An article for tourists planning to vacation here. I’ll tell you about the indigenous population of the Canary Islands, you’ll learn who are called Canarians, and who the Guanches are. And most importantly, you’ll get the whole truth about how the local residents feel about tourists on their islands today. It’s no secret that there are many tourists here, and in the news (tabloid press), there are many sensational headlines about how locals want to restrict tourism on their islands.

A brief history of the indigenous population

I won’t copy Wikipedia for you, I’ll give you only the information that may be useful in traveling around the islands. Below are the main theses of the history of the indigenous population of the Canaries:

  • It is not definitively known when people settled the Canary Archipelago. Modern scientists, based on the chronicles of ancient historians, agree that the islands were inhabited by people as early as the 1st century AD. Presumably, these were descendants of the Numidians (Berbers) from northwest Africa.
  • When Europeans arrived on the archipelago in the 15th century, during the age of geographical discoveries, there were indigenous tribes living here, one of which (on Tenerife) called themselves Guanches. Actually, this name – Guanches – became associated with the indigenous population of the Canary Islands. Although in fact, on each of the Canary Islands, each tribe had its own name.
Population of the Canary
This is what the leader of one of the tribes on the island of La Gomera looked like, representing the indigenous population of the Canary Islands. They were tall, fair-skinned, dark-haired. Very similar to modern Berbers.

Useful to know:

Guanches (majorero on Fuerteventura, gomero on La Gomera, and other tribes) – the indigenous population of the Canaries. Indigenous population is considered to be those who lived on the territory before the islands were discovered by Europeans. And the descendants of Spanish colonists, even those who arrived on the islands from the 16th century, are not considered indigenous.

The first “Europeanized” capital of the Canary Islands after the arrival of Europeans is considered to be the town of Betancuria on the island of Fuerteventura (mid-15th century CE). But about this, about the Guanches, about the dogs of the Canary Islands, read in the article on the history of the Canaries.

The Gomeran Whistle, or Silbo Gomero

Indigenous people lived on all 7 islands. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were no close contacts, trade, or conflicts between the tribes of different islands. They were not isolated from each other, but there were no close ties either. As a result, each island and each tribe developed its own dialects, traditions, and customs.

people of the canary islands
Folk creativity of the Guanches before the arrival of Europeans. Very detailed 🙂

Silbo Gomero:

On the island of La Gomera, a “language” of whistling appeared, with which local residents communicated with each other. The rocky island, with many ravines and complex terrain, made it impossible to communicate in the usual way. Speech could not be heard beyond 100 meters, and echoes in the mountains distorted it greatly. But whistling in the mountains could be heard from afar.

It is known that Silbo Gomero extended beyond the island of La Gomera, and it was spoken on the islands of El Hierro, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria.

  • The Gomeran whistling language is included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
  • Surprisingly, Silbo Gomero managed to survive with the arrival of the Spaniards on the islands.
  • And today, the development of this language has received a new impetus. Local residents are proud of it, there are school clubs and extracurricular activities where children are taught the basics of the whistling language.
  • And I often hear on the radio on local stations, whole programs, invited guests, examples of dialogues in Silbo Gomero. There is mass popularization of this language, and it’s wonderful.
  • You can read more about the Canary Whistling Language by following the link to Wikipedia if you’re interested.

And about the language in the Canary Islands, how it differs from Spanish, whether it’s comfortable to travel with just English, and the basic set of words for tourists traveling to the Canaries, read in a separate article.

Population of the Canary Islands Today

Here’s what’s happening on the islands today. I’ll give you a concise overview of the modern population of the Canary Islands and the real picture, and you’ll draw your own conclusions.

  • The archipelago consists of 7 islands. The population of all the islands is about 2.2 million people.
  • Out of these 2.2 million people, 1.8 million live on two islands: Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The archipelago has two capitals, and every 4 years it moves from one island to another. You can read about this and more in the article: general information about the Canaries for tourists and what you need to know before traveling.
  • With a population of just over 2 million people, the Canaries are visited by more than 13 million tourists annually.
indigenous people of the Canary Islands
I took this photo in February on Gran Canaria, Mogán beach. Notice how many people are on the beach off-season. Can you imagine the number of tourists here in the summer?

Canarians – the local population of the Canary Islands today:

Canarians are the mixed-race descendants of the indigenous inhabitants (Guanches, Mahoreros) and the Spaniards who colonized the islands five centuries ago. If a local resident has someone from the Mahoreros or Guanches in their lineage, even if it’s in the fifth generation, they still consider themselves to be Canarian.

Visually distinguishing a Spaniard from a Canarian is impossible, at least I can’t. Dark hair, tanned or sun-kissed skin, often dark eyes.

How Locals Treat Tourists

I’ll tell you what the situation is like today. Here are the main points:

  • There are a lot of tourists. Every year, the Canaries are visited by 6-8 times more tourists than the entire population of the Canary Islands.
  • During the season, beaches are overcrowded, parking is a problem, and accommodation prices skyrocket. Even in winter, even in February, there are many tourists on the islands.
  • At the same time, up to 80% of the islands’ GDP depends on tourism. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are directly related to tourism.

It’s important to understand:

On the one hand, there are many tourists, and there is a category of citizens who want to ban or restrict tourism. But on the other hand, the Canaries are entirely dependent on tourism, which brings in billions of euros annually.

There’s no need to panic over the news and tabloid headlines about how the Canarians are supposedly driving away tourists. Such news periodically appears in the press. The same situation with tourism occurs not only in the Canaries but also in Venice, Barcelona, and so on. Everywhere tourists outnumber locals.

natives of the Canary Islands
The Population of the Canary Islands – Canarians. It’s impossible to distinguish them from Spaniards. In the photo, a typical Canarian is cooking barbecue over a volcano crater.

Attitude of Canarians Towards Tourists:

Canarians are very responsive and friendly. They are almost punctual (without overdoing it), you can negotiate and do business with them. And they treat tourists excellently. But, don’t forget: during tourist season, there are a lot of tourists, and locals naturally want to make money, which sometimes affects the quality of service, as everyone works for speed. This applies to catering, excursions, and car rentals.

Travel Tips

Here are a few tips:

  • Book accommodation, car rentals, and excursions in advance, the sooner the better. Don’t leave it until the last moment. Usually, tourists who do everything last minute end up with a negative experience, finding out that there are no cars available, no spots on excursions, tickets to Teide volcano are sold out, and so on.
  • Remember, where there are many tourists, there are pickpockets and beggars in parking lots. I recommend reading an article about the dangers in the Canaries for tourists. You’ll learn what to fear, what’s greatly exaggerated, and what dangers are underestimated.

In conclusion: the indigenous population of the Canary Islands before the arrival of Europeans consisted of Guanches, Gomero, Majorero, and other tribes. But today, you won’t find a purebred Guanche. Modern inhabitants of the Canary Islands are called Canarians, they are the mixed-race descendants of Guanches and Spaniards. Local residents are extremely friendly towards tourists. They will always be ready to help you.

Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:

  • Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.

  • Accommodation:
    • Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.

    • or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.

  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.

  • Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.

  • eSIM and internet: Airalo.

  • Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.