Geography

Officially named the Archipelago de Colon after Christopher Coulombs (Cristobal Colon). The Galapagos Islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean approximately 600 miles (1000 km) off the west coast of South America. The closest land mass is the mainland of Ecuador to the east (the country to which they belong), to the North are the Cocos Islands 432 miles (720 km) and to the South is Easter Island and San Felix Island at 1920 miles (3200 km).

The islands are found at the coordinates 1°40'N-1°36'S, 89°16'-92°01'W. Straddling the equator, islands in the chain are located in both the northern and southern hemisphere with Volcan Wolf and Volcan Ecuador on Isla Isabela being directly on the equator line. Espaņola the southernmost island and Tower the northernmost island are spread out over a distance of 132 miles (220 km).

The Galapagos Archipelago consists of 4,897 square miles (7880 square km) of land over 28,000 square miles (45,000 square km). The largest of the islands, Isabela, measures 1,771 square miles (4,855 square km) and making up half of the total land area of the Galapagos. Volcan Wolf, on Isabela is the highest point with an elevation of 5,600 feet (1,707 meters) above sea level.

The principle islands in the Galapagos include