In recent years, the population has greatly increased due to an influx of immigrants, from Western Sahara, Colombia, Cuba, and other African and Latin American countries.

Reina Sofía Airport is located in this municipality, as well as the beachside town of El Médano ("The Sand Dune"), where many important windsurfing competitions are held.

La Montaña Roja ("The Red Mountain"), a volcanic cone located in El Médano, is a protected natural preserve, along with five other "espacios naturales," which comprise 25% of the municipality's total area.

Abona was the name of a Guanche menceyato, or kingdom, that existed in this region of the island at the time of Spanish conquest in the late fifteenth century.

We remained there for three days and a half; later we approached another port on the same island, Monte Rosso [Montaña Roja] by name, lingering there for two days…On Monday, October 3, at midnight, we departed southwards..."[4] Records indicate that a church existed in the municipality in 1575.