A LONG WITH OTHER ATLANTIC islands, such as Madeira, the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands, the Canaries are of volcanic origin. They emerged from the sea millions of years ago: Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are believed to be the oldest at between 16 and 20 million years old, with Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Gomera appearing around 8–13 million years ago. The remaining islands are much younger. Most of the islands lie in the shadow of a central volcanic cone surrounded by smaller cones and areas of solidified lava.
