Galapagos Island General Information

Sitting right on the Equator, approximately 600 miles directly west of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands were discovered in 1535 by the Spanish, later claimed by Ecuador in 1832.

The archipelago includes 13 major islands, 8 smaller islands and 40 islets.

Visited by the English naturalist Charles Darwin in 1835, his subsequent studies of local wildlife contributed to his famous theory of natural selection, and put these special islands on the map for the rest of the world to experience.

The islands became Ecuador's first national park, and were declared a World Heritage site in 1978.

They're home to the giant tortoise, marine iguanas, and dozens of unusual endemic species, including Darwin's finches. 

Facts and Figures

 Official Name Archipiélago de Colón
(An offshore territory of Ecuador)

 Islands Population 12,500

 Capital City Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (2,800)

 Largest towns Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal), Puerto Villamil (Isabela)

 Languages Spanish (official) English widely spoken

 Latitude/Longitude 0º, 90º W

 Official Currency Sucre
(the latest conversion rates) here

 Religions Catholic, others

 Land Area The entire archipelago consists of 4,897 sq. miles (7,880 sq. km) of land over 28,000 sq. miles of sea territory. The largest island is Isabela at 1,771 sq. miles (4,855 sq. km).

Highest Point Volcan Wolf on Isabela at 5,600 ft. (1,707 meters)