Tenerife information Tenerife facts big and small.

Indeed, Tenerife Information Tenerife is about facts which concern its island or province.

Coat of arms and emblems

The photo beside shows a festive symbol or Tenerife emblem which is displayed on holidays by La Orotava town hall.

It does not show mount Teide but, Tenerife's famous Drago tree, which isn't even a tree by biological standards. It belongs to the family of onions. The Cabildo Tenerife has applied for inclusion of the Drago together with the Tenerife Carnival to its World Heritage symbols of the Cañadas del Teide and La Laguna.

This Tenerife information Tenerife represents a people who is proud of its patrimonio which also means heritage, while it loves to celebrate nature as part of it as well.

The Provinces Tenerife and Gran Canaria

It is a little confusing that the four Canary Islands of La Gomera, La Palma, el Hierro, as well as its biggest Canary lsland make up the autonomous province of Tenerife. Even small rocks which are nearby in the water count as part of the isles, such as the prominent, but tiny Chico rock of Garachico and some rocks near the Faro of Hidalgo.

All those islands were listed in the year 1833 in mainland Spain to which 49 provinces belonged at the time.

Tenerife information Tenerife on history of its capital

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was declared the 2nd Tenerife capital and province in 1927 with Fuerte Ventura and Lanzarote being a part, as well as a few minor isles where La Graciosa is the most heard about. While Las Palmas is the biggest city as far as population of the Canaries is concerned, it is also the most impressive Canary town.

Basic geographic Tenerife facts

Location

Tenerife is situated at 28°19 N and, 16°34 W, about 90 nautical miles from closest point Morocco on the west of the African Continent of biggest wildlife. The latitude is the same as Miami in Florida USA. 1500 km are the distance by air from Tenerife to mainland Spain. Tenerife is close to the warm Atlantic golf stream which comes down from the West of the Atlantic at the height of the Azores.

Tenerife information Tenerife about its age

Three regions of Tenerife preceded today's island. They are 30 million years old. They are the Anaga mountains, the Teno Massif with Teno Alto (high Teno) and Teno Bajo(low or rural Teno) as well as today's region of Adeje.

Guimar as well as the Orotava and the Tacoronte valleys, for example were formed roughly half a million years ago by volcanic eruptions which joined the initial isles. Now, Tenerife is often mentioned as one of Macronesian isles of the Atlantic ocean which are quite likely to have been part of the legendary Atlantis. However, the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, the Phoenicians and others only cited Tenerife as part of the Fortunate Islands.

Provincial size of Tenerife

The Islands of El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera as well as Tenerife make up Santa Cruz de Tenerife province.

Nature of Tenerife Island

It is the biggest Canary island out of a sisterhood of 7 official autonomous isles where all are of volcanic origin born in the Tertiary period. Tenerife information Tenerife seems to forget Isla Graciosa its 8th isle which is scheduled to be added on.

Tenerife owns 141 nature reserves together with the rest of the Canary Islands. The Cañadas del Teide belong to world heritage and are its biggest reserve. You find 1.386 indigenous plants on Tenerife, out of which 546 are growing ideally there. You are bound to find all superbly illustrated at the museum of Man and Nature Museo del hombre y de la Naturaleza .

Typical geographic Tenerife conditions

• Charcos natural water basins by the island's coast
• Ravines Barrancos which occasionally turn into dangerous rivers
• Sunken Crater of Teide National Park with special climate zone
• Dormant volcanoes with Mount Teide being the biggest

Size of Tenerife

Tenerife information Tenerife on its size gives us 2040 m2 (785 square miles). After protected and, farmland only 500 square km remain to build up and for recreation. 83km long with the widest parts of about 50 km in the north which is partly separated by the mountain range by the giant cliffs.

Coastline: 358 km out of which 67.14 km are sand and gravel beaches. Most sand beaches are black. Island form:
Tenerife has the shape of a duck facing Africa when you see maps of the island of former Guanche kingdoms.

Tenerife information Tenerife history

Discover the island's history with the most celebrated past such as the 3rd of July that happened in its capital and more.

Climate and temperatures

Tenerife information Tenerife on it's climate must be what most people know somehow.
However, few are aware of all its details. More about them in climate of the Mount Teide Island.

Timezone

Tenerife's time zone is GMT which is the same as UK London's while sharing same longitude (meridian).

