Information on the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are a hot-bed for scientific discovery. There are many plant and animal species on the islands. The Galapagos are where scientist Charles Darwin made many famous discoveries.
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Facts
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People live on four of the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. There are 13 major islands and six smaller islands, and they all belong to Ecuador. An estimated 28,000 people live on four of the islands.
History
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The Galapagos Islands were discovered in 1535. In 1535, Bishop Tomas de Berlanga discovered the Galapagos Islands. The islands went through many years of colonization, and people did not start to frequently visit the island until the 20th century. During the 19th century, Charles Darwin made scientific discoveries about the finches on the islands.
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Climate
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The islands experience El Nino about every seven years. The islands are generally dry, and the temperature rarely exceeds 80 degrees. January to April is the rainy season, and about every seven years the islands experience a warm front known as El Nino. The warm temperature front collides with cooler air and results in warm ocean water and heavy rainfall.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit sea iguana in galapagos islands image by Diane Stamatelatos from Fotolia.com galapagos scenic view image by Diane Stamatelatos from Fotolia.com Galapagos image by Sandra Makara from Fotolia.com heavy sea image by Irina Kodentseva from Fotolia.com
