Puerto Baquerizo Moreno () is the capital of Galápagos Province, Ecuador. It is located on the southwestern coast of San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the archipelago, and is the capital of San Cristóbal Canton. It was founded by General Villamil Playas in the mid-19th century, and takes its name from President Alfredo Baquerizo (1859–1951). Today, fishing is the main activity of the locals, but tourism is on the increase along the waterfront with numerous hotels and shops.
thumb|300px|Adult [[Galápagos sea lion resting on a park bench in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.]]
The town has a cathedral, a post office, police station, a hospital, and a branch of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. It also contains the Centro de Interpretación of the Galápagos National Park, which was established in 1988, and a natural history museum. It is served by San Cristóbal Airport, which connects to mainland Ecuador.
History
General José de Villamil founded the town in the 1830s or 1840s, but it takes its name from Alfredo Baquerizo (1859–1951), the first president to visit during his presidency, in 1916. The Governor of Galápagos resides in the city. The Governor's residence is a prominent grey stone edifice which also houses the Naval headquarters, and is west-northwest of the church.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the oldest settlement in the Galápagos Islands. The El Progreso agricultural centre, located about from the town, was established in 1879 as a Hacienda Progreso. It had a large sugar refinery which was operated under harsh conditions, and two assassinations occurred there. Other manufacturing included leather and oil products.
The Albatross Foundation USA or Fundación Ecológica Albatros is a NGO established in 1993 at the initiative of the people of the town with the objective of educating the young people of the country in the importance of preserving and conserving the island's environment and ecosystems.
According to the 2010 census, the town had a population of 6,672 inhabitants, next to that of Puerto Ayora.
Geography
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the capital and administrative centre of Ecuador's Galápagos Province. It is located on the southwestern coast of San Cristóbal, and the town is also nicknamed Cristóbal by the local people, after the island. Its average elevation is .
Despite being an Equatorial region, the temperatures in the town and the surrounding area never reach the heights expected for such an equatorial location. Temperatures remain similar year-round, fluctuating only several degrees from January means to July means. However, two seasons predominate: the warm dry climate from January to March, and the cooler, dry season that lasts from June to November and brings continuous fog-like rain known as garúa, mild to warm temperatures, and mainly overcast skies. There are also constant winds that increase the chill factor.
As San Cristóbal and other islands of the archipelago fall under the dry zone of the equatorial Pacific, they experience lesser rainfall compared to area in the northern and southern regions. On an average. The entire archipelago receives less than of rainfall per year. and the annual rainfall also varies substantially from year to year. At Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, records indicate that while rainfall in 1950 was only for the year, during the El Niño year of 1953 it received a total rainfall of . The wet season lasts roughly from December to March, and brings an abundance of bright sunshine along with sporadically brief, yet often intense, tropical thunderstorms. Annual average precipitation amounts to approximately , 86% of which falls in the five-month wet season period spanning December till May. Precipitation falls on an average of 107 days a year (precipitation ≥ 0.004" / 0.1 mm).
|source 2 = Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes, humidity and sun)
|date=December 2012
Flora and fauna
Lava fields and desert plants are profuse in the environs of the town. It features murals which depict stories from the New Testament in a setting with indigenous animals and plants.
Natural History Museum
The small Natural History Museum (Museo de Ciencias Naturales) has a statue of Charles Darwin at the entrance. It is located in the heart of the town to the east of the Parque la Carolina, next to the Franciscan mission. It contains exhibits of many animals, plants and minerals of the Galápagos. Of note is a giant tortoise, which is said to be more than 80 years old; an exhibit of a predecessor species of iguana; the flightless cormorant; and the Galapagos tortoise – three drawings for each of these fauna are on display.
Transportation
San Cristóbal Airport is the local airport and connects to the mainland. The port is situated in Bahía Naufragio (Shipwreck Bay) to the southwest of the town. Boat companies conduct tours for tourists. Buses and taxis operate in the town.
Sister cities
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina (US)