Agüimes, Las Palmas
Encyclopedia
Agüimes is a Canarian municipality
in the eastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria
in the Las Palmas
province in the Canary Islands
. The population is 23,572 (ISTAC, 2003), its density is 297.33/km² and the area is 79.28 km². The elevation is 275 m. Agüimes is situated between the mountains and the plains
. The mountains, including several valley
s to the west dominate the west. The plains, along with a residential area that has more inhabitants than the downtown area and is the largest, lies to the east along with the Atlantic Ocean
. Agüimes is located south of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Telde, and is accessed with the GC1
superhighway. The main industries are agriculture
, business
es and tourism
.
The major growth of the last few years has been the creation of a huge industrial estate on flat land once covered by tomato plantations. This has brought new jobs and industries into the area and has spurred the development of a new purpose built port which is due to open in 2007.
The district was not at one time a major tourist destination, but after the careful restoration of the old town, this has become the best example of a traditional Canarian hill town
. The streets of the old town exude a gentle, relaxed, timeless atmosphere, and the carefully positioned street statues and sculptures add a series of surprises to a visit to the old town. The local plan for 'rural tourism' has led to the development of other small visitor centres around the district, the biggest of which is in the Guayadeque Ravine. This area has many cave houses dating back hundreds of years, and a complete village dug into the hillside, still occupied today which has its own cave church, cave bar and cave restaurants.
Sporting activities are also very important in the area, with its windsurfing
and scuba diving
recognized as "world class". One round of the annual PWA
windsurfing tour is held at the international windsurfing center at Pozo Izquierdo every year, and the whole of the coast in this area can provide challenging conditions at any time of the year.
The main area for scuba diving in Gran Canaria is in the area known as the 'El Cabrón' marine reserve, next to the town of Arinaga. The diving in this area includes caves, arches, walls and volcanic reefs, where an extremely wide range of sub-tropical marine species can be found, ranging from tiny seahorses up to rays and angel shark
s.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the eastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
in the Las Palmas
Las Palmas (province)
The Province of Las Palmas is a province of Spain, consisting of the eastern part of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.-Composition:...
province in the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. The population is 23,572 (ISTAC, 2003), its density is 297.33/km² and the area is 79.28 km². The elevation is 275 m. Agüimes is situated between the mountains and the plains
Plains
Plains is the plural of plain, a geographical feature. It is a big flat area of a land. Plains or The Plains may also refer to:-Locations:Canada*Three Mile Plains, Nova Scotia*Five Mile Plains, Nova ScotiaUnited States*Great Plains...
. The mountains, including several valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s to the west dominate the west. The plains, along with a residential area that has more inhabitants than the downtown area and is the largest, lies to the east along with the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Agüimes is located south of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Telde, and is accessed with the GC1
GC1 (Gran Canaria)
The GC1 is a superhighway on the island of Gran Canaria. It links the capital Las Palmas in the north with Puerto Rico in the south. It is the fastest route from the top of the island to the bottom and vice versa with a top speed limit of 120 km/h...
superhighway. The main industries are agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
es and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
The major growth of the last few years has been the creation of a huge industrial estate on flat land once covered by tomato plantations. This has brought new jobs and industries into the area and has spurred the development of a new purpose built port which is due to open in 2007.
The district was not at one time a major tourist destination, but after the careful restoration of the old town, this has become the best example of a traditional Canarian hill town
Hill town
Hill town is the term used to describe citadel towns built upon hills to ward off invaders. Often protected by defensive walls, steep embankments, or cliffs, such hilltop settlements provided natural defenses for their inhabitants....
. The streets of the old town exude a gentle, relaxed, timeless atmosphere, and the carefully positioned street statues and sculptures add a series of surprises to a visit to the old town. The local plan for 'rural tourism' has led to the development of other small visitor centres around the district, the biggest of which is in the Guayadeque Ravine. This area has many cave houses dating back hundreds of years, and a complete village dug into the hillside, still occupied today which has its own cave church, cave bar and cave restaurants.
Sporting activities are also very important in the area, with its windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
recognized as "world class". One round of the annual PWA
PWA
PWA may stand for:* Patients' welfare association* Pacific Western Airlines* People With AIDS* Pirates With Attitude, a warez release group* Prince Willem Alexander, Crown prince of the Netherlands* Printed Wiring Assemblies, Printed Circuit Boards...
windsurfing tour is held at the international windsurfing center at Pozo Izquierdo every year, and the whole of the coast in this area can provide challenging conditions at any time of the year.
The main area for scuba diving in Gran Canaria is in the area known as the 'El Cabrón' marine reserve, next to the town of Arinaga. The diving in this area includes caves, arches, walls and volcanic reefs, where an extremely wide range of sub-tropical marine species can be found, ranging from tiny seahorses up to rays and angel shark
Angel shark
The angel sharks are an unusual genus of sharks with flattened bodies and broad pectoral fins that give them a strong resemblance to rays. The more than 16 known species are in the genus Squatina, the only genus in its family, Squatinidae, and order Squatiniformes. They occur worldwide in temperate...
s.
Historical population
| Year | Population | Density |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16,156 | 203.78/km² |
| 1996 | 18,284 | 230.62/km² |
| 2001 | 20,124 | 254.73/km² |
| 2002 | 22,567 | 284.64/km² |
| 2003 | 23,572 | 297.33/km² |
| 2004 | 24,460 | 309.03/km² |
Climate
External links
- Agüimes.es Website of the local council (Ayuntamiento de Agüimes)
- Patinegro Local environmental action group Patinegro
See also
| Northwest: Valsequillo | North: Ingenio Ingenio, Las Palmas Ingenio is a Canarian municipality in the eastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands. The population is 26,857 , its density is 692.87/km² and the area is 38.15 km².... |
|
| West: San Bartolomé de Tirajana San Bartolomé de Tirajana San Bartolomé de Tirajana is a Canarian municipality in the southeastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands... |
Agüimes | East: Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area... |
| South: Santa Lucía de Tirajana Santa Lucía de Tirajana Santa Lucía de Tirajana is a Canarian municipality in the southeastern portion of the island of Gran Canaria in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands. The population is 53,820 , its density is 882.58/km² and the area is 61.56 km²... |