EcuadorMosaic country

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At the center of the world, Ecuadorian society is a patchwork of the traditional and modern, weaving together indigenous customs, Spanish colonial influence, and contemporary urban ways of life.

Its geographical and cultural diversity has won Ecuador the designation as the entryway to South America, with the capital city of Quito as its center of gravity.

Within a day, one can transverse all of the continent’s major regions within the small but beautiful country known as Ecuador.

One countryFour worlds

Andean Region

The Andes and their foothills, run like a knobby spine from North to South through the center of Ecuador, create some of the most spectacular landscapes in South America. The Eastern and Western ranges of this majestic mountain chain boast more than 22 peaks over 4,200 meters—a climber’s delight. Snow-capped active volcanoes mingle with multi-colored mountainside farms and cultivated valleys to complete the other-worldly aesthetic.

About half of Ecuador’s population resides in the Andes, with beautiful colonial cities such as Quito, Ibarra, Ambato, Riobamba, Baños, Cuenca and Loja dotting its impressive terrain. Rivers tumble down both sides of the chain, spilling Westward toward the Pacific and Eastward toward the Amazon, creating wonderful opportunities for rafting, birding, and countless other outdoor activities.

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Amazon Region

Without a doubt the most bio-diverse and extraordinary region in the world, the Amazon Rainforest stretches from the eastern side of Ecuador’s peaks, through Brazil, to the Atlantic Ocean. With Ecuador’s rivers as its highways, the Amazon’s untamed beauty is equal to none. Inhabited by caimans, piranhas, boas, monkeys, tropical birds and thousands of other species, the Ecuadorian Amazon gives visitors a taste of the wild.

Many nations of indigenous peoples maintain traditional ways of life and welcome visitors to discover unique and sometimes surprising customs in a world where shamans are still revered and ailments are cured by nature’s remedies. The cities of Lago Agrio, Baños, Tena, Coca, Puyo, and Macas—which retain the feel of the Wild West—serve as its primary entryways.

Coast Region

Covering 2,237 kilometers of unspoiled sandy and cliff-side beaches, Ecuador’s coastline boasts quaint fishing villages, resort cities, an array of water-sports, and scrumptious marine cuisine. Friendly wind currents mean that Ecuador’s slice of the Pacific Ocean is always comfortably warm and filled with delicious treats. Low rolling mountains, tropical vegetation, and lowland creatures including spider monkeys complete the scene.

Ecuador’s coastal cultures are friendly, inviting and laid-back. The major port cities of Guayaquil, Manta and Esmeraldas, however, are bustling with life and offer enough cultural activities and vibrant nightlife to keep visitors coming.

Galapagos Islands

Two thousand kilometers off of the Ecuadorian coast, in an isolated bubble of life in the Pacific, lie the Galápagos Islands, one of the greatest natural wonders of the planet. Virtually unchanged since Charles Darwin set foot on the Galápagos almost 150 years ago, the bizarre and alluring wildlife of this archipelago can be described as nothing less than phenomenal. Tortoises the size of cars, iguanas that swim, and birds with huge blue feet are at ease in the presence of humans, and roam about the land as they did long before the human race appeared.

It is no wonder that a short visit to this little chain of islands sparked one of the most important scientific discoveries in all history. As one of the world’s best preserved ecological reserves, it cannot be missed.

 

Stats InformationEcuador

  • Official name: República del Ecuador
  • Languages: Spanish and Kichwa
  • Official religion: Catholicism
  • Location: South America
  • Size: 283.561 km2
  • Inhabitants: 16.178.162
  • Currency: American dollar
  • Capital: Quito
  • Racial composition: White, Black, and Mestizos
  • Government: Democratic republic
  • President: Rafael Correa
  • Time zone: ECT (UTC -5 to UTC -6)
  • Phone code: +593
  • International Airports: Mariscal Sucre and José María Olmedo
  • Weather: Tropical and humid
  • Temperatures: Amazon: 20°C/33°C, Andes: 3°C/26°C, Coast: 22°C/32°C
  • Cultural Heritage Sites: Quito and Cuenca cities
  • Natural Heritage: Galapagos
  • Regions: Andes, Amazon, Coast, Galapagos

Ecuadorian Symbols

 

 

+593 (02) 2254 928 Office
+593 (9) 9729 4860
Skype ID: infospanish
Andean Global Studies - AGS
El Mercurio E 10-23 y La Razón
Quito - Ecuador - Southamerica
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