The island region of Ecuador or Galapagos It is made up of the country's territories that include the Galapagos Islands, which are also known as the Colón Archipelago. This region consists of an archipelago belonging to the Pacific Ocean, separated from the Ecuadorian coasts by a distance of 1000 km.
Likewise, said archipelago is made up of a total of 13 large volcanic islands, together with 107 islets and huge rocks, distributed along the Earth's equator; that is, they are within the line that corresponds to the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the Earth.
In the administrative sphere, these islands are a province of the Ecuadorian country and its capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, a city located to the east of the islands; it is the second largest and most populated city in the region. Regarding the length of these territories, the total extension of this area is around 8000 kmtwo.
This island region has a very ancient origin; According to research, it was formed 5 million years ago as a result of strong tectonic activity. There are still islands in this archipelago that are in formation, since a notable volcanic eruption was recorded in 2009.
The Galapagos Islands -or insular region of Ecuador- have a rich biodiversity, in which different types of seabirds and several specimens of sharks stand out. In turn, in this region you can find different endemic species, which contribute to the charm of this tropical ecosystem..
Within these species there is a great variety of reptiles, the giant tortoise being one of the specimens most admired by tourists and scientists. The variety of specimens and creatures in this archipelago caught the attention of Charles Darwin, who was in charge of making the Galapagos famous on an international scale.
In honor of the studies carried out in this place by this scientist, one of the islands bears his surname. This consists of 1.1kmtwo and its land areas are not open to the public unless you want to dive, which is allowed within this small territory.
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The insular region of Ecuador, made up of the Colon Archipelago, consists of 13 islands. The largest are Isabela, with 4275 kmtwo; and Santa Cruz, with 1020 kmtwo. Some of the smaller islands are Rábida, with 10kmtwo; and Baltra, with 15kmtwo.
These islands were declared a national park in 1959, which implies that they have been protected and guarded by the authorities since then. Thanks to this measure, 97.5% of these territories are safe.
At first, only 2,000 people lived within that region; however, over the years the population of the Galapagos has been increasing.
In 1972 a census was carried out in which it was determined that there were 3,488 people; decades later it was confirmed that the population had increased to an incredible number of 20,000 inhabitants.
In 1978 Unesco decided to declare this Ecuadorian area as a World Heritage Site, with the intention of protecting its varied ecosystem.
Despite this, the Galapagos also entered the List of World Heritage in Danger, since the exploitation of tourism was significantly damaging the biodiversity of the islands.
However, in 2010 it was decided to remove this archipelago from the list of endangered heritage sites, since there was an improvement in its situation thanks to the actions of organizations such as the Whale Sanctuary, the Ramsar Site and the Biosphere Reserve. , which are internationally recognized.
The islands of the Galapagos are often called "the enchanted islands", a name they received from tourists who had the opportunity to see them. They were called that way thanks to their very clear waters, which reflect intensely the blue of the sky..
In addition, the archipelago has species that can only be found in this region, which makes the islands an even more striking place, encouraging the magical aura of these lands.
As previously mentioned, this archipelago of Colón has endemic species of the region. Regarding its flora, it is made up of a wide range of plant specimens of a terrestrial and maritime nature..
Among the most important species in this region we can find some plants of the Scalesia genus, as well as specimens of the Simaroubaceae and Boraginaceae families..
Scalesia affinis is a kind of flowering plant that consists of small triangular leaves, whose circular organization resembles the shape of a flower. In the middle of this plant a small flower is born, whose petals are white and its center is pale yellow.
This plant can only be found in the Galapagos Islands, specifically in four of these: Isabela Island (where the greatest number is located), Fernandina Island, Santa Cruz and Floreana Island.
Scalesia affinis provides food for a wide variety of animals, such as sparrows, iguanas, finches, giant tortoises and a huge number of insects..
The fauna of the insular region of Ecuador is constituted mainly by a large number of reptiles, mammals and birds, all endemic.
Among the most important reptiles we find the Galapagos tortoises (also known as giant tortoises), some land iguanas and also a species of marine iguana.
Within the classification of mammals you can find the Galapagos sea lion, which maintains similar traits with the California sea lion. There is also the Galapagos fur wolf, which is characterized as the smallest wolf species in the world.
As for the endemic birds of this area, the Galapagos penguins stand out, which are known by the common name of booby birds..
Darwin's finches also stand out, within which is a class of vampire bird, so named because it feeds on the blood of birds that are in a convalescent state..
These turtles constitute a genus that inhabits terrestrial spaces. Within this territory 11 divisions of this species can be found, all of them of enormous size and proportions. Before there were more copies of these creatures; however, over time they became extinct.
This kind of penguin typical of the insular region is the only species that lives in freedom north of Ecuador.
This bird can inhabit the archipelago thanks to the cold currents of Humbolt and Cromwell. Within its species, it is one of the smallest variations: its maximum height is 49 cm, which makes it easy prey for different predators..
The climate of this archipelago is determined by ocean currents. This implies that, in general, during the months of June to December the weather is usually dry but cold, which occurs because the Humboldt current is located near the ocean and is responsible for trapping a wet and cold fog, called garúa.
During the month of December, ocean currents change, allowing the Panama current to enter the Galapagos, characterized by being warm..
With this current comes the tropical and sunny climate to the region, which can turn into a downpour but only occasionally.
The population of this Ecuadorian region consists of about 20,000 inhabitants, most of whom are engaged in fishing. This is one of the most important economic resources within the family nucleus of the inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands..
To carry out this activity the fishermen consist of small boats; however, it is a fairly stable and sustainable job.
Since 1970 the economy of these islands has been changing. Currently, its main business is not only fishing, but also the tourism business, which has allowed a favorable development within these territories..
The population of these islands is made up of those people who arrived from the east, the mountains and the coast of the Ecuadorian country..
These inhabitants are considered warm people who like to play soccer and equuavoley, a game similar to traditional volleyball but that undergoes some slight modifications; for example, only 3 participants are allowed per team.
One of the most popular activities within the insular region is to travel on bicycles; This is very striking for those tourists who want to visit and enjoy the landscapes of the islands.
The use of the bicycle as a means of transport within these territories is very common; you can even see more people using this vehicle than cars.
This activity can be practiced mainly in the town of Puerto Aroya, where the tourist movement is quite remarkable.
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