The Galapagos Islands were first discovered in 1535 by the Spaniards. At that time, the islands, which are now part of Ecuador, were uninhabited. During the 17th century, the islands were used by pirates as a hideout and for water and food supplies.

The islands became famous when Charles Darwin arrived to study the area’s nature. It was here where Darwin’s famous theory of the “survival of the fittest” came to light. While he conducted his research on the Galapagos Islands, Darwin discovered that species would adapt to their conditions to survive. After 20 years of studying the island’s natural life, Darwin wrote the “The Origin of the Species by Natural Selection.” Today, the islands are home to a permanent research center. The Galapagos Islands are primarily National Park areas managed by the non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation located on the islands.

About the Galapagos Islands

The official name of the Galapagos Islands is Archipelago de Colon. Thirteen major islands and numerous smaller islands make up the Galapagos Islands. The total area, including waterways, is 45000 square kilometers and the land surface is only 7880 square kilometers. Although the Spaniards originally found the islands uninhabited by human life, there are now small populations living on five of the larger islands. Approximately 15,000 people call the Galapagos Islands home. The most important of these islands is Santa Cruz. It sits in the center of the islands and is home to the province’s capital city and largest town, Puerto Ayora. This is also the tourism center for the islands.

Despite being gathered in one small area, each island has its own unique terrain and landscape. On Isla Isabella, there are five volcanoes. There is one volcano on Isla Fernandina. The highest peak on the islands is found on Isla San Salvidor, where the Cerro Cowan rises to 905 meters. Some islands have lush forests, while others are desert-like with cacti as the only vegetation. Still others are home to cattle ranches.

Wildlife is the prime attraction on the islands. Because of the isolation from the mainland, many of the animals living on the Galapagos Islands cannot be found anywhere else. Perhaps the most surprising animals living here are penguins.