La Gomera
La Gomera to El Hierro, the second smallest of the seven main islands of the Canary archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
Geography
The island of La Gomera is located about 1300 kilometers from the Spanish and 300 kilometers from the African mainland. The distance from the nearest ferry port of Los Cristianos on Tenerife is 38 kilometers. With an area of 369.76 km ², the island has an area percentage of the total area of all the Canary Islands of 4.94 percent. La Gomera has 21,153 inhabitants ( 1 January 2013), which corresponds to a population density of 57.2 inhabitants per km ².
Landscape and Nature
La Gomera has several vegetation zones. Due to its altitude and its microclimate these are very different. In the north of the island height can be found from 500 meters laurel forests and evergreen ferns. Above an altitude of 1000 meters, they flow smoothly into the Fayal - Brezal Formation, a mixed forest of heath bog myrtle ( faya ) and tree heath ( brezo ). In the arid south of the island in addition to various sparse shrubs of Phoenician juniper, thick leaf plants of the genus Aeonium and the Canary palm dominate. Near the coast are mainly plants that are dependent on the salty breeze of the sea, such as the beach lilac, various Euphorbiaceae, agaves and prickly pears. In the midst of La Gomera is the National Park Garajonay which covers about 10 % of the island. Its ecosystem is available as a World Heritage Site under UNESCO protection since 1986. The forests in the park are laurel forests that still exist due to the lack of glaciation. The heart of the national park consists of evergreen cloud forest with up to two meters high ferns, hanging from the trees long beard lichen, moss -covered gnarled branches and streams with a few waterfalls.
In 1984 there were extensive forest fires that remained largely limited to the holdings of the Canary pine, however, called for the rapid spread over 20 fatalities. Again in August 2012 involved a major fire the island, favored by a very dry winter and spring, which destroyed about 40 km ², with also a considerable part of the national park and the bay stock.
Climate
Climatically separates the island in the dry South and supplied by trade winds with moist air, fertile northern half. For water supply of the voltage applied to the mountain slopes in areas of the field stairs rain and the resulting by condensation water is collected in reservoirs and distributed to the residents. In addition to potatoes and tomatoes and wine are grown.
History
La Gomera was probably already known to the Phoenicians. The natives ( Guanches ) in the Canary Islands to the North African Berbers ( Imazighen ) be related to cultural history and have immigrated in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. It is known that they used a whistling language Silbo, to communicate over long distances. The name Gomera could go back to the ancient Berber tribe Ghomara. Clear evidence does not exist, however. The root of the Ghomara was part of the resident in southern Morocco Berber great Federation of Masmoudâ, these tribal federation founded at the time of Islamization of Morocco the state Al- Barghwat'a and later formed the ethno- cultural basis of Berber dynasty of the Almohads. The Almohads ruled from Marrakech from all over North Africa and Andalusia.
The Spaniards conquered in 1404 by Jean de Bethencourt the island. The Guanches were at first, but responded to unfair treatment on the part of the conquerors with numerous uprisings. In the course of the 15th century the Count Hernán Peraza, who was decried as a particularly cruel followed, he ruled from 1477 to 1488. Upon his assassination by the rebels Hautacuperche followed him his wife Beatriz de Bobadilla, who for the salvation of feudal lords Pedro de Vera could count on Gran Canaria, after.
Christopher Columbus made his last stop here, before he left on September 6, 1492 his journey to India, where he discovered America. Rumor has it that he was in love with Beatriz de Bobadilla, why he should have delayed his departure longer than necessary. Anyway, she supported him financially when repairing one of his ships. Allegedly also the Americas spring water was used from a fountain in San Sebastián de la Gomera for later " baptism."
After the conquest, many locals were sold as slaves on the Spanish mainland or relocated within the archipelago to prevent any uprisings. The other locals came to terms with the conquerors and took largely the culture and the Spanish language. Today you can find only a few remnants of the original Guanche language again. 1514 the locals were legally equal with the Spaniards. It established a feudal system. Sugar cane and wine were the most important export item in the 16th century.
1837, the island was directly subordinated to the Spanish crown in place of the local noble family. Most Gomeros remained poorly paid tenants or laborers on the manorial plantations. 1852, the Canary Islands were declared a free trade zone and therefore interesting as an international trade hub.
