A volcanic archipelago in the eastern Pacific famous for the unique wildlife that shaped Darwin's theory of evolution.
Geography
The Galápagos consist of 18 main islands and dozens of smaller islets, all of volcanic origin, scattered around the equator some 900 km west of mainland Ecuador. Isabela, shaped like a seahorse, is the largest island and contains the highest peak, Volcán Wolf at 1,707 m.
Wildlife
The islands’ isolation has produced many endemic species, including the Galápagos giant tortoise, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and 13 species of Darwin’s finches. Charles Darwin’s 1835 visit on HMS Beagle informed his theory of natural selection.
Conservation
Roughly 97 percent of the archipelago is protected as a national park. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1978.
Find more islands by letter
Galápagos starts with G and ends with S. Browse other islands along the same letter.
Islands that contain a letter from "Galápagos":