which natural process created the galapagos islands?

The Galapagos Islands were created through a natural process of repeated volcanic activity associated with a geological hotspot under the Nazca tectonic plate. As the tectonic plate slowly moves over this stationary hotspot, magma wells up from the Earth's mantle and erupts on the ocean floor. Over millions of years, these eruptions caused volcanoes to build up layer by layer until they emerged above the sea surface, forming the islands. This process of volcanic island formation is similar to how the Hawaiian Islands were created. The islands vary in age, with the oldest being several million years old and the youngest still volcanically active. This volcanic origin, combined with the islands' isolation, led to the unique ecosystems that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.