Berbera is a constituent republic of Atlantic Region.
| Berbera Republic | |
|---|---|
| Island of La Gomera | |
| Constituent Republic of Vekllei | |
 |
|
| Part of the Atlantic Region | |
| Population | 35,461 |
| Demographics | 50% Benahoarita & others · 15% Guanche · 14% African · 21% other |
| Accession | 2020, as part of the Canary Delegation |
| Area | 369.76 km² |
| Capital | Sebastiana |
| Languages | English, Portuguese, Canarii Gomera |
The Berbera Republic is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Tenerife in the Canarii archipelago. The island is small and steep, and is dominated by a central massif rising to nearly 1,500 metres. Its slopes are characterised deep barrancos that snake to the sea on all sides. The small amount of flat ground has been heavily farmed for thousands of years.
The Gomero people who originally settled the island are related to the Guanches of Tenerife but comprise a distinct ethnolinguistic group. They developed Silbo Gomero, which is a whistled language that can carry a conversation across a valley that would otherwise take an hour to navigate on foot. It is still taught in Berbera’s schools in the Commonwealth period.
In the late 15th century, Portuguese colonisation arrived in the same fashion it did elsewhere in the Canaries. The Gomeros already traded with Moroccan merchants and had some prior exposure to Christianity, which saw them mostly integrated into imperial Portuguese Christianity. It is perhaps most well known for Christopher Columbus calling at Sebastiana on all four of his trans-Atlantic voyages to take on provisions.
Today, Berberans speak Canarii Gomera at home, with Silbo used where it is useful, and English taught in schools and used at work. Portuguese survives mainly among older households and is slowly falling out of use.
In the interior of the island is Garajonay National Park, a beautiful cloud forest of laurel, heath and tree fern, and one of the last remnants of the Macaronesian laurisilva that once covered much of southern Europe. It sits under cloud for most of the year and is cool even in summer, and is Berbera’s primary attraction. Around its edges are quaint terraced smallholdings growing tropical fruit and avocado, and palm honey is produced by tapping the sap of Canary palms.
Berbera’s economy is pastoral and slow-moving even by the standards of its neighbours. A single rail line spirals down from the interior to Sebastiana, where the island’s only significant port can be found, and ferries run from there to the rest of the archipelago and to Tenerife’s capital at Anaza. There is an extensive network of walking trails between villages and through the national park, mostly following old Gomero paths, and hiking is the main attraction for domestic tourists.
- Adhesives
- Electronic Components
- Glass
- Grains
- Grapes
- Milk
- Paper
- Printing Ink
- Pulp
Climate
Highly variable by altitude. The coast is warm and dry; the central forest is cool and perpetually misty. The northern slopes receive considerably more rainfall than the southern.
Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day 1 Jan
- Epiphany 6 Jan
- Good Friday
- Easter
- Commonwealth Day 1 May
- Canary Day 8 Jun
- Assumption Day 15 Aug
- Columbus Day 12 Oct
- All Saints Day 1 Nov
- Feast of Imm. Con. 8 Dec
- Christmas Day 25 Dec
| Occupation | Share | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Land & Sea | 15.3% | 3,446 |
| Education | 12.1% | 2,724 |
| Domestic | 10.2% | 2,312 |
| Healthcare | 8.8% | 1,996 |
| Skilled Trades & Construction | 8.3% | 1,884 |
| Government & Civil Administration | 5.4% | 1,230 |
| Hospitality & Participatory Trades | 4.9% | 1,113 |
| Arts & Media | 4.5% | 1,018 |
| Transport | 4.3% | 981 |
| Retail, Distribution & Logistics | 3.9% | 877 |
| Security & Defence | 3.5% | 793 |
| Sport & Recreation | 3.2% | 731 |
| Economic Planning | 3.0% | 687 |
| Industry | 2.9% | 644 |
| Law & Justice | 2.3% | 510 |
| Energy & Resources | 2.2% | 499 |
| Information & Communications | 2.1% | 472 |
| Science & Research | 2.0% | 458 |
| Religious & Ceremonial | 0.9% | 196 |
- Garajonay National Park: Ancient laurel and cloud forest reserve occupying the island’s interior, with trails connecting the main barrancos and mountain viewpoints.
- Sebastiana: The island’s principal port and capital, where Columbus stopped on each of his four trans-Atlantic voyages.
- Los Organos: Dramatic basalt column formations visible from the sea on the island’s northwest coast, named for their resemblance to organ pipes.
- Alto de Garajonay: The island’s highest point, from which all four neighbouring Canary islands are visible on a clear day.