant mild and pleasant climat makes Fuerteventura a stupendous place to live and to fall in love with. Come and have a look.