Facts & tidbits
Galapagos Islands

 

People

First human
to set foot 

Charles Darwin wasn't first. Hardly. He arrived in 1835, exactly 300 years after the islands were discovered in 1535 when a ship was blown off course. Although there is speculation that the Incas knew of the place before 1500, the evidence is tenuous.

Past residents

They included pirates, whalers, convicts, and early settlers.

Today's population

It's around 20,000. Most residents live in Puerto Ayora (9,000) and Puerto Baquerizo (6,000).

Tourist count

Currently, more than 60,000 tourists per year visit the Galapagos. The maximum government permitted number is 90,000.

Geology

Origin

The Galapagos Islands were formed by accumulating lava oozing upward from beneath the ocean floor. This geological process reached sea level nearly 4 million years ago.

Today

Some of the volcanoes are still active, with occasional eruptions and seismic activity.

The islands
physically differ

The terrain and topography vary. Some islands are small and flat, others big and tall.

Geography

Geographic location

The Galapagos Islands straddle the equator and sit isolated in the Pacific Ocean about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) west of the Ecuador mainland.

Island count

There are 13 volcanic islands plus islets and protruding rock formations.

Highest point
in the Galapagos

Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island is 1707 meters (5,600 feet) high.

Names

Galapagos name

The islands were not named after the Spanish saddle "galapagos", as some sources suggest. The naming process involved two distinct chronological steps.

First

The upper shell (carapace) of a giant tortoise living on a particular island resembled a Spanish equestrian saddle named "galapagos" to early Spanish visitors. So they named the tortoise "galapagos".

Second

Much later, the islands inherited the Spanish name "galapagos".

Galapagos dual
island names

The Galapagos Islands have both Spanish and English names, which causes confusion among some visitors. Use the names in the left column. They are the ones most often used in the Galapagos Islands.

The official name of
the Galapagos Islands

It is "Archipelago de Colon". The name honors the memory of Christopher Columbus, whose last name is "Colon" in Spanish.

Wildlife

Goats reverting
to the wild

Centuries ago, some of the goats imported by man escaped and became feral (domesticated animals that return to a wild state) goats. Today, their descendants are an ecological scourge on some islands because they eat wild grass, a basic food for native endangered life such as the giant tortoise.

Other
introduced species

The islands have feral pigs, dogs, donkeys, and more.

Galapagos
wildlife rituals

Visitors are fascinated watching the various animal rituals. The most famous is the male blue footed booby's high-stepping mating dance.

Bird watcher's paradise

The islands are home to nearly 60 resident species, half of which are endemic (native to the Galapagos).

More facts

Brightly shining stars

Because the islands are on the equator and far from smog and big city lights, the stars on clear nights are intensely bright and crisp.

El Nino years

When they occur, you are likely to experience more rain and storms during the wet season. But fortunately, El Nino years are infrequent.

Money

Ecuador adopted the US dollar as its official paper money. However, coins are still Ecuadorian.

sponsored ad 

Explore my
candid country, region
and other travel guides
Click links for tips & insights

©2010 HQP / Hillman Quality Publications