Social aspects of largest Canary Island

Inhabitants:

Facts on Tenerife information Tenerife are that a mixture of 898.680 inhabitants made up by Europeans as well as Scandinavians, South Americans, Asians and Africans live on the island. This was published by the German Media of Tenerife in 2013.

Also part of Tenerife Province are La Palma with 85.468, La Gomera with 22.350 and el Hierro with 11.033 inhabitants. By the way, Race issues in Tenerife are hardly known of.

Language:
Spanish is the Tenerife's main language but, it differs a little in words and pronunciation from High Spanish Castellano. Catalan and Valenciano are generally not heard.
Tenerife information Tenerife may report English as 2nd language in Tenerife south while German is predominant after Spanish in the north.

The British community counts more than 45000 people most of which live in southern Tenerife with the town Arona of Adeje counting most of the wealthiest people on the island.

British Consulate Tenerife:

Find official government information on the British Consulate Santa Cruz de Tenerife including its address here...

There is a fairly large Indian trader community in the north of the island but, mainly in Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz.
Indian Embassy
38002 Santa Cruz
C/Villalba Hervas, 15-1
tel: + 34 922 243 503 or + 34 922 241 416
fax: + 34 922 289 755
(closed on August 15th for holiday)

Tenerife Indians are no new-comers. They all speak Spanish and/or English.

Doctors:

Tenerife information Tenerife for doctors who speak English or have according personal are to be found under health care, ecxept for
Dr.Irina Gurvich
General Practitioner
38400 Puerto de la Cruz
Avenida Venezuela, 4 Edif.Bahamas (near Martianez lake complex)
tel: + 34 922 386 402 fax: +34 922 385 093
(This Russian English speaking Doctor has much health treatment equipment)

Tenerife information Tenerife on shared European systems

The Tenerife health services share a communal system with the rest of the European Union where the European blue health care card entitles to free services and free or cost reduced medicine.

Tenerife government hospitals

University Hospital General de Canarias or Candelaria of San Christobal de la Laguna by the Tenerife capital as well as the new Government hospital El Mojon in Los Cristianos.

Unemployment support of some sort

Registered unemployment in European countries is transferable and entitles to financial support in Tenerife when papers have been transferred in time.

Religion

Main religion is Roman Catholic while some others with their own churches exist. The island's Catholic cathedral is in San Christóbal de la Laguna.

Tenerife information Tenerife about its constitution

Autonomous with Cabildo insular Tenerife government while democratic with socialist strong tendencies by 2008. Please, consult Tenerife information Tenerife of the capital of Tenerife.

Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) since June 2018 .
Tenerife President of Cabildo (Tenerife Island Government): Carlos Enrique Alonso Rodríguez

who has a masters in economy. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo Battle of the political party CC, president for all islands including Tenerife

Tenerife information Tenerife on crime rate

It is relatively low but to be dealt with at a later stage. Interesting in the context is also danger of property fraud like everywhere in Spain when the buying of property is taken too lightly.

Tenerife information Tenerife Emergencies

General Emergency call numbers
Police assistance: Tel: 092 for all Canary Islands
Use Tel: 112 to call an ambulance, the police as well as the fire brigade (bomberos).
Mind that foreigners which have private medical insurance must pay when they call an ambulance with 112 . Instead, they must dial the relevant telephone number which represents their own insurance on the island.

Communication and energy

Tenerife information Tenerife on telephone, water and electricity supply

Tenerife information Tenerife about telecommunication:

Only Telefonica S.A. from mainland Spain supplies telephone connections for landlines.

Cellular telephone suppliers are numerous.

Various ADSL broad band providers exist which are all subcontractors of Telefonica which is now called Movistar.

More and more Wifi services appear on the island as well as on other isles which are part of the province.
Almost all town squares or parks display a number to dial up for Wifi by cellular telephone. Get more information for free online service... Free WiFi for Titsa commuters was established in 2008 by Titsa for its Santa Cruz Tram service.

No ADSL conncection will work when Movistar has a break-down. However, this happens seldom.

Also a so called NAP center for a total network of submarine cables will carry Tenerife information Tenerife from Granadilla to Europe South America and further, such as New York. Local Internet is expected to profit greatly while an award has already been granted.

Water supply

Insider Tenerife information Tenerife tells the unusual fact that the largest of all Canary Islands receives its water from rains as well as from much moisture caught by the clouds in the forests by pines whose timber line starts already at 2000 -2100 meters which is not normal for a subtropical island. Source confirmed: jstor.org.

