Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands (Sp. Archipiélago de Colón) Pacific archipelago on the Equator; a province of Ecuador; c.1050km (650mi) w of mainland South America. The capital is Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal. Other main islands include Santa Cruz, San Salvador and Isabela. There are numerous smaller islands. The islands are volcanic with sparse vegetation, except for dense forests on the high lava craters, which rise to 1707m (5633ft) at Volcán Wolf (Isabela). Mangrove swamps and lagoons teem with wildlife. Many animal species are unique to the islands, such as the giant land tortoises. Other native creatures include marine and land iguanas and flightless cormorants. The Galápagos National Park is a world heritage site, established in 1935 to protect the wildlife. In 1832 Ecuador annexed the archipelago and established a settlement. In 1835, Charles Darwin spent six weeks studying the fauna which provided much support for his theory of natural selection. Area: 7845sq km (3029sq mi) Pop. (2000 est.) 16,917.
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Galápagos Islands
