Human Settlements in the Galápagos Islands

Brief Chronology
Demographic data has been provided were available
An extended version of this document is available in Spanish: www.baq2006.com  Concurso Internacional  Descargas Cronología de los Asentamientos Humanos
en Galápagos

1535 1570 Late XVII Century - 1684 1792 1812

Early XVIII Century

Fray Tomás de The islands appear in Exogenous species are J. Edward Cook, The British Empire sent British whalers were
Berlanga discovers the the map of Abraham introduced into the William Dampiere and the HMS Rattler to the persecuted by the US
Galápagos Islands Ortelius Galápagos Islands by William Ambrose archipelago, under the Army, and the combat
pirates and bucanners Cowley arrive to the command of Captain let by Captain David
Galápagos Islands. James Colnett, with the Porter in the Essex
Cowley elaborates the purpose of installing a became famous.
first map of the whaling station. Colnett
archipelago. inserted the barrel
(mail box) in Post
Office Bay (Floreana
Island)

Demographic Data

Floreana
San Cristóbal
Santa Cruz
Baltra
Santiago
Isabela
Islas Galápagos
 1830 1831 1832 1835 1837 1841

The Gran Colombia General Villamil The Republic of Charles Darwin visits Herman Melville,
was dissolved and establishes the Ecuador incorporates the Galápagos Islands author of The
Ecuador, Colombia, “Society for the de Galápagos Islands Enchanted Isles,
Venezuela, Bolivia and Colonization of the to its territory arrives to the
Perú emerged as Galápagos Islands” Galápagos Islands
separate nations The first colony was
established in Isla
Floreana as a penal
colony

Demographic Data

Floreana 120 300

San Cristóbal
Santa Cruz
Baltra
Santiago 24
Isabela
Islas Galápagos 120 300
 1842 1860 1875 1879 1887 1893 1906-1907

Brothers Angel Theodor Wolf The farm El Progreso, The Ecuadorian Antonio Gil arrives to A delegation of the
and Manuel J. arrives to the which Manuel J. Cobos Government purchases Isabela and starts the California Academy of
Cobos arrive to Galápagos started in the highlands the ship Cotopaxi, the colonization of this Sciences, led by Rollo
San Cristóbal Islands of San Cristóbal Island, only one which could island H. Beck, arrives to the
Island was a prosperous cover the distance Galápagos Islands.
sugar cane, coffee, between continental One year before, in
fruits and other Ecuador and the 1892, Ecuadorian El Colono, a
agricultural/ animal Galápagos Islands. For President Luis Cordero newspaper edited and
products enterprise of years, this was the only renamed all islands in printed in Guayaquil,
almost 3000 hectares. transportation means an attempt to substitute began to circulate in
It had its own between the islands the original English Galápagos.
aqueduct, barns, a and the mainland. names with a Spanish
lighthouse (erected in equivalent.
Puerto Chico, now
Puerto Baquerizo By 1900, the
Moreno), a 100 m galapagos turtles had
deck, and a railway become extinct in
that connected the southern San Cristóbal
warehouses with the Island, and Manuel J.
deck and the Cobos had installed a
highlands. This farm phone line between the
was to provide enough port and the farm in the
sugar to cover the highlands.
demand of continental
Ecuador; sea lion and In 1904, Manuel J.
wild cattle skins; and Cobos was murdered
dry bacalao (codfish); by his employees.
as well as turtle oil for
Guayaquil’s electric
system,

Demographic Data

Floreana 49
San Cristóbal 25 287
Santa Cruz 20
Baltra
Santiago 0
Isabela 2 30 200
Islas Galápagos 96
 1914 1917 1923 1925 1926 1929

The Panama Canal is Puerto Chico was re- William Beebe, author The first group of The second group of The Germans Dr.
inaugurated named as Puerto of Galápagos World´s Norwegian settlers Norwegian settlers Friedrich Ritter and
Baquerizo Moreno to End, arrives to the arrives to Floreana arrives to both San Dore Strauch arrive to
First World War begins commemorate the visit Galápagos Islands. Island. Most returned Cristóbal and Santa Floreana Island.
of Ecuadorian to Europe, and those Cruz Islands.
President Alfredo who stayed, moved to In an attempt to
Baquerizo Moreno to Santa Cruz Island. promote colonization,
San Cristóbal Island. the Ecuadorian
government sends a
In 1918, the first faction of its Army to
Catholic missionary, Santa Cruz Island.
the Jesuit Aurelio
Mera, arrived to the
islands.

Comodor Vincent
Astor, who undertook
extensive research in
the archipelago,
arrived in 1920.

