What type of animal are the Canary Islands named after?

The Canary Islands or Islas Canarias are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. They are situated off the Northwest coast of Africa and are a group of seven major volcanic islands plus some smaller ones and it is thought they were named not after the Canary bird but after the Latin word for dog, canaria. Early Europeans are thought to have found large dogs wandering on Gran Canaria. Another explanation is they were named after the seals which inhabit the area. The Roman name for seals being 'sea dogs which translated to câini de mare. Whichever version is correct they are named after a mammal. The Canary bird is thought to be named after the islands.

The islands are inhabited by over 2 million people. The largest island Tenerife has the island's capital situated on it, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and also has the highest point in all of Spain in its centre, Mount Teide. Over 12,000 feet at its peak it is higher than anything in the Pyrenees range of mountains.

The main income for the Canaries is from tourism mainly due to its pleasant climate although each island has its own microclimate. Famed for its black sand beaches the islands have in places imported Saharan sand which Europeans prefer.

The Spanish civil war was planned on Gran Canaria in La Palmas by Francisco Franco who was General Commandant of the Canaries in 1936. Together with his followers they plotted strategies out of sight and mind of Spain before moving to the continent.