The Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. There are 13 major islands and six smaller islands, and they all belong to Ecuador. An estimated 28,000 people live on four of the islands.
In 1535, Bishop Tomas de Berlanga discovered the Galapagos Islands. The islands went through many years of colonization, and people did not start to frequently visit the island until the 20th century. During the 19th century, Charles Darwin made scientific discoveries about the finches on the islands.
The islands are generally dry, and the temperature rarely exceeds 80 degrees. January to April is the rainy season, and about every seven years the islands experience a warm front known as El Nino. The warm temperature front collides with cooler air and results in warm ocean water and heavy rainfall.
