Ecuador is a country in Northwestern South America, with a Pacific Ocean coastline, lying on the Equator between Colombia, to the northeast, and Peru, to the south and east.

Cotopaxi the world's highest active volcano. Many cities, and sites are integrated in a prestige Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Such cities, and best known places are the Galapagos Islands, and the city of Cuenca.
Regions

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Amazon –

Andean Highlands –

Coastal Lowlands –

Galápagos Islands –

Cities

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Depending on which activity you intend to persue, such city of glamour or culture are available to your choice.

Quito - Capital. Colonial City.

Baños- In this city you can find an active volcano having small eruptions of ash and lava. Volcano Tungurahua. There are also many hot spring mineral baths as its name would imply.

Cuenca- The third largest city in Ecuador. Cuenca was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site.

Guayaquil - Largest city in the country and largest port city.

Otavalo - Small town only two hours north of Quito famous for its indigenous craft market.

Riobamba -- Starting point of the famous train ride down the Nariz del Diablo and gateway to Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak, whose summit is the furthest point on Earth from its centre.

Esmeraldas - One of the most popular beaches in Ecuador.

Bahía de Caraquez - Another popular beach.

Loja - the oldest colonial city.

Sucumbios or Nueva Loja - a jungle centered city.

Manta - the most important seaport of the country.

Other destinations

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Agua Blanca

Babahoyo

Canoa

Cotopaxi

Galapagos Islands

Guaranda

Mindo

Montañita

Papallacta

Piedra Blanca

Puerto López

Puyo

Quilotoa Loop

San Miguel

Tena

Vilcabamba

Understand

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The "Republic of the Ecuador" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.

Radio and Television
Radio and/or television in Spanish, is available except in some of the particularly remote areas. English-language movies usually are shown in the original language with Spanish subtitles. Many hotels have cable television that may include English-language stations and/or premium movie channels that feature subtitled movies in their original languages.

Newspapers and Magazines
Spanish-language newspapers and magazines can be purchased on the streets of cities but can be hard to find elsewhere. Some hotels catering to foreigners may have a small selection of English-language reading material.

There is also a national English newspaper published under the name Moving Ecuador. You can find it in tourist areas.

Money
Ecuador adopted the United States dollar (USD) as its currency in 2000.

Climate

Tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Get in

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By plane
Quito's airport has an executive lounge shared by all the airlines with drinks, snacks, and seating areas. The view is not of the airplanes and runway, but there is a view of the airport entrance and the surrounding mountains. Business class travellers get a free invitation. Economy passengers may enter by paying USD $15 as of August 2006.

Another port of entry is Guayaquil, which has a modern airport that includes the typical amenities such as restaurants and duty-free shopping. The airport is located north from downtown.

The Galapagos Islands are one of the Ecuadorian provinces and of course have their own airport on the only island which is not considered part of the national park. Aerogal is the name of the airline which flies to Galapagos and of course there is no way to get to the Galapagos without first coming to Ecuador.

The Quito airport charges an international departure tax of $31.60. The tax is $25 from Guayaquil. This tax usually is not included in the cost of the flight.

By train

There are no international train services into Ecuador.

By car

Driving into Ecuador is discouraged. It is preferable to enter the country by airplane or boat because of the frontier issues with aside countries.

By bus

If your enter Ecuador by bus you usually have to switch buses at the border. If come from Colombia you have to cross the border at Rumichaca near Tulcan and Ipiales (Colombia). There are several places to cross the border with Peru.

By boat
Since Ecuador is situated at the coast and has some very large rivers, a boat ride can be a nice way to get around. Especially in the rainforest a boat ride can get you to places you usually wouldn't be able to go.

Get around

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By bus
Intercity buses travel to almost everywhere in Ecuador. Many cities have a central bus terminal, known as the terminal terrestre, where it is possible to buy tickets from the various bus lines that serve the city. Long-distance buses typically cost from $1 to $2 per hour, depending on the distance and the type of service; groups may be able to negotiate discounts. Buses are frequent along major routes. Reservations or advance purchases usually aren't needed except during peak periods such as holidays. The bathroom on the bus, if any, is usually reserved for women. However, it is permissible for men to request that the bus make a stop so that they might relieve themselves. The bus rides themselves are often quite beautiful, through mountain views in the clouds. These altitude changes cause many of the same ear pressure problems which are associated with an airplane ride.




The bus driver will stop along the way to board additional passengers. Many busses arrive at their destination with passengers standing in the aisle. There are a few first class busses, called "Ejecutivo", which cost a little more than the regular busses. They are generally more comfortable and safer.

