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Word: Galapagos Islands
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The Galapagos Islands are part of Ecuador's national park system. Ecuador is in South America. The main language on the islands is Spanish.

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands found near Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean.

• The Galapagos Islands are famous for their endemic species. Endemic means they are found only in the Galapagos Islands.

• Charles Darwin did many of his studies in the Galapagos Islands. It is where he came up with his evolution and natural selection theories.

• Galapagos is spanish for the large land tortoises that live in the Galapagos Islands.

• The Galapagos Islands has also been called the Enchanted Islands.

• The Galapagos Archipelago consists of 4,897 square miles (13000 km.sq.) of land. The largest island, Isabela Island, is 1,791 square miles (4,600 sq.km.) and makes up half of the Galapagos. Volcan Wolf, on Isabela Island is the highest point with an elevation of 5,600 feet (1.7 km) above sea level.

• The Galapagos Archipelago consists of 16 main islands, 6 smaller islands, and 10 rocks and islets.

• The Galapagos Islands are located at a place called the Galapagos hotspot. This is a place where the earth's crust is being melted by a mantle plume below the surface, creating volcanoes. Because of the volcanic eruptions, the most recent in 2007, the younger islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed.

• Only 5 of the Galapagos Islands are inhabited.

• The Galapagos Islands use the U.S. dollar as their official currency. The coins are the same as the U.S also, but have famous Ecuadorians on them.

• The Galapagos Islands are one of the world's most active volcanic sites.

• The Pacific Green Sea Turtle is the only species of sea turtle found in the Galapagos Islands.

• The residents of the Galapagos Islands make their money through tourism, farming and fishing. Tourism brings in approximately 60,000 to 70,000 visitors per year. We have to be careful while visiting though, not disturbing the animals or plants and keeping it clean!

• In 1978 the Galapagos Islands were declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) emphasizing its universal value for mankind.
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