{{short description|Canary Island}} {{About|the Spanish Canary Island|other uses|La Gomera (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date = January 2020}} {{Infobox islands |name = La Gomera |image_name = (Isla de la Gomera) La Palma & La Gomera Islands, Canary Islands (cropped).jpg |image_caption = Satellite view of La Gomera |map_image = File:Spain Canary Islands location map La Gomera.svg |map_caption = |native_name = |native_name_link = Spain |nickname = |location = [[Atlantic Ocean]] |coordinates = {{coord|28|06|54|N|17|13|30|W|type:isle|display = inline,title}} |archipelago = [[Canary Islands]] |area_km2 = 370.03 |area_footnotes = <ref name = "istac_territorio">{{cite web |url=http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/istac/jaxi-istac/menu.do?uripub=urn:uuid:fbc0bdc8-cacb-43b8-a5cb-a93f745dcff6 |title=Estadística del Territorio |publisher=Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC)|access-date = 14 August 2019 |language=es|trans-title = Territory Statistics}}</ref> |coastline_km = 100 |coastline_footnotes = <ref name = "istac_territorio" /> |highest_mount = [[Garajonay]] |elevation_m = 1,487 |elevation_footnotes = <ref name = "istac_territorio" /> |country = Spain |country_admin_divisions_title = [[Autonomous communities of Spain|Autonomous Community]] |country_admin_divisions = [[Canary Islands]] |country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Provinces of Spain|Province]] |country_admin_divisions_1 = [[Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife|Santa Cruz de Tenerife]] |country_capital_and_largest_city = [[San Sebastián de la Gomera]] |country_largest_city_population = 9,584, in 2023 |demonym = {{lang|es|gomero/-a}} |population = 22,361 |population_footnotes = <ref>Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Madrid, 2023.</ref><ref name = boepop>{{cite web |url=https://boe.es/boe/dias/2018/12/29/pdfs/BOE-A-2018-18083.pdf |title=Real Decreto 1458/2018, de 14 de diciembre, por el que se declaran oficiales las cifras de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal referidas al 1 de enero de 2018|trans-title = Royal Decree 1458/2018, of 14 December, by which the population values resulting from the review of the municipal register of 1 January 2018 are declared official |language=es |date=29 December 2018 |website=[[Boletín Oficial del Estado|BOE]]|access-date = 14 August 2019}}</ref> |population_as_of = start of 2023 |density_km2 = 60.43 |languages = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (specifically [[Canarian Spanish]]) and [[Silbo Gomero]] |ethnic_groups = [[Spaniards|Spanish]], [[Canary Islanders]], other minority groups |timezone1 = [[Western European Time|WET]] |utc_offset1 = ±00:00 |timezone1_DST = [[Western European Summer Time|WEST]] |utc_offset1_DST = +01:00 |additional_info = }} [[File:Map of La Gomera.jpg|thumb]] [[File:La Gomera D81 7693 (32635325232).jpg|thumb|Volcanic valley of La Gomera]] [[File:Lavaschlote.jpg|thumb|[[Volcanic plug]]s in the centre of La Gomera]] [[File:Gomera.jpg|thumb|right|Laurisilva of [[Garajonay National Park|Garajonay]], in La Gomera.]] [[File:Los Organos La Gomera.JPG|thumb|right|Los Órganos, La Gomera.]] '''La Gomera''' ({{IPA|es|la ɣoˈmeɾa|lang|Pronunciation of La Gomera in Spanish.ogg}}) is one of [[Spain]]'s [[Canary Islands]], in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off the coast of [[Africa]]. With an area of {{cvt|370.03|sqkm|sqmi}}, it is the third-smallest of the archipelago's eight main islands. It belongs to the [[province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife]]. La Gomera is the third least populous of the eight main [[Canary Islands]], with 22,361 inhabitants at the start of 2023.<ref>Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Madrid, 2023.</ref><ref name = boepop /> Its capital is [[San Sebastián de La Gomera]], where the ''[[cabildo insular]]'' (island council) is located.
