Galapagos Island Notes

The Galapagos Archipelago is located on both sides of the equatorial line approximately 970 km (600 miles) west from continental Ecuador. Local time is -6 GMT. It is formed by thirteen greater islands, six smaller islands, 42 islets and several rocks, which cover a total area of 7,850 km². The largest island is Isabela, with a total area of 4,590 km² which presents the highest point of the archipelago, volcano Wolf, 1,690 meters. 97% of the total area of the isles belongs to the Galapagos National Park, the rest belongs to inhabited and developed areas like the island of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela and Floreana, in addition to Baltra an island occupied by the Ecuadorian Armed forces. The Galapagos Archipelago is also a province of Ecuador, whose capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on the island of San Cristobal. Puerto Ayora, on the island of Santa Cruz, is the city with the highest tourist activity. The islands total population including floating population is around 16,109 inhabitants
Geology
The Isles were formed around 4 or 5 millions years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions, emerging from the ocean surface. Today, the Galapagos are considered one of the most active volcanic island groups in the world. Many islands are only the tips of some volcanoes and show an advanced state of erosion, others are completely immersed. Recent eruptions as the Marchena in 1991 or Fernandina in 1995, are evidence that the other islands are constantly forming. Other islands like Baltra and North Seymour, have evidence of having been formed by tectonic movements, in which the bottom of the ocean was pushed towards the surface.

The Galapagos Islands form the most diverse and complex Archipelago in the world, in which the conditions remain relatively untouched. Due to its distance from the continent and because it was never attached to it, the existent flora and fauna evolved extraordinarily up to what they are today and have remained unchanged until man arrived to... [continues]

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