By taxi
Taxis are widely available. Taxis are generally yellow and have the taxi license number prominently displayed. Taxis in Quito have meters (fares under $1.00 are rounded up to the minimum fare of $1.00). Agree upon a price before getting in or ask the driver to use the meter (often cheaper than a negotiated rate); short trips generally don't cost more than $1 or $2, and you generally shouldn't end up paying more than $10 per hour, if that, for longer trips. Evening rates are often double. As with any country in Latin America, (or the world for that matter), don't ride an unlicensed taxi. It's a great way to get kidnapped.

By hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is possible in Ecuador. A lot of people drive pick-ups which you can easily throw your backpack into if they give you a lift. We practised it on the Panamericana from Quito to Riobamba and in the Northern Part on the coast.

On roads not frequently serviced by busses, cargo trucks may take on riders or hitchhikers, either to ride in back or in the cabin. In some cases the driver charges the going busfare, in others he may simply be taking on a rider for the company and refuse a fare.

Talk

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Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quichua). English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and other businesses that cater to foreigners. Ecuadorians are generally tolerant of foreigners who attempt to speak Spanish but make mistakes.

Buy

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Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as its currency. Other types of currency are not readily accepted.

U.S. paper money is used for most transactions. Ecuador has its own coins, which are approximately the same size and color as U.S. coins up through 50-cent pieces; both they and U.S. coins are used. U.S. dollar coins are also widely used, more so than in the U.S. Susan B. Anthony dollars, however, are not generally accepted. Many merchants examine large bills ($10 and above) carefully to make sure they aren't counterfeit. Outside of tourist areas and Quito, many merchants do not keep large amounts of money on hand, so getting change for large bills (or even small ones) may be difficult or impossible. This is especially true on cheaper busses. Take lots of one and five dollar bills with you; you will also want to bring the newest possible bills. Worn bills are often reguarded with suspicion, and it is not uncommon for a merchant to ask you to pay with another bill if the one you handed them appears old or worn.

Travelers' checks can be exchanged at some (but not all) banks for a reasonable fee (usually not more than 3 percent). They are also accepted at some hotels that cater to tourists, although it is difficult to use them elsewhere. There is often a surcharge added to use traveler's checks.

Credit and debit cards are accepted at many places that cater to tourists as well as at some upscale shops. However, many places charge a commission for their use as reimbursement for what the banks charge them. You may be asked to show your passport when using a credit or debit card.

Automated teller machines are widely available in major cities and tourist areas. Most claim to be tied in with major international networks, in theory making it possible to withdraw money from foreign accounts. Depending on the transaction fees charged by your bank at home, ATMs offer very good exchange rates. Be aware that you may have to try quite a few different machines before recieving money. Avoid using ATMs on the street as their users are frequently targeted by street thieves. Hotels or other places with a guard nearby are your best choices.

Prices vary widely in Ecuador. Costs at upscale hotels and restaurants seem to be close, maybe 10 percent less, to what they would be in the United States. Outside of tourist areas, costs are much less. It is possible to get a meal at a clean restaurant for under $2 or to pay less than $10 for a clean but basic hotel room.

Even though Ecuador is a very beautiful country it does not know how to sell itself very well. In Quito a very famous touristic site is El Mercado Artesenal where many souvenirs can be found but after a thorough look around you will realize that there is a bit of redundancy in the items in the sense that everyone is basically selling the same thing so after buying a few main items it becomes difficult to find much more variety. Almost everything that can be bought has a price that can be bargained and if you are not a native, they will try and get higher prices out of you which is why it is recommendable to go with someone who is either fluent in spanish or native, to bargain more effectively.

Eat

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Throughout the country there is a lot of variety, and what is typically eaten depending on where you happen to be. In the sierra rice almost always accompanies lunch and dinner, and in the coast it's potatoes. Soup is also a big part of lunch and dinner. Breakfasts often consist of toast, eggs and juice or fruit.

Restaurants run the gamut in terms of menu, quality, hygiene, hours and price. Basic meals can be had for less than $2, or it is possible to pay close to U.S. prices in the tourist areas, especially for food from the American chains.

If you're on a budget, your best bet for a good and local meal is to order an almuerzo (lunch) or a merienda (dinner). These normally consist of a soup, a meat main course and a dessert for $1-$2.

More expensive restaurants (say, ones that charge $4 per meal or more) often add a 12% sales tax and a 10% service fee.

Coffee or tea (including many herbal varieties) is typically served after the meal unless you ask for it sooner.

