Gran Canary with a surface area of 1560.1 km ² is  next to Tenerife and Fuerteventura the third largest of the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. The almost circular island has a diameter of about 50 kilometers and a coastline of around 236 kilometers. The capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canary. In 2008, the island had 829 597 inhabitants.

Gran Canary is situated 210 km west off the coast of southern Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean, between its larger neighboring islands of Tenerife in the west and Fuerteventura in the east. Like all islands of the archipelago Gran Canaria is also volcanic origin. The highest point in the center of the island is 1949 m high extinct volcano Pico de las Nieves. Landmark of Gran Canaria is the 1813 meters high Roque Nublo.

Because of its climatic and geographic diversity and its diverse flora and fauna of the island is Gran Canary also described as a "miniature continent". The island has its own 14 micro-climate zones. From the highlands of the interior the island many dry valleys, so-called Barrancos, lead up to the coast. On the rare rains, which then can be quite profitable, however, the ravines are filled in part raging torrents.