Although there may be some Inca boats, that reached Galapagos first, the isles were discovered for the present world by the Spanish priest Fray Tomas de Berlanga, who in 1535 stopped there on the way to Panama.
They were named then ‘Las Encantadas’ ( the Enchanted) as they kept disappearing in the mist, while the sailors encountering the shore.
Located out of the main Spanish trade routes they served as the shelter for Dutch and English pirates, who soon discovered valours of the turtle’s meat.
Stored on board the turtles could stay alive for a long time without feeding, and serve as a source of a fresh food.
The buccaneers gave the isles the names in their native languages, and quite often one island was desribed by several names.
The British names became popular especially when in the middle of 19 th century scientists started to follow the famous voyage by Charles Darwin.
to clear the situation in 1892 the government of Ecuador introduced the official names usually following the Spanish tradition.
The name Galapagos itself has been officially approved only in 1973.
There were several attempts to colonize Galapagos, starting with Patrick Watkins settlement on Floreana in 1812, and at the end of 19th century San Cristobal has been changed into the heavy penalty company.
The Second World War brought the new airport on Baltra, which served at that time as a US military base protecting the Panama Bay area.
The liquidation of the last penalty company in 1958 started the tourist boom in the following years, supported by the development of the local airlines,
which offer several flights a week to demilitarized at present Baltra and to the capital Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal.
Today the population of Galapagos reached 18 thousand, and although the new regulations don’t allow the new people to settle there, still one can observe the illegal emigration.
There are only the permanent residents and children, who can live on the islands, and the tourists visits are limited by number and the allowed places.
The restrictions are to help and it may be necessary in the near future to introduce further visit restrictions, aiming to preserve the local ecosystem.