Galapagos Islands Facts: What are The Galapagos?

• 13 volcanic islands and associated islets and rocks
• Just under the equator, about 600 miles west of Ecuador in South America
• Oldest of the islands are about 4 million years old; youngest are still being formed
• Considered one of the most active volcanic areas in the world
• Owned by Ecuador and are maintained as part of that nation’s national park system.
• About 95% of the islands form the park; the rest are inhabited by about 14,000 people in four major communities.

View a map of the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos Islands Facts: Discovery

• Were discovered in 1535 when father Tomas Berlanga, the bishop of Panama sailed to Peru to settle a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his lieutenants after the conquest of the Incas.
• The bishop’s ship stalled strong currents carried him out to the Galapagos.
• His account of the adventure contained many facts about Galapagos: he described the harsh, desert-like condition of the islands, their trademark giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sea lions and the many birds.

Galapagos Islands Facts: Pirates, Whalers and Tortoises

• The islands were rarely visited and became the refuge for pirates preying on Spanish galleons and coastal towns.
• Drew whalers and sealers, with the promise of fur seals and the giant tortoises, which could be kept alive in the hold of ships for up to a year with no food or water. The tortoise populations were decimated, causing the extinction of several species and endangering the rest. Today, only a single male of the Pinta island tortoise species survives, named “Lonesome George.”

Galapagos Islands Facts: Charles Darwin

• First to make a scientific study of the islands in 1835.
• A young student just out of university and was the naturalist on a round-the-world scientific and geographical voyage on board HMS Beagle (1831 - 1836).
• In later life, Darwin maintained that the Islands and the facts about Galapagos he observed were the source of all his ideas and research. Of all the visitors there, the Galapagos are today most closely associated with Darwin.

Galapagos Islands Facts: Today

The Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station jointly operate the islands.
• The Park Service provides rangers and guides, and is responsible for overseeing the many tourists who visit each year.
• The Darwin Station conducts scientific research and conservation programs. It is currently breeding and releasing captive tortoises and iguanas.

Galapagos Islands Facts: World Heritage Site

In an effort to preserve the islands as they were centuries ago, the Galapagos have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.