'What are the Galapagos Islands?' Galapagos Islands

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Galápagos Islands

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For the novel Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut, see: Galápagos (book)

Orthographic projection centred over the Galápagos

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Orthographic projection centred over the Galápagos

Map of the Galápagos archipelago showing the names of the islands.

Map of the Galápagos archipelago showing the names of the islands.

The Galápagos Islands (Spanish name: Archipiélago de Colón or Islas Galápagos, from galápago, "saddle"- after the shells of saddlebacked Galápagos tortoises) are an archipelago made up of 13 main volcanic islands, 6 smaller islands, and 107 rocks and islets. The very first island is thought to have formed between 5 and 10 million years ago, a result of tectonic activity. The youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed, with the most recent volcanic eruption in 2005.

The Galápagos archipelago is part of Ecuador, a country in northwestern South America.

The islands are distributed around the equator, 965 kilometres (about 600 miles) west of Ecuador (recently found to have 3 volcanos in the center island, all of them active) (0° N 91° W).

They are famed for their vast number of endemic species and the studies by Charles Darwin that led to his theory of evolution by natural selection.

The adjective "Galápagan" may be used to describe things from or related to the islands.

• Galapagos Islands

Comment #1 sarah (63.176.159.154) - 10/09/08 13:16

what are the vacations spots like in the galapagos islands?

Comment #2 Cheves Schorvalyn (63.176.159.18) - 04/15/09 00:57

Have you heard recently about the Volcano that exploded in Galapagos Islands which threaten the lives of the wildlife there? It was all over the news. I wonder how is the government handling this phenomenon and how are they ensuring the safety of the animals and the local residents of the said Island. Any forum goers of people from Galapagos here at the forums? can you share some information, please?

Comment #3 Joe from des plaines - 04/15/09 06:00

Nature is nature... why do we get so worried when we don't understand it or think the "way of man" is better?

I'm sure this isn't the first time... nor will it be the last.

Comment #4 Isabel (109.111.97.14) - 07/09/10 21:20

You have a point there Joe. Surely, those natural occurrences in our planet are inevitable. But what worries those people is how they can be able to make themselves safe in case those natural occurrence arrives. I mean, we have to be prepared, at least. But as you have said nature is nature and it has its own way. We can just pray and pray that we all can be safe.

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