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Galápagos Islands

American  
[guh-lah-puh-gohs, gah-lah-pah-gaws] / gəˈlɑ pəˌgoʊs, gɑˈlɑ pɑˌgɔs /

plural noun

  1. an archipelago on the equator in the Pacific, about 600 miles (965 km) W of and belonging to Ecuador: many unique species of animal life. 3,029 sq. mi. (7,845 sq. km).


Galápagos Islands British  
/ ɡəˈlæpəɡəs, ɡaˈlapaɣɔs /

plural noun

  1. Official Spanish name: Archipiélago de Colón.  a group of 15 islands in the Pacific west of Ecuador, of which they form a province: discovered (1535) by the Spanish; main settlement on San Cristóbal. Pop: 18 640 (2001). Area: 7844 sq km (3028 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Galápagos Islands Cultural  
  1. Groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean off South America, owned by Ecuador.


Discover More

Charles Darwin visited these islands and gathered evidence that supported his theory of natural selection.

The islands are known for their tortoises, penguins, marine iguanas, and other unusual animals.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The couple’s travels included Singapore, Dubai, the Galápagos Islands and other faraway places Steve’s job took him to.

From Seattle Times Mar. 17, 2024

If you’ve never been to the Galápagos Islands, you might be picturing lush rainforest or emerald-green isles of vegetation.

From National Geographic Feb. 15, 2024

One such instance near the Galápagos Islands was reported in 2018, and could also be the case at the Tengosed Seamount nursery if it experiences periodic hydrothermal activity.

From Salon Oct. 12, 2023

Ever since Darwin wrote about the finches of the Galápagos Islands, biologists have studied these small songbirds to understand the mechanisms of evolution.

From Science Daily Sep. 29, 2023

It has 1200 miles of Pacific coast, and an area of about two hundred thousand square miles, including the Galápagos Islands.

From The Andes and the Amazon Across the Continent of South America by Orton, James

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