Factoid

There is an archipelago – a group of islands – off the west coast of Africa called the Canary Islands. The islands are owned by Spain.

The Canary Islands (Spanish name: Islas Canarias) are not named after the canary bird. Rather, the bird is named after the Canary Islands.

When Roman explorers discovered the islands and found a fierce breed of dogs on one of the islands, they named the island Insula Canaria – “Island of Dogs”. By A.D. 300 the archipelago was called "Islands of Dogs".

Now you know.