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Arucas
Municipality
Panorámica de Arucas.jpg
Flag of Arucas
Flag
Coat of arms of Arucas
Coat of arms
Municipal location in Gran Canaria
Municipal location in Gran Canaria
Arucas is located in Province of Las Palmas
Arucas
Arucas
Location in Province of Las Palmas
Arucas is located in Canary Islands
Arucas
Arucas
Location in Canary Islands
Arucas is located in Spain, Canary Islands
Arucas
Arucas
Location in Spain, Canary Islands
Country Spain
Autonomous region Canary Islands
Province Las Palmas
Island Gran Canaria
Area
 • Total 33.01 km2 (12.75 sq mi)
Elevation
240 m (790 ft)
Population
 (2018)
 • Total 37,691
 • Density 1,141.81/km2 (2,957.3/sq mi)
Municipal code E-35006

Arucas is a municipality in the northern part of the island of Gran Canaria, province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Arucas borders Las Palmas to the west and is part of its urban area. Its population is 36,852 (2013), and the area is 33.01 km2 (12.75 sq mi). The GC-2 motorway passes north of the town.

Sites of interest

The Church of San Juan Bautista is the leading architectural and social monument in the municipality. It was built entirely in Arucas stone by local master masons, and it dates from 1909. Apart from the wealth of the carved stone columns and column heads, there are also some beautiful stained glass windows, the works of Canary Island painter Cristobal Hernandez de Quintana, and an extraordinary carving of the Reclining Christ, by Manuel Ramos. To the north is the Montaña de Arucas which is thought to be the area where courageous Doramas the Guanche leader was killed in 1481 by Pedro de Vera [ca; de; es; fr; ro; ru] in the Battle of Arucas. Arucas is known for the production of rum.

History

Arucas was rebuilt in 1480 after being completely destroyed in 1478. Since the 15th century, the main crop of the Arucas area was sugar cane. Rum was produced here long before sugar plantations were cultivated in Cuba. One of the main features of modern-day Arucas is its rum factory. Arucas boomed with the demand for cochineal (a beetle feeding off cactus pear, crushed to produce red dye) in the second half of the 19th century.

Arucas 2016 07
Arucas 2016
Arucas 2016 09
Arucas 2016
Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1991 26,974 —    
1996 29,179 +8.2%
2001 32,466 +11.3%
2002 32,917 +1.4%
2003 33,449 +1.6%
2004 33,701 +0.8%
2013 36,852 +9.3%

Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Arucas para niños

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