Isabela Island is the largest island in the Galápagos Archipelago by area and is often described as seahorse-shaped.
The island covers about 4,640 square kilometres, making it larger than all the other Galápagos islands individually. Its unusual outline formed as six major shield volcanoes joined together through successive lava flows. Five of those volcanoes remain active: Wolf, Alcedo, Darwin, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul.
Isabela is known for giant tortoises, marine iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorants, and other species found nowhere else. Puerto Villamil is its largest settlement and a major visitor base.
A common mix-up is Santa Cruz, which is more frequently visited and has the largest human population among the islands. Fernandina is the youngest major Galápagos island, but it is much smaller than Isabela.