PALMA, or

See also:

• SAN

SAN

See also:

• MIGUEL, MARIA EVARIST (1802–1866)

MIGUEL DE LA PALMA  , a Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean, forming part of the Canary Islands (q.v.) . Pop . (1900), 41,994; area 28o sq. m . Palma is 26 m. long, with an extreme breadth of 16 in . It lies 67 m . W.N.W. of Teneriffe . It is traversed from north to south by a chain of mountains, the highest of which is 7900 ft. above sea-level . At the broadest part is a crater g m. in diameter, known as the Caldera (i.e. cauldron) . The bottom of the crater has an elevation of 2300 ft., and it is overhung by peaks that rise more than 5000 ft. above it . Palma contains several mineral springs, but there is great want of fresh water . The only stream which is never dried up is that which issues from the Caldera . In 1677 an eruption, preceded by an earthquake, took place from a volcano at the southern extremity of the island, and much damage was done .

Santa Cruz de la Palma (pop . 7024) on the eastern coast is the principal town . The anchorage is good .