April 19, 2024

Exploring Earth From Space: Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Fuerteventura Island, the 2nd largest of the Canaries, lies southwest of Lanzarote, across the Bocaina Strait. Its overall location is 1731 sq km (668 sq miles) and the island is around 110 km (68 miles) long and no greater than 30 km (19 miles) broad. Fuerteventura is the earliest island in the Canary Archipelago, having actually increased between 12 and 20 million years ago owing mainly to volcanic activity.
The island is relatively flat and has a desert landscape of sand and stones as well as long beaches. The center of the island is comprised of a large, extended valley and, from north to south, is dissected by a series of extinct, deteriorated volcanoes. The west coast is dotted with rugged cliffs and little bays.
To the northeast of Fuerteventura, separated by the 15 m (50 feet) deep strait El Río, lies the island of Isla de Lobos. The only 6 sq km (2.3 sq mile) island is home to a 127 m (417 feet) high extinct volcano.
This image, also included on the Earth from Space video program (embedded above), was captured on September 24, 2021, by Copernicus Sentinel-2– a two-satellite objective to provide the coverage and data delivery needed for Europes Copernicus program. The image was processed by selecting spectral bands that can be utilized for classifying geological functions..

Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, part of the Canary Islands depending on the North Atlantic Ocean, are included in this false-color image recorded on September 24, 2021, by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel information (2021 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, 2 of the Canary Islands depending on the North Atlantic Ocean, are featured in this false-color satellite image recorded by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 objective.
The Canary Islands are a group of ocean island volcanoes that were developed millions of years ago by volcanic activity. The eight primary islands are (in order of largest to tiniest in location) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa.
Lanzarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, is noticeable in the top-right of the image above. With a population of over 150,000 occupants, it is the 3rd most populated Canary Island, after Tenerife and Gran Canaria. It covers a location of 845 sq km (326 sq miles), making it the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago.

The eight primary islands are (in order of largest to smallest in location) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. Due to the fact that of a long history of eruptions, Lanzarote is often referred to as the Island of the 1000 volcanoes, yet it is really the least mountainous Canarian Island. Fuerteventura Island, the second largest of the Canaries, lies southwest of Lanzarote, throughout the Bocaina Strait. Its total location is 1731 sq km (668 sq miles) and the island is around 110 km (68 miles) long and no more than 30 km (19 miles) broad.

Since of a long history of eruptions, Lanzarote is typically referred to as the Island of the 1000 volcanoes, yet it is in fact the least mountainous Canarian Island. The highest mountain is the volcano Peñas del Chache near Haría in the northern part of the island, which is 670 m (2,200 feet) above water level. The Timanfaya National Park can be seen in the southwest part of the island and is completely made up of volcanic soil.