LANZAROTE

island, Las Palmas provincia, in Canarias comunidad autnoma (autonomous community), Spain. It is the easternmost of the Canary Islands in the North Atlantic. It has an area of 307 square miles (795 square km), and, although it rises to only 2,198 feet (670 m), it is mountainous, with numerous small craters and extensive lava flows. About 1730 the appearance of half the island was altered by volcanic eruptions. The last violent activity was in 1824, but crevices in the Montaas del Fuego (Fire Mountains) still emit sufficient heat to fry eggs. Timanfaya National Park (20 square miles [51 square km]) was established in 1974. By remarkable dry-farming methods, cereals, vegetables, wine grapes, and other crops are produced on terraces on the steep sides of the volcanoes. Tourists are drawn to the island because of its fine black-sand beaches and sport fishing. Arrecife, the chief port, has a fishing and fish-preserving industry. Regular sea and air services connect Lanzarote with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Graciosa, a volcanic islet (9.5 square miles [25 square km]) lying 1 mile (1.6 km) off northern Lanzarote, has a few hundred inhabitants, mainly fishermen. Pop. (1981) 53,452.