Situated in the Atlantic, 1 000 km away from the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands have 2.1 million inhabitants living on 7 main islands.
They are strategically placed between Europe, America and Africa, offering a privileged position for cultural and economic exchange.
The Canary Islands host world-class research centres and universities, making the region a front runner in fields such as astrophysics, oceanography, renewable energies and biotechnologies.
However, there are still some challenges: the region´s GDP per head has been declining over the last years, standing at 74% of the EU average, and the unemployment rate is very high, especially among young people.