It is the capital of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and a co-capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands.
The city is a seaport and a tropical resort, offering its impressive scenery and mild sub-tropical climate to visitors.
The port also exports products of the Canaries such as vegetables, tobacco, and bananas. The oil refinery, inaugurated in November 28th 1930, and other industries were constructed to attempt to diversify the economy.
The city's airport was the site of the Tenerife disaster, the worst aircraft accident in history.