In 1832, when it was taken from Spanish possession, it became the property of the Republic of Ecuador. Administratively, the archipelago is the province of Galapagos, one of the country's twenty-four provinces. It consists of three cantons: Isabela, San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. The capital of the province is Puerto Baqurizo Moreno on the island of San Cristobal.
In addition to the province, the Galapagos Islands include the Galapagos National Park, created in 1959 - Ecuador's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - and the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve covers an area of approximately 133,000 square kilometers. The Galapagos Islands and their surrounding waters constitute one of the most remarkable and biologically diverse ecosystems in the world. It was recently declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
It is the largest marine protected area in a developing country and the second largest in the world. The coastal lakes, wetlands, and areas where freshwater and saltwater mix are home to unique species ranging from small colorful fish to large mammals: marine iguanas, Galapagos land iguanas, Galapagos crabs, Galapagos sea lions, sharks, blue-footed guillemots, swallow-tailed gulls, ducks, frigate birds, and Galapagos tortoises.
The most unique species in the Galapagos is the marine iguana, due to its terrestrial nature. It is the only known lizard that feeds both in the water and on land.
