The Canary Islands, also known as Islas Canarias in Spanish, refers to the islands that make up the archipelago situated just off the Northwest coast of
Africa. Apart from it being considered as an autonomous region of
Spain, the Canary Islands also serve as the mark of the Outermost Region of the European Union. Tenerife Island is the most populated island here. There are 7 large and numerous small islands that constitute this archipelago. All the islands have been formed out of volcano eruptions. The climate here is mild with wet or dry spells. The forests comprise of the laurisilva species (evergreen hardwood trees).
Contrary to the popular belief, the name of this archipelago was not derived from the little yellow songbird. Rather, the name of the archipelago was derived from the Latin term Insula Canaria, which literally translates to the “Island of the Dogs”. It was referred as such since, once upon a time, the islands were home of a species of Monk seals, which are now extinct. This species of seals, from afar, looked quite like dogs, hence, the name.
The Canary Islands have long been a popular tourist destination for beach lovers. Because of its location, the different islands in this autonomous region of Spain enjoy a spring-summer climate all year round. During the period of Feb-March, annual Carnival is celebrated in the region making the Canary Islands a beach paradise. Some other tourist attractions are the Teide National Park, Timanfaya National Park and Garajonay National Park where one can find a wide variety of flora and fauna.