Ecuador Geography: Ecuador is bordered to the north by Colombia, to the east and south by Peru, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. There are three distinct zones in this country:
1) The Highlands or uplands of the Andes, running from the Colombian border in the north to Peru in the south (of this there are two main ranges – the Eastern and Western Cordilleras which are divided by a long valley).
2) The Costal plain between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean with plantations of bananas, cacao, coffee and sugar.
3) And the Amazon tropical rain forest to the east, consisting of tropical jungles threaded by rivers. The Amazon makes up 36 per cent of Ecuador’s land area, but represents only 3 per cent of the population. Colonization is, however, increasing in the wake of the oil boom.
Ecuador Government: Democratic republic since 1978. Head of State and Government: President Rafael Correa since January 2007, elected by almost 80% of the inhabitants of this country. He seems to be one of the most popular presidents in Ecuador so far.
Capital City: The capital city of Ecuador is Quito. Quito City is cradled in the Andes at the foot of Pichincha Volcano. It has the largest and one of the best-preserved historical centers in South America, since the modern part of the city developed to the north, leaving the existing colonial treasures intact.
Population: 12 Million / Area 256.370 Km2. (99.027 Square Miles
Production: Ecuador is the world’s number one producer of bananas, and the second shrimp producer in the world. It is also the second producer of “roses” in Latin America. Some of the most important products which Ecuador exports are fish (fresh, frozen and canned), coffee, balsa wood, tropical fruits, among many others
Area: In relation to its surface, Ecuador holds the greatest amount of species of plants and animals in the Planet.
Wildlife: Ecuador occupies the fourth place in bird diversity. (17% of all the species of the entire world live here) including 124 species of birds, representing 35% of all species in the world. Ecuador is sometimes called the “hummingbird Country”.
Language: Ecuador’s official language is Spanish, but Quichua, the lingua franca of the Inca Empire is spoken by the Indian population. English is spoken in major visitor centres. Besides Spanish, 10 native languages are spoken in Ecuador.
Climate: This is an important subject of Ecuador facts since Ecuador has an area similar to England or the State of Colorado (USA). The country is divided into four different zones:
- The Amazon Basin
- The Andean Highlands
- The Pacific Lowlands and
- The Galapagos Islands
Food: Is also an interesting Ecuador fact. Western cuisine, as well as wide variety of international cooking is available throughout the country. Ecuador’s traditional gastronomy is renowned for its variety and delicious taste. Typical specialties include meat, chicken, fish, potatoes, corn and vegetables. There is a great variety of fruits and juices. Different types of plantains and bananas are a treat. Excellent restaurants are also available in the main cities as in most of the country’s Hotels and Inns.
Restaurants: Ecuador is famous for its wonderful cuisine. If you feel like dining out, and experience some of our more delicious gastronomy… there’s plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Local Time: Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT) minus 5 hours on mainland Ecuador; and minus 6 hours in the Galapagos Islands.
Ecuador Beaches: The most amazing beaches in South America are located in this country.