The living on the Opuntia cochineal scale insects supplied coveted and highly touted red dyes. With the invention of synthetic dyes short time later broke along the much more expensive cochineal production. Against this background, economic distress, came at the end of the 19th century to the second wave of emigration, especially to Cuba and Venezuela.
In 1974 there was the first regular ferry service between Los Cristianos in Tenerife and San Sebastian de la Gomera.
1975, came after the death of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco to a democratization under the Spanish King Juan Carlos. The Canarios voted for the first time a regional parliament and were given their own regional government. In 1982, the Canaries were given autonomous status, divided into the provinces of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, one of the La Gomera.
Management
La Gomera is part of the Spanish province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Spanish autonomous community existing since 1982, Canary Islands, and so since 1986 the EU. The island's capital is San Sebastián de la Gomera, the national language is Spanish. La Gomera has its own island council, the cabildo insular, and is divided into six municipalities Agulo, Alajeró, Hermigua, San Sebastián de la Gomera, Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso. President of the Island Council is (re-elected most recently in 2007 ) since 1991, Casimiro Curbelo Curbelo from the party PSOE.
General
La Gomera is one of about 12 million years ago to the older of the Canary Islands. The volcanic origin is still very visible. The history is described in detail in Article Canary Islands. In the midst of the island thrives even the biggest contiguous laurel forest in the world. With the closely spaced volcanic vents it belongs to the National Park Garajonay, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highest elevation of the island is the eponymous Garajonay with 1,487 meters above sea level.
The special features of La Gomera is one of the world's only existing here whistling the Gomeros, Silbo which has apparently been used by the natives for understanding. It has the advantage to be heard over long distance, which helped the Gomeros to a simple understanding of their wide valleys ( ravines ) and helps. UNESCO has Silbo 1982 on the list of protected world cultural heritage. In September 1999, the Canary Island Government has introduced in all primary schools on the island of La Gomera El Whistling as a compulsory subject, previously was the whistling language elective.
In the famous Valley of the island, the Valle Gran Rey ( the valley of the great king ), there was for many years hippie communes, who lived partly in caves on a beach, known as the Bay of Pigs. Today, the Bay of Pigs is still occasionally used by some outs for a cheap holiday.
Economy
In the shallow areas of coastal banana plantations dominate, whose small, tasty fruit but are not intended for export. Other agriculture was widely used because at higher altitudes the frequent during the winter months rains could be used, and was harvested in the spring. Many cultivated land lie fallow now, because in the 1960s and 1970s took place a rural exodus. Also, some more remote villages are completely deserted part.
When entry of Spain into the European Community in 1986 admitted to the Canary Islands a special status with guaranteed sales for bananas, which expired at the end of 1995. Today, agriculture for their own use in the valleys and on a few of the terraces still plays a role though, but usually brings the still green tourism, particularly in the form of walking tours, an acceptable prosperity.
Traffic
Until the 1960s existed between the mostly located along the coastal towns hardly road links. All goods and persons reached only by ship to the island's capital. Since then, the road network was expanded extensively. Buses, known as the Canaries Guaguas, offer a low-cost connection of all major municipalities with the capital San Sebastián de la Gomera. The buses run relatively rare, but keep on hand signals to turn on and off at any point along the route. However, many sites are often difficult to reach by bus: direct connections by bus from Valle Gran Rey Vallehermoso example, Hermigua or Agulo in the north, or to Playa Santiago or Alajero in the south, there is not. A trip by bus from Valle Gran Rey to Hermigua takes about three hours.
La Gomera is by fast ferry, the shipping company Fred. Olsen Express Los Cristianos or a car ferry on the shipping company Naviera Armas be achieved. As of March 2009 took over the shipping company Fred. Olsen also until November 2008 served by the shipping company Garajonay Expres speedboat line between Los Cristianos and Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera, with stops in San Sebastian de la Gomera, Playa de Santiago to the south of the island. Since February 1, 2012, this line is set.
The La Gomera only in 1999 newly opened airport is near Playa Santiago in the municipality of Alajeró. The runway is too small for international charter flights. Therefore, the airport is only for the regional traffic. Currently (summer 2012) offered two daily flights between La Gomera and Tenerife North.
For walkers there is an extensive, mostly signposted walking trails, the all parts of the island - some with significant height differences - together.