Puerto del Rosario

Puerto del Rosario
Municipality

Flag
Coat of arms

Location in Fuerteventura
Puerto del Rosario

Location in Canary Islands

Coordinates: 28°30′N 13°52′W / 28.500°N 13.867°W / 28.500; -13.867Coordinates: 28°30′N 13°52′W / 28.500°N 13.867°W / 28.500; -13.867
Country  Spain
Autonomous Community  Canary Islands
Province Las Palmas
Island Fuerteventura
Government
 • Mayor Marcial Morales (CC)
Area[1]
 • Total 289.95 km2 (111.95 sq mi)
Elevation(AMSL) 16 m (52 ft)
Population (2013)[2]
 • Total 36,774
 • Density 130/km2 (330/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (GMT +1) (UTC+1)
Postal code 35600
Area code(s) +34 (Spain) + 928 (Las Palmas)
Website www.puertodelrosario.org

Puerto del Rosario (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpwerto ðel roˈsaɾjo]) is a town and a municipality in the eastern part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Las Palmas province in the Canary Islands. It has been the capital of Fuerteventura since 1860. The town's population is 29160 (2013),[2] the administrative district's (municipio de Puerto del Rosario) population is 36,744 and its area is 289.95 km².

History

Originally known as Puerto de las Cabras (Port of the Goats), Puerto del Rosario was initially of little political importance on the island- living in the shadow of the ancient of capital Betancuria. It had long been a fishing settlement and benefited from a sheltered natural harbour. The "Atlantic Navigator", written in 1854, describes the town then known as "Cabras" as "the principal port", but goes on to describe it as an "insignificant place". The "Atlantic Navigator" describes the makeshift landing area for shipping as "indifferent", while calling the "beach of shingles" where ships anchor as "still worse".[3] Although the town was small and underpopulated, just 1,000 in 1936, all major exports and imports from the island were shipped from the harbour at Puerto del Rosario.

It was this status as the "principal port" of the island that saw it become the capital of the island in 1860, taking that honour from Antigue. The port was popular for shipping goats and this is where its original name came from. However, in 1957, it was decided that the name "Cabras" was not suitable. A more attractive name was selected and Cabras (goat) was replaced with Rosario (rosary).

During the 1960s there was rural to urban migration from the smaller villages and farm areas of the island into Puerto del Rosario. The population grew in these years. A further population growth occurred in 1976 when, due to the decolonisation of North Africa, the Spanish Foreign Legion made Puerto del Rosario their base.

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Puerto del Rosario has an hot desert climate (BWh).[4]

Climate data for Fuerteventura Airport 25m (1981-2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.5
(83.3)		 30.8
(87.4)		 34.0
(93.2)		 38.0
(100.4)		 36.8
(98.2)		 41.6
(106.9)		 43.0
(109.4)		 41.0
(105.8)		 37.9
(100.2)		 36.5
(97.7)		 34.8
(94.6)		 29.5
(85.1)		 43.0
(109.4)
Average high °C (°F) 20.6
(69.1)		 21.0
(69.8)		 22.2
(72)		 22.9
(73.2)		 24.1
(75.4)		 25.8
(78.4)		 27.3
(81.1)		 27.8
(82)		 27.5
(81.5)		 26.1
(79)		 24.0
(75.2)		 22.0
(71.6)		 24.3
(75.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 17.6
(63.7)		 17.9
(64.2)		 18.9
(66)		 19.5
(67.1)		 20.6
(69.1)		 22.5
(72.5)		 24.0
(75.2)		 24.6
(76.3)		 24.4
(75.9)		 22.9
(73.2)		 20.9
(69.6)		 18.9
(66)		 21.1
(70)
Average low °C (°F) 14.7
(58.5)		 14.8
(58.6)		 15.5
(59.9)		 16.0
(60.8)		 17.1
(62.8)		 19.1
(66.4)		 20.8
(69.4)		 21.5
(70.7)		 21.2
(70.2)		 19.8
(67.6)		 17.7
(63.9)		 15.9
(60.6)		 17.8
(64)
Record low °C (°F) 8.0
(46.4)		 8.0
(46.4)		 8.0
(46.4)		 9.5
(49.1)		 11.6
(52.9)		 13.0
(55.4)		 14.0
(57.2)		 15.0
(59)		 15.0
(59)		 12.0
(53.6)		 10.5
(50.9)		 9.0
(48.2)		 8.0
(46.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 14
(0.55)		 16
(0.63)		 12
(0.47)		 5
(0.2)		 1
(0.04)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 2
(0.08)		 8
(0.31)		 13
(0.51)		 26
(1.02)		 97
(3.81)
Average rainy days 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 16
Average relative humidity (%) 68 69 68 65 66 67 69 71 72 73 71 71 69
Mean monthly sunshine hours 190 190 233 242 280 285 294 289 246 227 203 186 2,836
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[5]

Transport

There are regular ferry services to Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife with Naviera Armas. Fuerteventura Airport is situated near El Matorral, 6 km south of Puerto del Rosario.

Puerto del Rosario grew around its harbour and it still plays a crucial role in the town today for transport and trade

See also

References

  1. ↑ Instituto Canario de Estadística, area
  2. 1 2 Instituto Canario de Estadística, population
  3. ↑ The Atlantic Navigator. J. Imray and son. 1854-01-01.
  4. ↑ http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/kottek_et_al_2006_A4.pdf
  5. ↑ "Valores climatológicos normales. Fuerteventura Aeropuerto".
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