Except at places that cater to foreigners, it is the custom not to present the diner with the bill until it is requested. While many servers are used to rude tourists, rubbing your fingers together isn't as accepted as in Europe although it's not considered downright rude as in the United States. The best way to get the check is to tell your server "La Cuenta, Por Favor".

Smoking is allowed in most restaurants.

Locro de papa is a famous Ecuadorian soup with avocados, potatoes and cheese.

Ceviche is a common dish found on the coast. It is a cold seafood cocktail that is usually served with "chifles" Thin fried plantains.

Encebollado is a hearty fish soup wit yuca, also found on the coast: A tomato-fish soup filled with chunks of yucca, marinated vegetables with "chifles" thrown in for added crunch.

In the Highlands,Ecuadorians eat cuy, or guinea pig. The entire animal is roasted or fried and often served skewered on a stick.
Empanadas are also a common local food that are usually consumed as snacks in the afternoon. The most common varieties of this filled pastry are cheese and/or chicken.

Drink

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Aguardiente, often made from fermented sugar cane, is the local firewater. If possible, have some ground freshly into your cup from the sugarcane.

Bottled mineral water is very common and is guaranteed safe to drink; it comes in both carbonated (con gas) and noncarbonated (sin gas) varieties.

Coffee and tea are widely available. Herbal teas are also common. Probably needless to say, but Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other types of soda can be found everywhere in Ecuador.

Fruit juice is plentiful and good. Ask the server what kind of juice they are serving and you are often presented with a long list: piña (pineapple), mora (blackberry), maracuya (passion fruit), naranja (orange), sandia (watermelon), naranjilla (a jungle fruit), melon, taxo, guanabana, guava, etc. You can get them made with milk if you ask for a batido. Fruit juice and yogurt are available at some street stands. However, not all juices are served cold as many people expect; it's more than likely a lukewarm juice will be served to you.

Sleep

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There are many low-cost hostels that can be found throughout Ecuador. Oftentimes the hostels in smaller towns are actually privately owned homes that welcome travellers. As with most things, natives can help you find an excellent hotel at a very low price ($6-14). Again, large groups will be able to bargain for lower prices. Air conditioning is an amenity which often comes at an extra cost of a dollar or two a night.

Do

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Ecuador has so many attractions. The capital Quito, is a city with a lot of history where you can walk in downtown, enjoying of the beautiful colonial buildings. There is also the "Teleférico" (cable-car) which takes passengers from the highest mountain in Quito to see the whole city from the sky. The cost is just $6 per person. There are many welcoming cafes as well as many dancing clubs open every weekend, often until 5 am. The beaches in Ecuador are great, the weather is just perfect and the food is delicious and unique. One can eat a lobster for $15 and stay in a hotel for $10.

In Guayaquil, an excellent place to visit is the Malecón 2000, which is very similar to Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, offering food, shopping, boat rides and a beautiful view of the river. Except for electronics, prices are quite low; however, almost everything sold with any sort of brand name is a knockoff. This area is very well patrolled and quite safe. For a real adventure, it is possible to visit the more authentic, less expensive, and far more dangerous Bahía or "Informal Market". It is not advisable to visit it without a native. It is possible to purchase a knockoff of almost anything here. Pirated video games and movies also abound; it is possible to purchase game systems modified to play such games as well. Make the proprietors prove to you that any movies or games you might purchase actually work before buying though. In the Bahía, it is necessary to haggle for all items.

Baños is the perfect city for the outdoors or extreme sports enthusiast, offering rafting, mountain climbing and backpacking excursions of all sorts. It is possible to get an English speaking guide. Be sure to get all the necessary vaccinations, as it is possible to get some nasty infections from prolonged exposure to the water. Baños also offers a public hot spring mineral bath, which only charges $1 admission. Other, more expensive baths also exist, but are fed from the exact same water. It is best to arrive at these baths as they open, as the water is freshest and cleanest then.

Manabi, many tourist don't take the time to visit the northern part of the country. The north of Ecuador offers the best beaches, Bahia de Caraquez, Manta, Crucita, San Jacinto, San Clemente are just a few. They offer very inexpensive hotel accommodations, great food and even warmer people. In the coast it is no surprise that travellers find a more relaxed place, where the people only are welcoming. Manabi is a providence that you MUST vist.

Cinema
One way to work on your Spanish skills is to go to a movie. Films in modern theaters cost about $3 to $4 in the larger cities, less in smaller towns. Foreign films are typically shown in the original language with subtitles.

Learn

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An excellent way to get to know and understand more of the country is to do some voluntary work. There are several organisaitons such as Travel to Teachthat arrange work for international volunteers in Ecuador and other countries in the region.

