Santa Cruz de Tenerife (province)

Santa Cruz de Tenerife province

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a province of Spain, consisting of the western part of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. It consists of about half of the Atlantic archipelago, including the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma.

Its capital is the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife, which is also co-capital of the autonomous community. Of the 915,262 people (2003) who live in the province, 24% live in the capital. There are 53 municipalities in the province; see List of municipalities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The other half of the archipelago makes up the province of Las Palmas.

This province contains three of Spain's national parks, more than any other province: the Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente on La Palma, the Parque Nacional Garajonay on La Gomera, and the Parque Nacional del Teide on Tenerife, encompassing Teide, Spain's highest mountain.