Please note that Tenerife tap water is not considered fit for human consumption, unless boiled first... This isn't good enough either in some areas on the island, such as the region of El Sauzal/Tacoronte and Santa Ursula. Consult with locals to be sure about a new situation...

Electricity
Company Unelco.

Voltage 22 V. Find adaptors for UK gadgets at hardware stores called Ferretarias.

A must is to protect your IT equipment by power failure.
I use a NGS UPS Chronus I am happy with. Cost about EU 60.
Dangerous electricity power cuts happen, such as the one in 2009, which caused a 6 hour economy crisis. Electricity supply cuts have been much reduced since 2008.
Solar energy service providers exist.

Wind mill electricity is generated near Reina Sofia airport.

Some households may use gas as energy for sanitary and kitchen while very modern buildings seldom have this facility.

Gas is being supplied by private companies. You call them and hang a red flag by your street window.

Commerce and Trade

Tenerife information Tenerife on commerce

Monetary unit the Euro

Several Spanish banks including the Dutch ING as well as Savings institutions called Cajas like Caja Canarias.

Deutsche Bank as well as Barclays have left the island. S ubastas which are auctions are done by Caja Canarias

Trade and business

Tenerife information Tenerife must stress the island's strong ties with mainland Spain, although it is also importing much from India and other Asian countries. Almost all modern cars are available but, not assembled in Tenerife. Why? Labour in Tenerife is cheaper than in mainland Spain but, not cheap enough to compete with new upcoming Asian and South American markets.

Trade Unions also exist in Tenerife.
Huelgas means strikes which are organized by the Unions.

Interesting for business and international trade is its Free port Puerto Franco.

Export
Bananas and tomatoes while still subsidized by EU.

Bananas are the biggest export commodity of Tenerife since about 1890. 150 000 bananas called platanos in Spanish are harvested every year and 30.000 are consumed locally.

Subsidies

Bananas and Tomatoes are heavily subsidized.

I knew somebody who had been promised a subsidy for trout farming. It would have been viable if he had found a suitable location on sale. There are no rivers, unless a barranco gorge becomes one after heavy rain, which is natural. No inland lakes exist on the island but, several springs.

Often, Canary Islands farmers receive aids from the European community in other fields because of their special status.

Decline in tomato production by 2011

FEPEX of Gran Canaria which is the federation of agricultural exports of the Canary Islands. It showed the following statistics for the decline in the islands' tomato exports. Year 2007: 159.955 t Year 2011: 94.762 t = 9,88 % of the national production In 2012, the Canary Islands transport subsidies for tomato exports was reduced from 60% to 25%. Mind that this crop which is still planted in green houses in the Isla Baja (Los Silos district) has had to compete with North African tomatoes for many years until now.

Agriculture, fisheries, granaries, animals for food, wine

Tenerife information Tenerife has shifted much in the field of home grown produce. Wine was once a major commodity overseas, which finds it hard to compete with emerging world markets, nowadays. However a good red wine like Tajinaste is even sold in New York. Tenerife has its own fish, poultry and general country products with an abundance of subtropical fruit where however no rice is grown and few cattle is kept but, many goats for cheese production. Wine is cultivated around Icod de los Vinos, Los Realejos, La Orotava, Tacoronte and El Sauzal where you also find a a wine museum.

Everything from the humble onion to the papaya, lemon, orange avocado pear and even almonds grow on the island. The small local potato called Papa Bonita costs often almost 7 times the price of the cheapest potato but, it's delicious. When it's not yellow inside, then it's not a Bonita. Not all herbs are grown in Tenerife, though. Why? Perhaps, some need frost. By the way, Tenerife Batatas are sweet potatoes.

So much is grown in Tenerife. However, food imported according to April 2008 statistics is higher than 90% as per Henry Cicilia, president of the island's association for agriculture called ASAGA. This also means that one finds just about every European product in Tenerife. It will mean price peaks in the long run if the shopper disregards the local markets and products while international fuel and transport are rising.

Abandoned land which could be cultivated

25000 hectares of agricultural land is not being used on Tenerife Island. You don't only see many bare terraces, such as by Los Realejos. The amount of unused abandoned land amounted to 25000 hectares in March 2012 according to Canarias Actual.

