In 1978 UNESCO designated Galapagos as the first World Heritage site. miles) of land. The Galapagos Islands are a small island chain, known for their unique wildlife. Place. ; The name 'galapagos', an old Spanish word for 'saddle', was originally used by Bishop Tomas and his crew to describe the giant tortoises but the name stuck. The movie Captain and Commander was filmed on the islands of Bartholomew and Santiago. Understand what makes these Islands so special with our range of interesting information and trivia.

The Galápagos Islands are on the equator, 973 km (604 miles) from Ecuador in South America.There are 19 islands with a total of 8,010 square km (3,093 sq. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, about 926 km west of Ecuador. The islands were made from volcanoes, and volcanoes are still making the islands of Isabela and Fernandina today.The most recent volcanic eruption was Cerro Azul in May 2008 on Isabela Island. Here are some facts about the Galapagos Islands. ; There are 18 major islands in the chain and over 100 smaller islands… Enjoy our fun Galapagos Islands facts for kids.