Demographic Data

Floreana
San Cristóbal
Santa Cruz
Baltra
Santiago
Isabela
Islas Galápagos 500
1930 1932 1932-1935 1938 1940 1941

The Wittmer family and Captain Allan Hancock Franklin Delano The cruiser US The occupation of the
Eloise Wagner of undertakes several Roosevelt, President of Lepwing initiated Galápagos Islands by
Busquet (better known expeditions in the United States of photographic surveys the US government
as The Baroness) collaboration with America, arrives to the and cartographies of begins.
arrive to Floreana Waldo Lasalle Galápagos Islands with the archipelago
Island from Germany Schmidt, Director of Waldo L. Schmidt The Ecuadorian
the National Museum Government approved
(Washington D.C.). the construction of a
military base in
Hancock favored the Salinas, a town in
relocation of 72 continental Ecuador.
iguanas from Baltra to
Seymur North, where The Ecuadorian Army
they could be safe from sent 50 soldiers to San
the threat of goats Cristóbal Island

In order to celebrate
the 100 year
anniversary of Darwin’s
arrival to the islands,
the German scientist
Victor W. von Hagen,
visited San Cristóbal
Island and donated a
bust of Darwin to
Puerto Baquerizo
Moreno.

Late in 1935 the

Angermeyer brothers
arrived to Santa Cruz
Island

Galápagos was
declared National
Reserve

One year later, in 1936,

Dore Strauch
published “Satan came
 to Eden.”

Demographic Data

Floreana 2 20
San Cristóbal 389
Santa Cruz 8 46 70
Baltra
Santiago 17
Isabela 155 60
Islas Galápagos 571 700
1942 1942-1946 1947 1949 1950 1955

Construction of a Families from Quito Earthquake in Ambato, The Fruit Trading Austrian biologist,
military base (Beta arrive to Santa Cruz Tungurahua, triggers Company initiates the Ireneus Eibl-Eibesfeldt,
Base, better known as further migration from first efforts geared arrives to the
The Rock) begins in The American military continental Ecuador to towards regularizing Galápagos Islands.
Baltra Island. A landing had improved the the Galápagos Islands. trips to the Galápagos After his visit he
strip of macadam, a waterway built by Islands. presented his concerns
steel + concrete pier, Manuel J. Cobos regarding the future of
400 pine wood between El Junco The Galápagos Islands the archipelago in the
barracks, and a 200 (drinking water source became a Naval Zone XV International
Km network of roads in the highlands of San and Ecuadorian Zoology Congress in
were built, mainly using Cristóbal Island) and Marines were London, and proposed
local labor. the coast. This allowed transferred to Puerto the creation of a
the massive exodus Baquerizo Moreno. research center in the
Fisheries expand in from the highlands to islands. His
order to provide for the what is now Puerto In March, the intervention had an
needs of The Rock. Baquerizo Moreno. Franciscan Mission impact in American
arrived to the islands, zoologist Robert I.
In 1944 Eleanor In 1948, Lorenzo Tous, and became the main Bowman. Jan Dorso, a
Roosevelt visits the who acquired most of force for social welfare UNESCO delegate
military base in Baltra. Manuel J. Cobos among local visited the islands, met
Her travel diary “My inheritance, populations. with local scientists and
Day” was published established the tuna offered assessment
afterwards. processing industry La geared towards
Predial in Puerto managing and
In 1946 the military Baquerizo Moreno. protecting its unique
base was transferred environment.
to the Ecuadorian Enthusiastic with this
government. The developments, Sir
Governor of Galápagos Julian Huxley,
requested that the President of World
wood barracks of the Wildlife Fund, offered
base be donated to the to provide financial
inhabitants of the resources and
archipelago, who assessment.
dismantled and
transported them.
Some of these re-used
pine houses still stand
among the oldest in
Puerto Baquerizo
 Moreno.

The radar station

installed by the
Americans in Isabela
Island was transferred
to the Ecuadorian
Government and
converted into a prison
camp.

Demographic Data

Floreana 21
San Cristóbal 811
Santa Cruz 198 300
Baltra 2.000 6.000 - 195 8
Santiago
Isabela 308
Islas Galápagos 1.346
1959 1960 1962 1964 1966 1967

The penal colony of Swiss scientist, The airline TAME The first park rangers International tourism to Re-construction of
Isabela Island is Raymond Levèque, the (Transportes Aéreos arrive to the Galápagos the islands, as an Baltra’s airport begins
dismantled first Director of the Militares Islands organized and
recently created Ecuatorianos), which profitable activity, is TAME initiates monthly
97% of the 7.800 Km2 Charles Darwin flies regularly to the The installations of the proposed and flights to the
that compose the Research Station, archipelago up to this Charles Darwin launched by Galápagos Islands
territory of the arrives to Santa Cruz date, was created. Research Station are Metropolitan Touring.
Galápagos Islands are Island. inaugurated in Puerto
declared Flora and Ayora, Santa Cruz
Fauna National Park The Company Island.
Ecuatoriana de
The Charles Darwin Turismo Galápagos
Foundation is created S.A. is created in
in Brussels, with Guayaquil. Its ship, the
Belgian resources and Cristóbal Carrier,
thanks to the established the first
intervention of scientist regular trips between
Victor van Straelen. continental Ecuador
and the islands. The
first informal tours were
made possible by it.

