Why Does Spain Own Canary Islands?

Have you ever looked at a map and noticed those islands off the coast of Africa called the Canary Islands, and wondered why they belong to Spain, even though they're so far away?

The Canary Islands sit just 60 miles from Africa, but over 600 miles from mainland Spain. So how did these tropical islands end up Spanish, and stay that way for over 500 years?

This is the story of how the Guanches, the islands' Indigenous people, were caught between two rising European powers, Spain and Portugal, both desperate to claim these strategic Atlantic outposts.

From the Treaty of Alcáçovas in 1479 that divided the Atlantic world, to Columbus's voyages, and centuries of empire, the Canaries became an essential part of Spain's global reach.

Even as Africa gained independence in the 20th century, the Canary Islands remained Spanish, not through chance, but through centuries of history, strategy, and identity from Spain.

Join us as we uncover how Spain came to own the Canary Islands, and why this faraway archipelago remains one of its most important territories today.

#Canarylslands #Spain #Africa #Geography #History

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