La Palma
La Palma (Spanish pronunciation: [la ˈpalma], locally [lɐ ˈpɑ(l)mɐ]), also known as La isla bonita (English: The Beautiful Island) and officially San Miguel de La Palma, is the most northwesterly island of the Canary Islands, Spain. La Palma has an area of 708 square kilometres (273 sq mi) making it the fifth largest of the eight main Canary Islands. The total population at the end of 2020 was 85,840,[2] of which 15,716 lived in the capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma and about 20,467 in Los Llanos de Aridane. Its highest mountain is the Roque de los Muchachos, at 2,423 metres (7,949 ft), being second among the peaks of the Canaries after the Teide massif on Tenerife.
_La_Palma_&_La_Gomera_Islands,_Canary_Islands_(cropped).jpg) Satellite view of La Palma | |
 Location of La Palma within the Canary Islands | |
  La Palma Location of La Palma relative to Africa | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 28°40′N 17°52′W |
| Archipelago | Canary Islands |
| Area | 708.32 km2 (273.48 sq mi)[1] |
| Coastline | 166 km (103.1 mi)[1] |
| Highest elevation | 2,423 m (7949 ft)[1] |
| Highest point | Roque de los Muchachos |
| Administration | |
| Autonomous Community | Canary Islands |
| Province | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Capital city | Santa Cruz de La Palma |
| Largest settlement | Los Llanos de Aridane (pop. 20,467 (2019)) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | palmero/a |
| Population | 85,840 (2020)[2] |
| Pop. density | 116.7/km2 (302.3/sq mi) |
| Languages | Spanish, specifically Canarian Spanish |
| Ethnic groups | Spanish, Canary Islanders, other minority groups |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| • Summer (DST) | |
In 1815, the German geologist Leopold von Buch visited the Canary Islands. It was as a result of his visit to Tenerife, where he visited the Las Cañadas caldera, and then later to La Palma, where he visited the Taburiente caldera, that the Spanish word for cauldron or large cooking pot – "caldera" – was introduced into the geological vocabulary. In the center of the island is the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, one of four national parks in the Canary Islands.