Canary Islanders

Canary Islanders, or Canarians (Spanish: canarios), are the people of the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain near the coast of the Maghreb. The distinctive variety of the Spanish language spoken in the region is known as habla canaria (Canary speech) or as the (dialecto) canario (Canarian dialect). The Canarians, and their descendants, played major roles during the conquest, colonization, and eventual independence movements of various Latin American countries. The Canarians' ethnic and cultural presence are most palpable in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela.