Which country contains the Galápagos Islands?

Which country contains the Galápagos Islands? Ecuador. The archipelago is an Ecuadorian province in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 926 kilometres west of mainland Ecuador.

The Galápagos formed through volcanic activity above a geological hotspot on the Nazca tectonic plate. The islands straddle the equator and are famous for species found nowhere else, including marine iguanas, giant tortoises, and flightless cormorants. Charles Darwin visited in 1835 during the voyage of HMS Beagle, and observations there helped shape his theory of natural selection.

Ecuador formally claimed and occupied the islands in 1832, soon after achieving independence from Spain. Today, most of the land is protected by Galápagos National Park, while the surrounding waters form a large marine reserve.

A common mix-up is confusing the Galápagos with the Juan Fernández Islands, which belong to Chile. The Galápagos are geographically remote from Ecuador but politically part of it; Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the provincial capital.