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.
[edit] 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.
Barlovento has schools, a few lyceums, a gymnasium, churches, a small beach, a small port, a post office and a few squares plazas.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Barlovento village Photo taken by Luc Viatour 2004
Spain
Canary Islands
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
La Palma
