Coat of arms of the Canary Islands
The coat of arms of the Canary Islands is the central device of the flag of the Canary Islands, Spain. The designs were made official by the Statute of Autonomy of the Canarian Autonomous Community (Organic Law 10/82) on 10 August 1982.
| Coat of arms of the Canary Islands | |
|---|---|
| Versions | |
Logo | |
| Armiger | Canary Islands |
| Adopted | 1982 |
| Crest | Spanish Royal Crown |
| Shield | Azure, seven islands argent |
| Supporters | Dogs, (Presa Canario) |
| Motto | Océano (Spanish: Ocean) |
The shield shows seven gray islands, representing the Canary Islands of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean. Atop the shield is the royal crown of Spain. The shield is supported by dogs from which the islands may derive their name, possibly from the Latin term Insula Canaria, meaning Island of the Dogs, a name applied originally only to the island of Gran Canaria. It is thought that the dense population of an endemic breed of large and fierce dogs, like the Presa Canario, was the characteristic that most struck the few ancient Romans who established contact with the islands by the sea.
The motto is Oceano.