There are also abandoned Tenerife fincas (farms) where only orchards are still producing something and where its owners prefer to make a life overseas. It remains to be asked if the land owners are more put off by labor intensive cultivations than by the costs to maintain the fields, most of which are not by the coast.

Introduction of olive trees on Tenerife

About 50000 olive trees are grown on Tenerife. Most have been introduced lately since 2010. Arrid Arico by the island's southern east coast shows the largest part with 20000 olive trees. Here too, an agricultor from Icod el Alto thinks that growing Olive trees is too much work.

Information Tenerife on Tenerife turning 'Green'

Many government workshops take place to discuss a more environment friendly island. Waste products are collected for recycling. Lately end of 2009, households were encouraged to make their own compost. Help and equipment is provided for whoever is interested. Ask at your local municipality... Unfortunately, green doesn't mean in Tenerife "farming without the use of chemical pesticides".

Industries of Tenerife

• Tourism
• Carpentry
• Some clothes fashion design
• A little tool making
• Mechanical engineering for car repairs.
• Assembling of steel structures like
  metal windows and doors for the construction industry.
• The Spanish building industry has come to a standstill in 2009

Tenerife information Tenerife on a remarkable local enterprise

Tetex Canarias Textile and fashion producer and exporter

• Factory ground appr. 3000 m2
• Track record: 25 years
• Location: Arofa
• More data at www.einforma.com
• Director for PR and commerce: Irene Pérez
• Exports textile fashion to USA and Europe including Russia, off lately in 2009
• Quality certified by ISP 9001 and environment protecting certified by ISO 14001, both at the end of 2009

Transport:

Two airports of Tenerife for passenger transport Los Rodeos (TFN in North) and Reina Sofia (TFS in South) while all cheap flights are done by subcontracting charter airlines with flights often more than twice in one week many of which fly for BA or Iberia airlines when coming from UK. All Tenerife as well as all Spanish airports are under management of Aena.es.

Local public transport which includes Tenerife Titsa buses and services (mainly Scania buses) and trams

Tenerife information Tenerife main transport motorways

TF1 is the Southern Freeway between the capital Santa Cruz and the South of Tenerife along the East Coast as far as the town Adeje. 6 lanes will be ready from early 2010 onwards until Guimar. Less tracks with minor roads follow suite. The TF5 Northern Freeway connects the capital with major towns on the Tenerife West Coast up to about San Juan de la Rambla. Later, coastal or mountain roads take its place. The highlands with the Cañadas del Teide have their own road system. It is well maintained and organized but, does not allow fast driving like freeways. Many tunnels were built in the XX1 millenium.

Vehicle driving in Tenerife

• Max speed for Freeways: 110 kpm on Freeways (new law since 2011)
• Max speed for towns, villages and hamlets: 60 kpm,
  while please mind goat herds in rural areas...
• Heavily punished: exceeding speed limits or, drunk or drugged driving, not wearing seat belts, ignoring child seats and child safety, use of mobile cellular or i-phones while driving.
• Vehicle road worthy tests are best arranged with private agents, such as workshops, where checks for faults prior to tests are done.
• Given future vehicle test dates must not be ignored.
• Motorbike obligation: Wearing of secured helmet
• Towing with tow bars or ropes: Not permitted
• Attaching things to vehicle roof tops: Not allowed
• Winter tires: Required in iced up highlands.
• No car license required for the 355kg micro cars
  which are super light vehicles, made with a fibre glass bodies, like professional surf boards. However you must hold a license for driving a small motor bike called Mofa in Spain. Seek confirmation at car dealers or driving schools, in case the Tenerife traffic law has changed...

Tenerife information Tenerife Tourism Tourism is well organized with many British and German connections. Tenerife has its own schools for hotel and tourism in Santa Cruz and other parts of the island.

Tourism information is excellent with the main office in the capital

Please, mind that the office for Puerto de la Cruz has moved to Casa de la Aduana, where you also find some exquisite handicrafts and souvenirs, off lately...
Tourist INFO Tel: + 34 922 386 000.

Also, Only local calls for 'INFOTOURISM' Tel: O2088196940

Tenerife travel on land as well as by sea
are offered by many private companies such as the depicted Naviera Armas maritim transporter, Binter Canarias for flights, Fred Olsen ferry

Education

Tenerife information Tenerife schooling Nursery schools are private and children may be admitted at preschools from age 3 years onwards. Spanish Primary and High schools (institutos) are public. Subsidies for school text books may be applied for in special cases.

Foreign schools and university

Tenerife information Tenerife on British schools:

• English Educational Centre (EEC)
  38620 San Miguel de Abona,
  San Blas Centro Comercial
  Golf del Sur
  Tel:/Fax +34 922738638
  Headmaster: Mrs.Ann Plummer

British Yeoward School International
38400 Puerto de la Cruz, North Tenerife
Taoro Park, Street Calle Irlanda
Tel: 0034 + 922 384685
Fax: 0034 + 922 373565
Web: yeowardschool.org

British Tenerife Trinity School
38410 Los Realejos
Camino Montijo, 16, (Loc. La Carrera)
Tel: 0034 + 922-345 450
Fax: 0034 + 922-354 929
Web: trinity-school.es a Middle School

A German school Colegio Aleman whose web is called deutscheschule-puertocruz.org is in Puerto de la Cruz off Carretera Las Arenas where a sign post indicates the way.
38400 Puerto de la Cruz
Street: Calle San Rafael, 3
Tel or Fax: 0034 + 922 38 40 62

Wingate School
Arona of Costa de Adeje
Cabo Blanco,
Tel: 0034 + 922 720102
Fax: 0034 + 922 720102
Wingate School

Tenerife Secondary school news

I have met a young UK lady who took on a job as teacher assistant in Cruz Santa Los Realejos in 2010. It is part of a new government policy to teach more English to the youth.

The French Alliance Francaise is in Santa Cruz.
Avenida 25 de Julio, 29 Izqu.
Tel: + 34 922 384062

Government paid nursery schools start for children who are three years old. You child qualifies automatically for such a school in your suburb.

Official Swedish College Arona Tenerife
Official Colegio Sueco Arona
Av.Américas SNPTA 340
Tel: + 34 922 798 358

Main university: La Laguna by Santa Cruz. More about university in the article about the Tenerife capital but has also a long distance university department in Los Realejos at its Biblioteca of Tenerife libraries.

Please note: The town of La Orotava has its own super modern private university with 5800 m2 built up space. The architect Xavier Diaz and Mayor Izaak Valencia envisioned it to be for 3000 students in 12 lecture halls.

A PC center for online studies and library, assembly hall etc. is not amiss. Works budgeted with €5 million sounded far too little. Especially, as solar power energy for this university was not cheap to build in. The foundation stones were placed as early as 2011.

Several institutions funded by Brussels help the unemployed gain new skills be it in languages, IT or in practical chores. There is even a European agreement for unemployment fund channeling which stretches as high as Denmark. I know because I helped some young people in all aspects with this. INEM is the name for the relevant unemployment offices on the island.

Financial unemployment funds for foreigners are paid by a special Banco de Bilbao bank branch in the capital.

Insight about main sport Tenerife soccer

CD Tenerife national team a page with amazing facts.

Taxes

Tenerife information Tenerife on taxes for property:
Lower than in UK for buying property

An interesting new real estate law Spain 2008 to avoid or cut down inheritance tax by donations.

IGIC is sort of a value added tax which depends on types of services from 3,5 % to 13,5%.

Tax heaven

• Interest free European tax heaven for non residents or Europeans residing less than 183 days a year on the island. However, a new law in 2015 requires Tenerife banks to demand proof of source of income to avoid money laundering.
• Relative lower priced real estate and other taxes compared to most European countries.

Other observations that are facts

The island's small size and a fairly large population of about 10 Million tourists per year have Tenerife exposed to pollution.

Anti smoking law for Tenerife and Spain

Tenerife information Tenerife on Economic interest in real estate:

• The holiday home Tenerife will always have a high demand because of the island's small size.

  Also demand by tourists is relatively higher compared to other Spanish isles because of the island's steady, moderate climate and much cultural, trade and sports activities.

• Real estate often costs less than in many other European countries, including mainland Spain.
• The biggest of all Canary Islands is special for investment.

Availability of all types of holiday homes for all kinds of budgets is good.

From Tenerife information Tenerife back to main page Tenerife where you will also see why the island is ideal for a holiday home.












Please mind that the comment box below is meant to help others. In case you have a question or want to tell me something, kindly use this contact form.


New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a new comment in the box below.
Back to HomePage of the Tenerife holiday home insider

This site is protected by Copyscape


Back to Top of Page?
FacebookXPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsAppMessenger
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
1. Click on the HTML link code below.
2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.