GALAPAGUIDE

GEOGRAPHY

Galapagos Tours	Galapagos travel info	Getting there info	Getting around	Galapagos Vacations facts
The islands	Galapagos weather	Galapagos Islands map	Galapagos hotels	Galapagos Tours & Cruises
Luxury cruises	Galapagos tours 1st class	Cruises Tours superior	Cruises tourist	Galapagos tours economy
Galapagos diving	Galapagos diving tours	Scuba diving courses	Yacht charters	Travel reservations
Get listed	Advertising - Travel guide	Post cards / Pictures	Travel newsletter	How was your tour ?
Travel agents	Choosing your tour - Boats	Why choose us	Islands FAQs	Islands news
Film support	Testimonials	Website map info	Contact us	Islas Galapagos (Spanish)
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	GENERAL INFORMATION							GEOGRAPHY & GEOLOGY: The Galapagos Archipelago is located about 1000 km west of mainland Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of 13 primary islands: Darwin, Wolf, Pinta, Marchena, Genovesa, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Baltra, Santa Cruz, San Cristobol, Floreana and Santa Cruz, as well as innumerable islets (unnamed here). The islands cover a total area of 7,882 sq. kilometers ranging in area from 14 sq. km to 4588 sq. km. Like many oceanic islands such as Hawaii, the Azores, and Reunion, the Galapagos are thought to be the product of a mantle plume. Mantle plumes are columns of hot rock, roughly 100 km in diameter, that rise from deep within the earth. These plumes rise because they are hotter (by perhaps as much as 200 degrees centigrade) and therefore less dense than the surrounding rock. The rate of ascent is about 10 cm/year or so. Hence, the islands are the tips of volcanic cones, some still active. Actually, the Galapagos is one of the regions with the greatest volcanic activity in the world registering 55 major eruptions as of late - the latest in Marchena in 1991 and Fernandina in 1995. There are two types of volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands. In the west, on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina, large volcanoes with an upside-down soup bowl or deep calderas occur. In the east, smaller shield volcanos with gentler slopes occur. The difference between these two volcanoes is the difference in lithospheric thickness. The the upside-down bowl is not common, and scientists are uncertain of its origin. The highest point of the islands is located on Isabela Island. Wolf Volcano reaches 1,707 meters high and 2,000 fathoms (1,852 meters) deep. Because of the islands' vivid history, many have two or even three names. Most maps, including the map we provide, list them all.
	History
	Geography
	Climate
	Flora
	Fauna
	Economy
	People

For more information and reservations contact us Charles Darwin Avn. Puerto Ayora, Galapágos Ecuador Telephone: ++593 52 527 004 info@galapaguide.com   Our Low-Price Guarantee Policy If you find any on-line price for less than what we have to offer, service-for-service, we will match that price, unconditionally.   SECURE ONLINE PAYMENT

Galapagos Tours	Galapagos travel info	Getting there info	Getting around	Galapagos Vacations facts
The islands	Galapagos weather	Galapagos Islands map	Galapagos hotels	Galapagos Tours & Cruises
Luxury cruises	Galapagos tours 1st class	Cruises Tours superior	Cruises tourist	Galapagos tours economy
Galapagos diving	Galapagos diving tours	Scuba diving courses	Yacht charters	Travel reservations
Get listed	Advertising - Travel guide	Post cards / Pictures	Travel newsletter	How was your tour ?
Travel agents	Choosing your tour - Boats	Why choose us	Islands FAQs	Islands news
Film support	Testimonials	Website map info	Contact us	Islas Galapagos (Spanish)
Last minute deals				Send this page to a friend

GALAPAGUIDE

GEOGRAPHY

Galapagos travel info	Getting there info	Getting around	The Galapagos Islands	Galapagos Vacations facts	Travel reservations
Galapagos Islands map	Galapagos weather	Galapagos hotels	Islands FAQs	Choosing your tour - Boats	Yacht charters
Galapagos Cruises	Luxury cruises	Galapagos tours 1st c	Cruises Tours sup	Galapagos Cruises tourist	Galapagos tours econo
Why choose us	Galapagos diving	Galapagos diving tours	Scuba diving courses
Get listed	Testimonials	Advertising	Contact us
Last minute deals				Galapagos Islands Tours	Islas Galapagos (Spanish)

	GENERAL INFORMATION							GEOGRAPHY & GEOLOGY: The Galapagos Archipelago is located about 1000 km west of mainland Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of 13 primary islands: Darwin, Wolf, Pinta, Marchena, Genovesa, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Baltra, Santa Cruz, San Cristobol, Floreana and Santa Cruz, as well as innumerable islets (unnamed here). The islands cover a total area of 7,882 sq. kilometers ranging in area from 14 sq. km to 4588 sq. km. Like many oceanic islands such as Hawaii, the Azores, and Reunion, the Galapagos are thought to be the product of a mantle plume. Mantle plumes are columns of hot rock, roughly 100 km in diameter, that rise from deep within the earth. These plumes rise because they are hotter (by perhaps as much as 200 degrees centigrade) and therefore less dense than the surrounding rock. The rate of ascent is about 10 cm/year or so. Hence, the islands are the tips of volcanic cones, some still active. Actually, the Galapagos is one of the regions with the greatest volcanic activity in the world registering 55 major eruptions as of late - the latest in Marchena in 1991 and Fernandina in 1995. There are two types of volcanoes in the Galapagos Islands. In the west, on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina, large volcanoes with an upside-down soup bowl or deep calderas occur. In the east, smaller shield volcanos with gentler slopes occur. The difference between these two volcanoes is the difference in lithospheric thickness. The the upside-down bowl is not common, and scientists are uncertain of its origin. The highest point of the islands is located on Isabela Island. Wolf Volcano reaches 1,707 meters high and 2,000 fathoms (1,852 meters) deep. Because of the islands' vivid history, many have two or even three names. Most maps, including the map we provide, list them all.
	History
	Geography
	Climate
	Flora
	Fauna
	Economy
	People

For more information and reservations contact us Charles Darwin Avn. Puerto Ayora, Galapágos Ecuador Telephone: ++593 52 527 004 info@galapaguide.com   Our Low-Price Guarantee Policy If you find any on-line price for less than what we have to offer, service-for-service, we will match that price, unconditionally.   SECURE ONLINE PAYMENT

Galapagos travel info	Getting there info	Getting around	The Galapagos Islands	Galapagos Vacations facts	Travel reservations
Galapagos Islands map	Galapagos weather	Galapagos hotels	Islands FAQs	Choosing your tour - Boats	Yacht charters
Galapagos Cruises	Luxury cruises	Galapagos tours 1st c	Cruises Tours sup	Galapagos Cruises tourist	Galapagos tours econo
Why choose us	Galapagos diving	Galapagos diving tours	Scuba diving courses
Get listed	Testimonials	Advertising	Contact us
Last minute deals				Galapagos Islands Tours	Islas Galapagos (Spanish)