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Galapagos Island GeographyIncluded on this page is a description of the most important islands, volcanoes and ecosystems. The Galapagos Islands belong to the country of Ecuador in South America and are located 600 miles west of the coast of this country in the Pacific Ocean. The coordinates of Galapagos are: 1° 40' N--1° 36' S--89° 16' E--92° 01' W. This means that the Galapagos Islands are located right on the Equator Line in both the northern and southern hemisphere. The Galapagos Island named Tower is the northernmost Island, Espanola is the southernmost Island and Isabela Island is located right on the Equator Line. The total area of this Archipelago is of around 5,000 square miles. The "biggest Island" is Isabela with an area of more than 1,700 square miles. Most Important Islands in Galapagos
Galapagos VolcanoesThe official name of the Galapagos Islands is Archipelago de Colon, and they are a group of Islands that are constantly expanding due to volcanic eruptions with new lava fields always developing and changing the Galapagos Island geography. More about Galapagos Geology hereThe Galapagos Islands are quite young, around five million years old. Some of the Islands located West are the ones that have the most volcanic activity and are also the youngest ones with a few hundreds of thousands of years old. The Galapagos Landscapes on these Islands are just stunning. Wolf volcano located on Isabela Island is the highest elevation in Galapagos and it has an altitude of 5,600 ft. Other volcanoes located in this Galapagos island are: Sierra Negra (4,890 feet), Cerro Azul, Chico Volcano and Bocanilla Volcano. More About Galapagos Volcanoes Fernandina volcano located on the Island of the same name is the most active volcano in the Galapagos Islands. The most recent eruption of Fernandina Volcano was on May 2005. Read About this Galapagos Eruption Galapagos EcosystemsThe Islands have four main ecosystems. The First Ecosystem is composed by arid lowlands and open forests with enormous cacti.The Second Ecosystem consists of Galapagos Cactus from Santiago Island with subtropical forests. The Third Ecosystem is found at higher elevations, it is composed of moist, dense forests. And the Fourth Ecosystem is composed of treeless upland areas covered with ferns and grasses. Check this Map of Galapagos Islands to have a better idea of the size of each Island that composes this Archipelago which also includes more information on Galapagos Island geography. Tourism is the main business in the Islands but fishing, cattle, vegetables and coffee are also very popular. If you are interested in the food of Galapagos, here's a good description of Galapagos Food Galapagos Recommended ReadingGalapagos: A Natural History This is an attractive and comprehensive guidebook. You will find an easy-to-use text which details the natural history of the plants and animals found in the Galapagos Islands. Visitor information about the various tourist sites are given. (This book is the "Bible" for all travelers to the Galapagos) The Diving Guide: Galapagos Islands
Galapagos Volcano Sierra Negra Search this Site for More Galapagos Information  Custom Search If you have questions about the Galapagos Island Geography, Please post them on our Galapagos FAQ Section and if you'd like to request more information about one of the Best Galapagos Cruises available to explore this Archipelago, You can Contact us here
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