Located in the Pacific Ocean, The Galapagos - Ecuador's enchanted archipelago - lies on the equator at 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

These "Enchanted Isles" became world famous after the English Naturalist Charles Darwin conceived, the "Theory of the Origins and Evolution of the Species" during one of his visits.

In 1959 the Ecuadorian government declared the Galapagos Islands a National Park in order to protect the existing species. The Charles Darwin Foundation cooperates in this effort and has a scientific station on the islands.

Named for the giant tortoises of the islands, the Galapagos Archipelago has been declared a "Natural Patrimony of Mankind" by UNESCO, because of its unique flora and fauna.

When UNESCO declared the Galapagos Islands a Patrimony of Mankind and a Reserve for the Biosphere, it brought the issue of preservation of the islands to an international level, and it is we, Ecuadorian people and visitors alike, who must participate in the preservation effort.