Annexation

Galapagos Graphics: A map of the Galapagos Islands

In 1832, the Galapagos Islands became part of Ecuador.

Annexation can be defined as the forcible acquisition of territory by a state. In the case of Galapagos, Ecuador claimed ownership of Galapagos in 1832, re-naming them to the ‘Archipelago de Ecuador’. The Islands were then used as a prison colony for holding convicts from the mainland.

Glossary of Galapagos