LA GOMERA
Economy

Popular destinations SPAIN

Andalusia	Catalonia	Costa blanca
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Ibiza	La gomera	La palma
Lanzarote	Mallorca	Menorca
	Tenerife

Economy

Agriculture

To this day, many residents are still farmers and the island has retained its agricultural character.

Fruit cultivation is particularly important on La Gomera. Before the cultivation of bananas, sugar cane and grapes for wine were cultivated on a large scale. Whenever such monoculture came to an end, large groups of Gomeros emigrated to Venezuela or Cuba.

At the end of the 19th century, the first bananas ('plátanos') were grown in the north of La Gomera. The small but tasty bananas are still an important source of income for the Gomeros. However, competition from larger and cheaper bananas from Central and South America is increasing and the banana industry on La Gomera can only survive with subsidies from the European Union.

The main centre of palm honey production is in the north of La Gomera. The 'Miel de Palma' has a high nutritional value and often replaces sugar in cakes and sweets. Palm honey is obtained by making notches in the blossom buds of Canary Island palm trees. The moisture that seeps out is collected and thickened. A metal ring around the trunk is meant to keep mice and rats at bay.

The humid valley of Hermigua still contains some banana plantations, and papayas, mangoes, avocados and oranges are grown on the terraces.

In the coastal towns, the fish is caught early in the morning and is then served on restaurant plates in the evening, especially tuna, pike, perch, squid and parrotfish.

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Sources

Canarische Eilanden
Van Reemst

Evers, K. / Canarische eilanden : Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote
Gottmer,

Leibl, M. / Gomera & Hierro
Van Reemst

Lipps, S. / La Gomera
ANWB

Lipps, S. / Wandelgids La Gomera en El Hierro
ANWB

Murphy, P. / Canarische eilanden
Kosmos-Z&K

Renouf, N. / Canarische eilanden
Kosmos-Z&K

Rokebrand, R. / Reishandboek Tenerife
Elmar

Schulze, D. / La Gomera
Deltas

Simonis, D. / Tenerife & La Gomera
Kosmos-Z&K

Williams, C. / Tenerife, including La Gomera
Rough Guides

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated November 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info