The islands emerged from the bottom of the sea in the form of astonishing volcanic upheavals. All in all, the archipelago consists of 19 islands and dozens of islets and rocks that dot a vast area of 17,000 square miles (45,000 square kilometers) of ocean. Thanks to a lack of natural predators, wildlife in the Galapagos has no fear of humans, making the islands one of the world’s greatest wonders and an incredibly magical destination to visit.