Galapagos Islands : ECUADOR
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volvanic islands distributed around the equator, 965 kilometres west of continental Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are all part of Ecuador's national park system. They are famed for their vast number of endemic species. Galápagos Islands (Official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, 972 km west of continental Ecuador. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site: wildlife is its most notable feature. The Galápagos Islands form the Galápagos Province of Ecuador and are part of the country's national park system. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 40,000, which is a 40-fold expansion in 50 years.The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. "Galápago" is an old Spanish word, meaning saddle. The large Galápagos tortoise on some of the islands had a shell that resembled an old Spanish saddle, thus the name. The tortoise is a unique animal found only in the Galapagos Islands, yet there are no more than 200 in the 13 main islands. The archipelago has been known by many different names, including the "Enchanted Islands," because of the way in which the strong and swift currents made navigation difficult and also because of the beautiful geography and biodiversity. The first crude navigation chart of the islands was done by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684. He named the individual islands after some of his fellow pirates or after the English noblemen who helped the privateer's cause. More recently, the Ecuadorian government gave most of the islands Spanish names. While the Spanish names are official, many users (especially ecological researchers) continue to use the older English names, particularly as those were the names used when Charles Darwin visited.
The lure of the Galapagos Islands Cruise Giant Galapagos tortoises meander distant highlands, and prehistoric marine iguanas sun themselves on black lava rocks along the shore. Flightless cormorants and tiny penguins dart through the waters while graceful red-billed tropicbirds screech across the sky. In the company of a Galapagos naturalist guide aboard a luxury Galapagos cruise, you set out to explore remarkable island ecosystems as you inch past lounging sea lions, scout for breaching whales offshore and pink flamingos in hidden lagoons. The volcanic Galapagos islands sit about 650 miles west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. At first, they appear to be desolate. Yet, these rough and rocky isles are home to wonderfully strange and abundant wildlife. As Charles Darwin some 200 years before us, we marvel at the highly adapted creatures found nowhere else on earth. When it comes to arranging distinctive Galapagos tours and Galapagos cruises, there is no substitute for the in-depth knowledge offered by the experienced staff at Big Five Tours & Expeditions. Galapagos tours and cruises begin right here, at Galapagos.com. Learn more about this remote yet surprisingly easy-to-reach destination from the comfort of our luxury Galapagos cruises. Welcome to powered by Big Five Tours & Expeditions, awarded a "World's Best Tour Operators & Safari Outfitters" by Travel+Leisure since 1999.
WELCOME to GALAPAGOS GEOLOGY ON THE WEB. For those interested in natural history, there are few places quite as facinating as the Galapagos. The intention of this web site is to provide information on the Galapagos Islands to both scientists and non-scientists alike. Charles Darwin was the first geologist to explore the Galapagos. He made many important observations of Galapagos geology and drew conclusions that remain valid today. Darwin was also fascinated by the remarkable and unique biota of the islands. His careful biological observations later led him to propose a theory, that of natural selection, that revolutionized the way scientists think of life. While the emphasis of this web site is on geology, we too have found Galapagos wildlife difficult to ignore, so you will find many images and observations on biology, as well as geology, on this site. We hope you enjoy your visit. Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.
The lure of the Galapagos Islands Cruise Giant Galapagos tortoises meander distant highlands, and prehistoric marine iguanas sun themselves on black lava rocks along the shore. Flightless cormorants and tiny penguins dart through the waters while graceful red-billed tropicbirds screech across the sky. In the company of a Galapagos naturalist guide aboard a luxury Galapagos cruise, you set out to explore remarkable island ecosystems as you inch past lounging sea lions, scout for breaching whales offshore and pink flamingos in hidden lagoons. The volcanic Galapagos islands sit about 650 miles west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. At first, they appear to be desolate. Yet, these rough and rocky isles are home to wonderfully strange and abundant wildlife. As Charles Darwin some 200 years before us, we marvel at the highly adapted creatures found nowhere else on earth. When it comes to arranging distinctive Galapagos tours and Galapagos cruises, there is no substitute for the in-depth knowledge offered by the experienced staff at Big Five Tours & Expeditions. Galapagos tours and cruises begin right here, at Galapagos.com. Learn more about this remote yet surprisingly easy-to-reach destination from the comfort of our luxury Galapagos cruises. Welcome to powered by Big Five Tours & Expeditions, awarded a "World's Best Tour Operators & Safari Outfitters" by Travel+Leisure since 1999.
WELCOME to GALAPAGOS GEOLOGY ON THE WEB. For those interested in natural history, there are few places quite as facinating as the Galapagos. The intention of this web site is to provide information on the Galapagos Islands to both scientists and non-scientists alike. Charles Darwin was the first geologist to explore the Galapagos. He made many important observations of Galapagos geology and drew conclusions that remain valid today. Darwin was also fascinated by the remarkable and unique biota of the islands. His careful biological observations later led him to propose a theory, that of natural selection, that revolutionized the way scientists think of life. While the emphasis of this web site is on geology, we too have found Galapagos wildlife difficult to ignore, so you will find many images and observations on biology, as well as geology, on this site. We hope you enjoy your visit. Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual animal life – such as the land iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835.