==Political organisation== La Gomera is part of the [[province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife]]. It is divided into six [[List of municipalities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife|municipalities]]: {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right" ! rowspan="2" | Name ! rowspan="2" | Area<br />(km<sup>2</sup>) ! colspan="3" | Census population ! rowspan="2" | Estimated<br>population<br />(2023)<ref>Estimate of 1 January 2023: from {{lang|es|italic=no|Instituto Nacional de Estadística}}, Madrid.</ref> |- ! 2001<ref>Census of 1 November 2001: from {{lang|es|italic=no|Instituto Nacional de Estadística}}, Madrid.</ref> ! 2011<ref>Census of 1 November 2011: from {{lang|es|italic=no|Instituto Nacional de Estadística}}, Madrid.</ref> ! 2021<ref>Census of 1 January 2021: from {{lang|es|italic=no|Instituto Nacional de Estadística}}, Madrid.</ref> |- | style="text-align: left" | [[Agulo]] | 25.36 | 1,127 | 1,148 | 1,111 | 1,123 |- | style="text-align: left" | [[Alajeró]] | 49.43 | 1,465 | 2,005 | 2,054 | 2,066 |- | style="text-align: left" | [[Hermigua]] | 39.67 | 2,038 | 2,076 | 1,851 | 1,943 |- | style="text-align: left" | [[San Sebastián de la Gomera]] | 113.59 | 6,618 | 8,943 | 9,313 | 9,584 |- | style="text-align: left" | [[Valle Gran Rey]] | 32.36 | 4,239 | 4,547 | 4,632 | 4,705 |- | style="text-align: left" | [[Vallehermoso, Santa Cruz de Tenerife|Vallehermoso]] | 109.32 | 2,798 | 2,961 | 2,932 | 2,940 |- class="sortbottom" ! Totals ! style="text-align: right" | 370.03 ! style="text-align: right" | 18,285 ! style="text-align: right" | 21,680 ! style="text-align: right" | 21,893 ! style="text-align: right" | 22,361 |} The island government (''cabildo insular'') is in the capital, San Sebastián.
==Geography== The island is of [[volcano|volcanic]] origin and roughly circular; it is about {{cvt|22|km|mi}} in diameter.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Geology of the Canary Islands - 1st Edition |url=https://www.elsevier.com/books/the-geology-of-the-canary-islands/troll/978-0-12-809663-5|access-date = 2020-10-21 |website=www.elsevier.com|date=26 May 2016 |isbn=978-0-12-809663-5 |last1=Troll |first1=Valentin R. |last2=Carracedo |first2=Juan Carlos |publisher=Elsevier Science }}</ref> [[List of mountains of La Gomera|It is very mountainous]] and steeply sloping and rises to {{cvt|1487|m}} at its highest peak, Alto de Garajonay. Its shape is rather like an orange that has been cut in half and then split into segments, which has left deep ravines or ''barrancos'' between them.<ref>{{Cite book|date=2021-01-01|chapter=North-East Atlantic Islands: The Macaronesian Archipelagos|chapter-url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081029084000278|language=en|pages=674–699|doi=10.1016/B978-0-08-102908-4.00027-8|title=Encyclopedia of Geology|last1=Carracedo|first1=Juan Carlos|last2=Troll|first2=Valentin R.|isbn=9780081029091|s2cid=226588940}}</ref>
===Climate=== The lower altitudes of La Gomera fall into the desert climate zone, while the higher mountainous areas fall into the Mediterranean climate zone. {{Weather box |width = auto |location = [[La Gomera Airport]]<br>[[Location identifier#WMO station identifiers|WMO ID]]: 60007; Climate ID: C329B; coordinates {{coordinates|28|01|54|N|17|12|39|W}}; elevation: {{cvt|219|m}}; 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2000–present<ref>{{cite web |url = https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/4a2f221b |title = Weather station data |website = opendata.aemet.es |publisher = AEMET OpenData |language = es |access-date = 13 November 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241113115453/https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/4a2f221b |archive-date = 2024-11-13}}</ref> |metric first = Y |single line = Y |collapsed = Y |Jan record high C = 27.8 |Feb record high C = 29.1 |Mar record high C = 35.9 |Apr record high C = 36.5 |May record high C = 39.3 |Jun record high C = 37.8 |Jul record high C = 42.2 |Aug record high C = 42.8 |Sep record high C = 40.1 |Oct record high C = 36.3 |Nov record high C = 32.6 |Dec record high C = 28.0 |year record high C = 42.8 |Jan avg record high C = 24.0 |Feb avg record high C = 24.3 |Mar avg record high C = 26.7 |Apr avg record high C = 26.7 |May