Gran Canaria (Spanish pronunciation: [a kanaja] meaning "Great [Island] of Dogs"), is the second most populous of the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa which is part of Spain. As of 2018 the island had a population of 846,717 that constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago.

 

Gran Canaria is located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometres (93 miles) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1,350 km (840 mi) from Europe. With an area of 1,560 km2 (602 sq. miles) and an altitude of 1,956 m (6,417 ft) at the Pico de las Nieves, Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the archipelago in both area and altitude. Gran Canaria is also the third most populated island in Spain after Tenerife and Mallorca.

 

Puerto de Mogán is a picturesque resort and fishing village in the municipality of Mogán, set at the mouth of a steep-sided valley on the south-west coast of the island of Gran Canaria.

 

It attracts many tourists either to stay or on day-visits. Canals linking the marina to the fishing harbour have led to it being nicknamed "Little Venice" or the "Venice of the Canaries". Its beach (Mogán beach or playa de Mogán) has a good reputation. Restaurants and bars fringe the marina and the beach front. On Fridays there is a very popular market which brings in tourists from all over the island.

 

Puerto de Mogán has very few buildings over two storeys high and the government of Gran Canaria restricts new buildings taller than this.