A group of Americans,
members of the Filiate
Science Antrorse
Island Development
Company, acquired the
abandoned
infrastructure of La
Predial and El
Progreso, and moved
to San Cristóbal.
Another group moved
to Santa Cruz. The first
hotel in the island was
opened by one of
them: Forrest Nelson,
in Puerto Ayora.
Demographic Data

Floreana
San Cristóbal
Santa Cruz 600 700
Baltra
Santiago
Isabela
Islas Galápagos
 1969 1972 1973 1975 1978 1979

Tourism guides and Ecuador joins the The Galápagos Islands Lina A, Metropolitan The Galápagos Islands Metropolitan Touring’s
operators begin their OPEP (Organización become a Province of Touring’s ship, wrecks. are declared World new ship (Santa Cruz)
activities in the de Países Ecuador with Puerto It was substituted by Natural Heritage by begins operations
Galápagos Islands Exportadores de Baquerizo Moreno as the motorboat Iguana UNESCO
Petróleo) its capital TAME provides weekly
The first ship acquired flights to the
by Metropolitan Galápagos Islands
Touring, the Lina A,
arrives to Baltra

Demographic Data

Floreana 50
San Cristóbal 1.700
Santa Cruz 1.200 2.500
Baltra 15
Santiago
Isabela 600
Islas Galápagos 4.865
Visitors 12.000
Tourism ships 24
 1981 1982 1985 1986 1990 1991

The Instituto Nacional The El Niño Puerto Baquerizo The 70.000 Km2 of the Between 1982 and Satellite TV matrix
Galápagos (INGALA) phenomenon hits the Moreno’s airport is Galápagos Islands 1990, Ecuador antennae are installed
was created in order to Galápagos Islands inaugurated interior waters, plus 15 registered a population in the Galápagos
plan and direct the naval miles outside the growth of 2.4%. During Islands
development of rural baseline that joins all the same period, the
and urban areas in the its external land points, Galápagos Islands
Islands. The Institute were declared Marine reached a ratio of 5.9%
provided inter-island Resources Reserve
transportation.

Demographic Data

Floreana 56
San Cristóbal 2.377
Santa Cruz 3.163
Baltra 15
Santiago
Isabela 630
Islas Galápagos 6.241
Visitors 17.250
Tourism ships 45
 1992 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999

The Management Plan A fishermen strike The Galápagos Islands The Provincial Council The Special Law for El Niño phenomenon
for Marine Resources paralyses the province Marine Resources for the Galápagos the Galápagos Islands hits the Galápagos
of the Galápagos Biological Reserve is Islands and the was approved by the Islands again
Islands is published. created Galápagos Provincial Ecuadorian Congress
Tourism Chamber are and published as Sea cucumber fishing
Sea cucumber fishing The Surfing Federation created “Special Regime Law was re-approved within
becomes prohibited of Ecuador includes for the Conservation volume regulations and
the Galápagos Islands Jorge Anhalzer was the and Sustainable control
The Ministry of Tourism among its venues for first Ecuadorian to be Development of the
is created the National elected President of Province of the The Management Plan
Championship the Charles Darwin Galápagos Islands” of the Marine Reserve,
Foundation included in the Special
Industrial fishing was Law for the Galápagos
Control posts for the prohibited in the Islands, was approved
Marine Reserve were archipelago
created
89 legal processes
were begun against
infractions related to
local fishing; 35 against
infractions related to
industrial fishing in the
Marine Reserve; and
117 infractions related
to tourism

Demographic Data

Floreana
San Cristóbal
Santa Cruz
Baltra
Santiago
Isabela
Islas Galápagos 9.800
Visitors 42.000
Local fishermen 300

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

The Ecuadorian The fuel carrier Jessica National TV satellite Between 2003 and Shark fishing becomes The Japanese
economy switches wrecked in Wreck Bay, antennae are installed 2005 the Galápagos a forbidden activity International
from the local currency Puerto Baquerizo National Park had 10 Cooperation Agency
of the sucre to the US Moreno, provoking an Directors The tourism sector inaugurated an
dollar ecological disaster. produced US$ 150 Environmental
millions; the Education Center for
The Galapagos Marine conservation sector, 35 the Conservation of the
Reserve was declared millions; and the local Marine Reserve in
Natural World Heritage fishing sector, 12 Puerto Ayora, Santa
millions. Cruz Island.

Demographic Data

Floreana App. 300

San Cristóbal 8.995
Santa Cruz 13.503
Baltra
Santiago
Isabela 2.148
Islas Galápagos App. 30.000 (includes
illegal immigrants and
in-transit residents)
Visitors 90.500 100.000
Local fishermen 984
Tourism ships 446