avg record high C = 28.1 |Jun avg record high C = 30.0 |Jul avg record high C = 34.4 |Aug avg record high C = 34.0 |Sep avg record high C = 31.4 |Oct avg record high C = 31.0 |Nov avg record high C = 27.7 |Dec avg record high C = 24.4 |year avg record high C = 38.0 |Jan high C = 20.6 |Feb high C = 20.6 |Mar high C = 21.4 |Apr high C = 22.0 |May high C = 23.1 |Jun high C = 24.5 |Jul high C = 26.4 |Aug high C = 27.3 |Sep high C = 26.7 |Oct high C = 25.8 |Nov high C = 23.6 |Dec high C = 21.5 |year high C = 23.6 |Jan mean C = 17.7 |Feb mean C = 17.5 |Mar mean C = 18.1 |Apr mean C = 18.7 |May mean C = 19.8 |Jun mean C = 21.2 |Jul mean C = 23.0 |Aug mean C = 23.9 |Sep mean C = 23.6 |Oct mean C = 22.8 |Nov mean C = 20.7 |Dec mean C = 18.8 |year mean C = 20.5 |Jan low C = 14.7 |Feb low C = 14.4 |Mar low C = 14.7 |Apr low C = 15.4 |May low C = 16.4 |Jun low C = 17.9 |Jul low C = 19.5 |Aug low C = 20.5 |Sep low C = 20.4 |Oct low C = 19.7 |Nov low C = 17.8 |Dec low C = 16.0 |year low C = 17.3 |Jan avg record low C = 12.3 |Feb avg record low C = 12.2 |Mar avg record low C = 12.1 |Apr avg record low C = 13.3 |May avg record low C = 14.3 |Jun avg record low C = 16.1 |Jul avg record low C = 17.8 |Aug avg record low C = 18.6 |Sep avg record low C = 18.7 |Oct avg record low C = 17.0 |Nov avg record low C = 15.1 |Dec avg record low C = 13.8 |year avg record low C = 11.5 |Jan record low C = 10.6 |Feb record low C = 10.0 |Mar record low C = 9.8 |Apr record low C = 10.7 |May record low C = 12.5 |Jun record low C = 14.4 |Jul record low C = 16.3 |Aug record low C = 16.7 |Sep record low C = 17.3 |Oct record low C = 14.4 |Nov record low C = 13.6 |Dec record low C = 12.2 |year record low C = 9.8 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 21.1 |Feb precipitation mm = 31.6 |Mar precipitation mm = 16.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 6.5 |May precipitation mm = 1.8 |Jun precipitation mm = 0.2 |Jul precipitation mm = 0.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 1.4 |Sep precipitation mm = 3.9 |Oct precipitation mm = 29.5 |Nov precipitation mm = 25.7 |Dec precipitation mm = 42.7 |year precipitation mm = 180.7 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 2.4 |Feb precipitation days = 3.4 |Mar precipitation days = 2.4 |Apr precipitation days = 1.3 |May precipitation days = 0.4 |Jun precipitation days = 0.1 |Jul precipitation days = 0.0 |Aug precipitation days = 0.3 |Sep precipitation days = 0.6 |Oct precipitation days = 2.8 |Nov precipitation days = 2.3 |Dec precipitation days = 3.8 |year precipitation days = 19.9 |humidity colour = green |Jan humidity = 62 |Feb humidity = 63 |Mar humidity = 64 |Apr humidity = 65 |May humidity = 66 |Jun humidity = 69 |Jul humidity = 70 |Aug humidity = 71 |Sep humidity = 73 |Oct humidity = 69 |Nov humidity = 66 |Dec humidity = 65 |year humidity = 67 |Jan percentsun = 68 |Feb percentsun = 68 |Mar percentsun = 71 |Apr percentsun = 73 |May percentsun = 76 |Jun percentsun = 77 |Jul percentsun = 81 |Aug percentsun = 80 |Sep percentsun = 72 |Oct percentsun = 68 |Nov percentsun = 65 |Dec percentsun = 63 |year percentsun = 72 |source 1 = [[State Meteorological Agency]]/AEMET OpenData<ref>{{cite web |url = https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/bb673523 |title = Extremes |website = opendata.aemet.es |publisher = AEMET OpenData |language = es |access-date = 16 January 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250114092322/https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/bb673523 |archive-date = 2025-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/c5f7b219 |title = Normal |website = opendata.aemet.es |publisher = AEMET OpenData |language = es |access-date = 16 January 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250116151502/https://opendata.aemet.es/opendata/sh/c5f7b219 |archive-date = 2025-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.aemet.es/es/datos_abiertos/AEMET_OpenData |title = AEMET OpeenData |publisher = [[Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia]] |access-date = 2024-11-13}}</ref> }}
==Ecology== {{see also|Marine life of the Canary Islands}} The uppermost slopes of these ''barrancos'', in turn, are covered by the ''[[laurisilva]]'' – or laurel rain forest, where up to 50 inches of precipitation fall each year.
