Barlovento, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Barlovento
—  Municipality  —

Flag

Coat of arms
Municipal location in La Palma
Coordinates: 28°49′0″N 17°48′0″W / 28.81667°N 17.80000°W / 28.81667; -17.80000Coordinates: 28°49′0″N 17°48′0″W / 28.81667°N 17.80000°W / 28.81667; -17.80000
Country  Spain
Autonomous Community  Canary Islands
Province  Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Island  La Palma
Area[1]
 • Total 43.55 km2 (16.81 sq mi)
Elevation[1] 548 m (1,798 ft)
Population (2009)[2]
 • Total 2,363
 • Density Bad rounding here54/km2 (Bad rounding here140/sq mi)

Barlovento (Spanish for windward) is a municipality in the northern part of the island of La Palma, one of the Canary Islands, and a part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Barlovento is on the main highway which encircles the island and is located north of La Palma Airport.

The land rises steeply from a small coastal plain, to the rim of the Caldera de Taburiente at Pico de la Cruz (2,350m)

Farmland dominates the centre and coastline of the municipality, with forest in the mountainous southwestern parts. The majority of the population is rural, with the only town being Barlovento, where the ayuntamiento (municipal office) is, at 548m above sea level. Being in the cloudier North East of the island, with a short, rocky, coastline, there is less tourism than other municipalities, although there are a number of casas rurales for rent. There is, however, a large recreation zone and campsite at the Laguna de Barlovento, an artificial reservoir, which is the largest area of freshwater on the island. There are also saltwater bathing pools, the Piscina Fajana, with a restaurant and other facilities at Punta del Corcho, near the Faro de Punta Complida lighthouse, at the North Eastern point of the island.

Residential houses in the mountainous area, and along the main road, are surrounded with beautiful laurisilva forest along with other trees and grasslands. The Atlantic Ocean can be seen directly to the northeast offering glimses of Tenerife and La Gomera.

Historical population

Year Population Change Density
1970 3,286 - 61.36/km²
1981 2,772 -514 51.76/km²
1991 2,644 -128 49.37/km²
1996 2,488 -156 46.46 km²
2001 2,382 -106 44.48/km²
2002 2,378 -6 44.41/km²
2003 2,367 -5 44.20/km²
2004 2,350 -17 43.88/km²
2007 2,383 +33 44.50/km²

Unlike the southern municipalities of La Palma, which have had large increases in population, Barlovento has historically seen a slowly decreasing population, which has recently stabilized.

↑Jump back a section

Other

Barlovento village

Barlovento has schools, a few lyceums, a gymnasium, churches, a small beach, a small port, a post office and a few squares plazas.

↑Jump back a section

References

  1. ^ a b "SUPERFICIE, PERÍMETRO Y ALTITUD DE LOS MUNICIPIOS DE CANARIAS." (in Spanish). Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC). 
  2. ^ "Población en Canarias. La Palma. 1-1-2009." (in Spanish). Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC). 
North: Atlantic Ocean
West: Garafía Barlovento East: Atlantic Ocean
Southwest:El Paso South: San Andrés y Sauces
↑Jump back a section
Last modified on 19 April 2013, at 01:35