El Teide (South side)

El Teide (South side)

El Teide volcano on Tenerife (3,718 m or 12,198 ft) is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic. If measured from the ocean floor, it is at 7,500 m (24,600 ft) the fourth-highest volcano in the world, and is described as Earth’s third-tallest volcanic structure. Teide’s elevation makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world. Teide is an active volcano: its most recent eruption occurred in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift. The United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation designated Teide a Decade Volcano because of its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to several large towns. The volcano and its surroundings comprise Teide National Park, which has an area of 18,900 hectares (47,000 acres) and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Teide is the most visited natural wonder of Spain, the most visited national park in Spain and Europe and the eighth most visited in the world, with some 3 million visitors yearly. In 2016, it was visited by 4,079,823 visitors and tourists reaching a historical record. Teide Observatory, a major international astronomical observatory, is located on the slopes of the mountain.