The upper reaches of this densely wooded region are almost permanently shrouded in clouds and mist, and as a result are covered in lush and diverse vegetation. This area forms the protected environment of Spain's [[Garajonay National Park]], which was declared a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 1986. The slopes are criss-crossed by trails of varying difficulty, offering views of the surrounding area.
The central mountains trap the moisture from the [[trade wind]] clouds and yield a temperate [[cloud forest]] climate, which contrasts with the warmer, sun-baked cliffs near sea level.
Between these extremes is a variety of microclimates. For centuries, La Gomera's inhabitants have farmed the lower levels by channelling runoff water to irrigate their vineyards, orchards and banana groves.
==Natural symbols== {{Main article|List of animal and plant symbols of the Canary Islands}} The official natural symbols associated with La Gomera are ''[[Columba junoniae]]'' (paloma rabiche) and ''[[Persea indica]]'' (viñátigo).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gobcan.es/boc/1991/061/001.html |title=Ley 7/1991, de 30 de abril, de símbolos de la naturaleza para las Islas Canarias|access-date = 29 September 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110808141931/http://www.gobcan.es/boc/1991/061/001.html|archive-date = 8 August 2011|url-status = dead}}</ref>
<gallery class="center"> File:Lorbeertaube15-01-2010.jpg|''[[Columba junoniae]]'' File:Persea indica - Berlin.jpg|''[[Persea indica]]'' </gallery>
==Culture== The local wine is distinctive and often accompanied with a ''tapa'' (snack) of local cheese, roasted pork, or goat meat. Other culinary specialities include [[almogrote]], a cheese spread, [[miel de palma]], a syrup extracted from palm trees, and "escaldón", a porridge made with [[gofio]] flour.
