Ecuador
Ecuador, named after the spanish word for equator, is in the northwest part of
South America on the Pacific Ocean side. To the north is Colombia and to
the east and south is Peru. It is about the size of Nevada. Two high and parallel ranges of the Andes,
traversing the country from north to south, are topped by tall volcanic
peaks. The highest is Chimborazo at 20,577 ft (6,272 m).
Quito, once a part of the Inca empire,
has some of the best preserved early colonial architecture on the continent
The Galápagos Islands (or Colón Archipelago: 3,029 sq mi; 7,845 sq km), in the Pacific Ocean about 600 mi (966 km) west of the South American mainland, became part of Ecuador in 1832. it is home to the animals and birds whose evolutionary adaptations shaped Charles Darwin's theories.
| Capital: | Quito |
| Government type: | Unitary Multiparty Republic |
| Population: | 13,547,137 (July 2005 est.) |
| Languages: | (Official) Spanish 93%, 6% Quechua by Amerindians |
| Official Currency: | US Dollar (USD)
Currency Exchange Rates |
| Climate: | tropical; hot and humid; rainfall is throughout the year. |
| Independence Day: | 24 May 1822 (from Spain) |
| Religion: | predominately Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant 2% |
| Ethnicity: | Amerindians 50%, Mestizos 40%, Spanish 9%, and Asians, Africans, British, Irish, French, German, and Lebanese |
| Area: | total: 283,561 sq km |
| Country Dial Code: | 593 |
Top Destinations in Ecuador
Quito | Guayquil | Otavalo
| Cuenca | Banos | Galapagos Islands