Canary Islands The connection to dogs is retained in their depiction on the islands' coat-of-arms. It is considered that the aborigines of Gran Canaria called themselves "Canarios". It is possible that after being conquered, this name was used in plural in Spanish, i.e., as to refer to all of the islands as the Canarii-as. What is certain is that the name of the islands does not derive from the canary bird; rather, the birds are named after the islands. Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the archipelago. Gran Canaria, with 865,070 inhabitants, is both the Canary Islands' second most
Canary Islands Independence Movement Canary Islands Independence Movement The Canary Islands Independence Movement (CIIM), also known as the Movement for the Independence and Self-determination of the Canaries Archipelago (, MPAIAC), is a defunct independentist organization that had a radio station in Algiers and resorted to violence in attempts to force the Spanish government to create an independent state in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands Independence Movement was started by Antonio Cubillo in 1964. Based in Algeria, the MPAIAC was recognized in 1968 by the Organisation of African Unity. Its armed struggle was carried out by the group's armed wing, the "Fuerzas Armadas Guanches"