La Gomera's inhabitants have an ancient way of communicating across deep ravines by means of a [[whistled speech]] called ''[[Silbo Gomero]]'', which can be heard two miles away.<ref name = Laura>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20953138 |title=Silbo gomero: A whistling language revived |work=BBC News |author=Laura Plitt |date=11 January 2013|access-date = 13 January 2013}}</ref> This [[whistled language]] is indigenous to the island, and its existence has been documented since Roman times. Invented by the original inhabitants of the island, the [[Guanches]], ''Silbo Gomero'' was adopted by the Spanish settlers in the 16th century and survived after the Guanches were entirely assimilated.<ref name = Laura/> When it was threatened with extinction at the dawn of the 21st century, the local government required all children to learn it in school. Marcial Morera, a linguist at the [[University of La Laguna]], has said that the study of silbo may help understand how languages are formed.<ref name = Laura/>
In the mountains of La Gomera, its original inhabitants worshipped their god, whom they called Orahan. The summit and centre of the island served as their sanctuary. Many natives took refuge in this sacred territory in 1489 as they faced imminent defeat at the hands of the Spaniards, and it was there that the conquest of La Gomera ended. Archaeologists have found ceremonial stone constructions there that appear to represent sacrificial altar stones, slate hollows, or cavities. It was there that the Guanches built pyres upon which to make offerings of goats and sheep to Orahan, who was known on La Palma as Abora and on Tenerife and Gran Canaria as Arocan. The Guanches also interred their dead in caves. Today, saints, who are worshipped through village festivals, are principally connected with Christianity. But in some aspects, the Guanches' godlike idealising of Gomeran uniqueness plays a role as well besides their pre-Christian and pre-colonial implication and shows strong local differences.<ref name = "test">Jaehnichen, G. (2011). Steps into the future: San Isitdro's procession dance. In: Jaehnichen & Chieng, (eds.) Preserving creativity in music practice. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.http://www.mercado-mallorca.com/canaries.htm 2012</ref>
[[Christopher Columbus]] made La Gomera his last port of call before crossing the Atlantic in 1492 with his three ships, stopping to replenish his crew's food and water supplies, intending to stay only four days. [[Beatriz de Bobadilla y Ossorio]], the Countess of La Gomera and widow of Hernán Peraza the Younger, offered him vital support in preparations of the fleet, and he ended up staying one month. When he finally set sail on 6 September 1492, she gave him cuttings of sugarcane, which became the first to reach the New World. After his first voyage of Discovery, Columbus again provisioned his ships at the port of San Sebastián de La Gomera in 1493 on his second voyage to the New World, commanding a fleet of 17 vessels. He visited La Gomera for the last time in 1498 on his third voyage to the Americas. The house in [[San Sebastián (La Gomera)|San Sebastián]] in which he is reputed to have stayed is now a tourist attraction.
==Festivals== [[File:Virgen de guadalupe, patrona de la gomera.jpg|thumb|[[Virgin of Guadalupe]], patron saint of La Gomera.]] The festival of the [[Virgin of Guadalupe]], patron saint of the island, is the Monday following the first Saturday of October.
Every five years (most recently in 2023) is celebrated the ''Bajada de la Virgen de Guadalupe'' (the Bringing the Virgin) from her hermitage in [[Puntallana]] to the capital.<ref>{{cite web |author=Martes |date=10 October 2023 |publisher=San Sebastian City Council |title=La Bajada de la Virgen de Guadalupe, fervor y devoción del pueblo gomero |url=https://gomeraverde.es/art/96473/la-bajada-de-la-virgen-de-guadalupe-fervor-y-devocion-del-pueblo-gomero |website=Gomera Verde |access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref> She is brought by boat to the beach of [[San Sebastián de La Gomera]], where several people host her, and transported throughout the island for two months.
==Notable natives and residents== *[[Antonio José Ruiz de Padrón]] (1757–1823), Franciscan priest and politician. (Native) *[[José Aguiar]] (1895–1975), painter. (Native) *[[Pedro García Cabrera]] (1905–1981), writer and poet. (Native) *[[Tim Hart]] (1948–2009), English folk musician.(Resident) *[[Manuel Mora Morales]] (born 1952), writer, filmmaker and editor. (Native) *[[Oliver Weber]] (born 1970), German photographer, physician and professor of visual arts. (Resident)
==See also== * [[Geology of the Canary Islands]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons}} {{portal bar|Spain|Islands}} *{{wikivoyage inline|La Gomera}} *Green, Lawrence G.: South African beachcomber. Memories of the people of the shore and the stories they told; sand and dunes and treasure, seabirds and creatures of the sea; and personal impressions of certain islands in African waters. Cape Town: Howard B. Timmins, 1958. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070404093848/http://www.cabildogomera.org/ Cabildo de La Gomera] *[https://lagomera.travel/en/ La Gomera – Official Canary Islands Tourism] *[https://artsandculture.google.com/story/5wWhal2QDkmVmQ Garajonay National Park] UNESCO Collection on Google Arts and Culture {{La Gomera}} {{Islands and provinces of the Canary Islands}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:La Gomera|La Gomera]] [[Category:Islands of the Canary Islands]] [[Category:Volcanoes of the Canary Islands]] [[Category:Extinct volcanoes of Europe]] [[Category:Biosphere reserves of Spain]]