Graciosa, Canary Islands

{{Short description|Canary Island in the Chinijo Archipelago}}

{{redirect|La Graciosa|other uses|Graciosa (disambiguation)}}

{{Expand Spanish|La_Graciosa|topic=geo|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox islands

| name = La Graciosa

| image_name = La Graciosa.jpg

| image_caption = La Graciosa from Mirador Del Río

| image_size =

| pushpin_map = Spain Lanzarote#Spain Province of Las Palmas#Canary Islands#Spain with Canary Islands

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location with respect to Lanzarote

| native_name =

| native_name_link =

| nickname =

| location = Atlantic Ocean

| coordinates = {{coord|29.250|N|13.508|W|display=title, inline|source:dewiki}}

| archipelago = Chinijo Archipelago, Canary Islands

| total_islands =

| major_islands =

| area_km2 = 29.05

| area_footnotes = {{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=2019-07-18 |language=es |trans-title=Territory Statistics }}

| coastline_km = 30.395

| coastline_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.datosdelanzarote.com/itemDetalles.asp?idFamilia=24&idItem=1591 |title=Longitud de costa de los islotes de Lanzarote |publisher=Centro de Datos, Cabildo de Lanzarote |access-date=2019-07-18 |language=es |trans-title=Coastline length of the islets of Lanzarote }}

| highest_mount = Agujas Grandes

| elevation_m = 266

| country = {{ESP}}

| country_admin_divisions_title = Autonomous Community

| country_admin_divisions = {{flag|Canary Islands}}

| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Province

| country_admin_divisions_1 = Las Palmas

| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Municipality

| country_admin_divisions_2 = Teguise

| country_capital_city =

| country_largest_city = Caleta de Sebo

| country_largest_city_population = 730

| country_leader_title =

| country_leader_name =

| population = 734

| population_as_of = 2018

| population_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.datosdelanzarote.com/itemDetalles.asp?idFamilia=6&idItem=8456 |title=Población de derecho de Teguise según unidad poblacional. Evolución (2000-2018) |publisher=Centro de Datos, Cabildo de Lanzarote |access-date=2019-07-18 |language=es |trans-title=Legal population of Teguise by settlement. Evolution (2000-2018) }}

| density_km2 = 25.27

| languages = Spanish, specifically Canarian Spanish

| ethnic_groups =

| timezone1 = WET

|utc_offset1 = ±00:00

|timezone1_DST = WEST

|utc_offset1_DST = +01:00

| additional_info =

}}

Graciosa Island or commonly La Graciosa ({{IPA|es|la ɣɾaˈsjosa|lang|Pronunciation of La Graciosa in Spanish.ogg}}; Spanish for "the graceful") is a volcanic island in the Canary Islands of Spain, located {{convert|2|km|nmi|frac=8|abbr=off|spell=in}} north of Lanzarote across the Strait of El Río. As the rest of the Canary Islands, it was formed by the Canary hotspot. The island is part of the Chinijo Archipelago and the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park ({{lang|es|Parque Natural del Archipiélago Chinijo}}).[http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/cmayot/espaciosnaturales/espaciosnaturales/lanzarote/l2.html Protected Natural Areas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417035548/http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/cmayot/espaciosnaturales/espaciosnaturales/lanzarote/l2.html |date=2015-04-17 }}[http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/1994/157/boc-1994-157-001.pdf Boletín Oficial de Canarias], pages 9723 and 9865-7 It is administered by the municipality of Teguise in the neighboring island of Lanzarote. In 2018 La Graciosa was officially declared the eighth Canary Island by the Spanish Senate,{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/spain/canary-islands/lanzarote/articles/la-graciosa-why-visit-facts/|title=Nine fascinating facts about the newest Canary Island|last=Morris|first=Hugh|website=The Telegraph|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-21}} with few real effects.{{cite news |last1=Ferrera |first1=Toni |title=La Graciosa, la isla canaria que logró su 'independencia' hace cuatro años sin mucho éxito |url=https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/sociedad/graciosa-isla-canaria-logro-independencia-cuatro-anos-exito_1_9686548.html |access-date=7 November 2022 |work=elDiario.es |date=7 November 2022 |language=es}} Before then, the island had the status of an islet. It's administratively dependent on the island of Lanzarote.

The only two settlements on the island are Caleta de Sebo in the southeastern part of the island and summer-residence Casas de Pedro Barba; the rest of the island is owned by the Government of Spain and is administered by the National Parks Autonomous Agency.

The population is about 700. Tourism is the main industry along with fishing. Every year, tourists flock to the island for its tempered climate and its sandy volcanic coasts. The island has a school, lyceum, post office, supermarkets, medical center, pharmacy, a Bankia bank branch,{{cite web |url=https://www.bankia.es/en/retail-banking/branches-and-atms/las-palmas/teguise/cl-la-tegala-3/oficina-particulares-7241 |title=Bankia branch in CL THE TEGALA, 3 (Teguise) |access-date=2019-07-20 |website=bankia.es }} port, beaches, bar-restaurants and a square.

Because of the transportation cost, everyday shopping is more expensive than in the other islands.

Streets and roads on La Graciosa are unpaved sand. Motor vehicles are strictly limited to a handful of licensed vehicles for special purposes. Access to the island is by a 25-minute ferry crossing from Órzola on Lanzarote to the harbour in the village. There is a campsite on the island situated on Playa del Salado at the western edge of Caleta del Sebo.