Tristan da Cunha Island and Canary Islands

News: A hantavirus outbreak brought attention to Tristan da Cunha, where a suspected case emerged, and the Canary Islands, where the cruise ship was headed for passenger screening.

About Tristan da Cunha Island and Canary Islands

• Tristan da Cunha Island is a group of islands located in the South Atlantic Ocean.
• They are situated between southern Africa and South America.
• Formation: The group of island were created by volcanic activity associated with a hotspot located about 400 km east of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. 
  • Tristan Island itself forms part of a stratovolcano that first erupted nearly 3 million years ago, although the island only emerged above sea level around 200,000 years ago. 
• They are a constituent part of the British overseas territory of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
• They are considered the most remote inhabited chain of islands in the world.
• The group comprises Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands.
  • Note: Two islands, Gough Island and Inaccessible Island,  together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while Nightingale Island, Stoltenhoff Island, and Alex (Middle) Island are also internationally recognized for their exceptional biodiversity. 
• Tristan da Cunha Island is roughly circular, with a coastline of 34 km and a central volcanic cone (2,060 metres) which is usually cloud-covered.
• Climate: The climate of the island is wet, windy, and mild. 
• Highest point: Queen Mary’s Peak is the highest point on Tristan da Cunha Island.
• Wildlife: Seven-gill sharks, blue sharks, shortfin mako sharks, southern right whales, fin whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, dolphins, elephant seals, and albatrosses, as well as 200,000 rockhopper penguins, more than five million shearwaters, and 300,000 sub-Antarctic fur seals are aound here. 
• Economy: The island economy depends on a sustainable commercial fishery for the Tristan rock lobster, Jasus tristani.

About Canary Islands

• The Canary Islands are located on the west coast of continental Africa in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic Ocean.
• They are a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of Spain.
• The island group is approximately 100 km from Morocco and southwest of Spain.
• Geographically, the archipelago is part of continental Africa, but politically and economically, it is part of Europe.
• Formation: The Canary Islands formed millions of years ago through volcanic eruption, and some of the volcanoes are still active.
  • The archipelago is the only Spanish region where a volcanic eruption has taken place in the modern era.
  • Most beaches along the Canaries have black sand due to their volcanic composition.
• Distribution: The archipelago comprises seven major islands and numerous other minor islands or islets, divided into two groups:
  • Western group: It consists of La Palma, Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, and Ferro. This group is made up of mountain peaks rising directly from the deep seabed.
  • Eastern group: It comprises Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, and six islets (the Chinijo Archipelago) that all sit on an underwater plateau, the Canary Ridge.
• Smallest island: La Graciosa is a small island located in the Chinijo Archipelago.
• Largest island: Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Archipelago, spanning 2,034 km^2.
  • Note: Fuerteventura is the second-largest island in the archipelago and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that protects one of the last two remaining Canarian Egyptian vulture populations.
• Climate: The island has desertic and tropical climate, moderated by trade winds and the surrounding sea.
• Economy: The island economy largely depends on tourism. 
  • The islands’ location in the Atlantic Ocean and their proximity to four continents (Africa, Europe, and the Americas) make them a popular tourist destination.