Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands: Basaltic lavas have risen through the crust above a mantle hotspot to construct the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Details of three large, active volcanic craters are visible on Isabela, the seahorse-shaped island, and another on Fernandina to the southwest; dark lava flows have spread outward from the craters. The islands, visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, are home to unique and varied wildlife including giant tortoises, marine and land iguanas, lava lizards and sea lions.

Photo and caption thanks to:
Earth Sciences and Image Analysis, NASA-Johnson Space Center. 29 Aug. 2002. "Earth Sciences and Image Analysis: Photographic Highlights - STS-097." http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/debrief/STS097/topFiles/STS097-717-36.htm.

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South America from Space Photo Gallery

South America Photo Gallery