Where Are the Galápagos Islands?

The Galápagos archipelago consists of 13 major islands and over 100 smaller islets located roughly 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific. The islands are volcanic in origin, formed by a geological hotspot, with the oldest islands dating to about 4 million years ago and the youngest (Fernandina and Isabela) still volcanically active. Their isolation led to the evolution of unique species — giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and Darwin finches — that inspired Charles Darwin theory of natural selection after his visit in 1835. The islands became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.