Galapagos Islands

About Galapagos Islands

• Location: It is situated in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
• The Archipelago is a group of 19 islands, 13 large and 6 small, and dozens of islets and rocks that cover an area of over 17,000 square miles.
• It is distributed on either side of the Equator with an underwater wildlife spectacle with abundant life.
• Repeated volcanic eruptions helped to form the rugged mountain landscape of the Galápagos Islands.
• In comparison with most oceanic archipelagos, the Galapagos are very young with the largest, and youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, with less than one million years of existence, and the oldest islands, Española and San Cristóbal, somewhere between three to five million years. 
• Mount Azul, at 5,541 feet, is the highest point of the Galapagos Islands. 
• Climate: It is characterized by low rainfall, low humidity, and relatively low air and water temperatures.
• It is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978.
• Biodiversity:
  • The Galápagos are best known for their diverse array of plant and animal species. Many species are endemic, as they are not found anywhere else in the world.
  • These include the giant Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra), the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocoraz harrisi), and the Galápagos penguin.
  • The Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin species to live in the Northern Hemisphere.

Q1) What is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

A World Heritage Site (WHS) is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by UNESCO under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.