The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago 600 miles west of mainland Ecuador. The islands are a province of Ecuador, and are one of the country’s four main geographic regions. They consist of 13 major islands, 6 smaller islands, and countless inlets and rocks dotting the equator. The archipelago is an exceedingly important wildlife sanctuary and a UNESCO world heritage site. The islands were formed from lava piles and include several shield volcanoes, many of which are still active. Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago, followed by Santa Cruz. The islands were discovered by the Bishop of Panama, Tomás de Berlanga, when his ship drifted off course while en route to Peru. They became internationally famous because of Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection, which he later wrote a book on, called The Origin of Species. The Galapagos islands are home to thousands of plant and animal species, and are renowned for animal life. Some notable species in the Galapagos include: Galapagos Tortoises, thought to have some of the longest life spans (up to 150 years) of any creature on earth, finches, marine iguanas, penguins, and fur seals. There is an aweing range of endemic subspecies found on the islands today, and a geologic study published in 1992 suggested that underwater seamounts near the Galapagos had formed islands between 5,000,000 and 9,000,000 years ago, which explains the endemic speciation. The archipelago experiences a dry season between May and December and a rainy season from January to April. The lowest arid lowlands are covered by cactus forests. A transition zone is covered with a forest in which pisonia plants and guava trees dominate. The forest above this transition zone is Scalesia forest with a dense underbrush. The highest, treeless zone is covered in ferns and grasses. Human inhabitants live on San Cristóbal, Santa María, Isabela, and Santa Cruz islands, and Baltra island has an Ecuadorian military base. Overall, the Galapagos Islands are a national jewel of Ecuador, and are a wonderful display of natural and environmental beauty.

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“Seasons in Galapagos - Discovering Galapagos.” Discovering Galapagos, 30 Aug. 2016, www.discoveringgalapagos.org.uk/discover/geographical-processes/weather-climate/seasons-galapagos/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

The. “Galapagos Islands | Location, Animals, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Mar. 1999, www.britannica.com/place/Galapagos-Islands. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.