Galapagos Islands
/ɡəˈlapəɡəs
/A Pacific archipelago on the equator, about 1,045 km (650 miles) west of Ecuador, to which it belongs; population 28,000 (est. 2009). Spanish name Archipiélago de Colón.
The islands are noted for their abundant wildlife, including giant tortoises and many other endemic species. They were the site of Charles Darwin’s observations of 1835, which helped him to form his theory of natural selection