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The island of El Hierro is situated in the most southwestern extreme of the Canaries at 27.7º north and 18.0º west, and is the smallest of the archipelago at 278.5 km2.
El Hierro was designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in the year 2000, with 60% of its territory protected to preserve its natural and cultural diversity.
It's no wonder that the smallest Canary Island delights all who visit, not only for its great natural and ecological attractions, but also for the contribution of its inhabitants in the sustainable development and conservation of the natural and hereditary wealth of the area. |
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| The origins of the island date back some 100 million years when the ocean floor shifted with the movement of the earth's mantle. The crust consequently cracked into a three pointed star releasing flows of magma. |
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After three successive eruptions, and consequent accumulations, the island emerged from the ocean as an imposing triangular pyramid crowned by a volcano more than 2,000 metres high.
The initial crevices became channels for further lava flows which grew into three mountain ridges topped by numerous volcanic cones. While the magma cooled in these channels, it solidified into gigantic vertical basalt dykes, typical of the geological architecture of El Hierro.
The volcanic activity, principally at the convergence of the three ridges, resulted in the continual expansion of the island. A mere 50,000 years ago, as a result of seismic tremors which produced massive landslides, a giant piece of the island cracked off, crashed down into the ocean and scattered along the seabed. |
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This landslide of more than 300km3 gave rise to the impressive amphitheatre of the El Golfo valley and at the same time caused a tsunami that most likely rose over 100 metres high and probably reached as far as the American coast.
Although over 200 years have elapsed since the last eruption, El Hierro has the largest number of volcanoes in the Canaries with over 500 open sky cones, another 300 covered by the most recent outflows, and some 70 caves and volcanic galleries, notably the Don Justo cave whose collection of channels surpasses 6km in length.
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