21 Interesting Galapagos Island Facts

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published November 6, 2024

The Galapagos Islands are about 600 miles (966 km) south of Ecuador's coast. Isolated for thousands of years, they were a source of inspiration for Darwin's theory of evolution._[4]
The Galapagos Islands are located in one of the most volcanically active areas in the world, with eruptions occurring as recently as 2024._[2]
Over 97% of the Galapagos' landmass is designated as a national park._[2]
The Galapagos archipelago is named after the giant tortoises that reside there. Because Galapagos tortoises can survive up to a year without food or water, they were captured and stored as fresh meat for sailors. Over 100,000 tortoises were killed, leading to the extinction of many species._[1]

The first European visitor to the Galapagos Islands did not have a high opinion of his accidental visit

The first recorded visitor to Galapagos was Tomas de Berlanga, a Spanish noble and bishop of Panama. His ship blew off course in 1535 while sailing from Panama to Peru, and he described the island to the King of Spain as "dross, worthless, because it has not the power of raising grass, only some thistle."_[2]
Found only on the Galapagos Islands, marine iguanas are the world's only seagoing lizards. Darwin famously described them as "hideous-looking."_[2]
The Galapagos Islands are a territory of Ecuador. Its flag is three colors: green, white, and blue._[4]
The Galapagos' official name is Archipiélago de Colón, but it is also referred to as Islas Galápagos. Its nicknames include the Enchanted Islands and Islands of the Tortoises._[2]
The Galapagos Islands became a National Park in 1959, a Biological Marine Reserve in 1986, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, and a whale sanctuary in 1990. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet._[4]
On September 15, 1835, 26-year-old Charles Darwin arrived in the Galapagos Islands, which sparked his world-changing theory of evolution._[2]
The Galapagos Islands are about 3–4 million years old._[4]
Galapagos tortoises are among the longest-lived land vertebrates on the planet._[4]

The word galapago is Castilian for "riding saddle," and the tortoise's shell looks like a saddle

The penguins in the Galapagos Islands are one of the smallest penguin species in the world, and they are the only penguins to live across the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere._[2]
The only land mammals that are endemic to the Galapagos Islands are rice rats and two species of bats._[2]
Because they are located at the equator, the Galapagos Islands have the same amount of daylight all year round: 12-hour days, and 12-hour nights._[2]
The word galapago is Castilian for "riding saddle," and the Galapagos tortoise's shell looks like a saddle._[4]

Patrick Watkins was actually a very sketchy character

In 1807, Irishman Patrick Watkins became the first settler of the Galapagos Islands. Marooned on the island, he lived there for two years and was able to grow vegetables on a two-acre plot of land._[3]
One volcano formed all but one of the Galapagos Islands. The exception is Isabela Island, which was formed by six different volcanoes._[4]
The Galapagos archipelago consists of 127 islands, islets, and rocks. Of those, 10 are large islands, and four are inhabited by humans._[2]
Since the 18th century, whalers passing through the Galapagos have used a barrel on Floreana Island as a letter drop. Sailors who are returning home retrieve the letters left in the barrel and take them home to mail. Sailers nicknamed the island "Post Office Bay." The unofficial post office is still used to this day._[5]
The Galapagos Islands were officially colonized on February 12, 1832, by the first-ever Ecuadorian president, Juan Jose Flores._[2]