South American Explorers , Quito.

Moving Ecuador, independent information about responsible travel , Quito.

Stay safe

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Tourists should use common sense to ensure their safety. Most tourists who avoid flashing large amounts of money, visiting areas near the Colombian border, civil disturbances, side streets in big cities at night and that sort of thing report few problems. Probably the biggest threat in most places is simple thievery: Belongings should not be left unguarded on the beach, for example, and pickpockets can be found in some of the more crowded areas, especially the Trolébus (Metro) in Quito, in bus terminals and on the busses themselves. Busses allow peddlers to board briefly and attempt to sell their wares; however, they are often thieves themselves, so keep a close eye out for them. Hotel personnel are generally good sources of information about places that should be avoided.

Ecuador offers great opportunities for hiking and climbing, unfortunately, some travelers have been attacked and robbed in remote sections of well known climbs. Travelers are urged to avoid solo hikes and to go in a large group for safety reasons.

Stay healthy

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Ecuador is widely considered to be a developing country and health hazards are a significant issue. Of the most significant are foodborne illnesses, though they can easily be treated with digestive drugs such as antacids or antidiarrheals.

Bottled water is the key in Ecuador if you don't want to get sick. This doesn't only apply to foreigners who don't have the stomach for Ecuadorian food but also Ecuadorians who know that if they don't boil their water or drink it from the bottle that they can get very sick. As a result, it can be purchased almost everywhere (even in the most remote places) for well under $.025-.50. Water bottles are sometimes provided by hostels and hotels, which can be used for brushing teeth.

It is advisable to receive a typhoid vaccination, and possibly a yellow fever vaccination, depending on your specific area of travel.

Outside the major cities and tourist areas, malaria can be a problem along the coast during the rainy season.

Respect

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Among many other cultural idiosyncrasies, it is considered impolite to use a downward-facing palm as a reference for the height of a person. Instead, the hand is held on its side, and the measurement taken from the lower edge to the floor. Gesturing with the palm down is appropriate for animals only.
When motioning for someone to "come here," it is impolite to motion your hand with the palm facing up. Instead, use a downward swipe of the hand with the palm facing down.

Acceptable clothing varies by region of the country. In the mountainous Sierra region, including Quito, clothes are usually more warm because of the weather. On the coast, meanwhile, more casual clothes predominate.
Contact

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Internet
Internet cafes can be found nearly everywhere in the major cities and in many of the smaller ones. Cost is from $1 to $2 per hour in the large cities, and the better places have high-speed access.

Telephone
For most visitors, the easiest place to make phone calls is an Internet cafe, most of which provide VIP service at reasonable rates. You can call the United States for about $0.10 per minute and Europe for a bit more. Avoid making a phone call through an operator; the cost cost for an international call can be $3 or more per minute. For calls within Ecuador, it is possible to use a telephone cabin. This is an entire storefront filled with telephones. Generally, you are assigned a booth by the proprietor, you make your call, then you pay as you leave. Calls within Ecuador are more expensive than domestic calls in most countries, but not unreasonable, except for calls to cell phones, which generate most of their revenue by charging the caller. Also, call prices increase depending on the distance of your call within Ecuador, based on city, province, etc. Visitors making an extended stay should consider purchaing a cell phone. Most are sold on a prepaid-call basis, and phone refill cards can be purchased in all but the smallest towns. It is also possible to get a modern GSM cellular phone "unlocked" so that it will function in Ecuador (you can take your own phone, if it compatible with GSM 850MHz), however, this should be reserved for emergencies as the cost of actually making such a call is usually exorbitant (about $0,45 per minute).




Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador (República del Ecuador) is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. The country also includes the Galápagos Islands (Archipiélago de Colón) in the Pacific, about 965 kilometers (600 miles) west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name, and has an area of 256,370 square kilometers (98,985 mi²). Its capital city is Quito; its largest city is Guayaquil.

History

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Pre-Columbian era
Earliest settlements
Evidence of human cultures in Ecuador exist from c. 3500 B.C. Many civilizations rose throughout Ecuador, such as the Valdivia Culture on the coast, the Quitus (near present day Quito) and the Cañari (in present day Cuenca). Each civilization developed its own distinctive architecture, pottery, and religious beliefs. After years of fierce resistance the Cañari fell to the Incan expansion, and were assimulated loosely into the Incan empire.

Part of the Incan empire

Through a succession of wars and marriages with the different nations that inhabited the valley, the region became part of the Inca Empire. Atahualpa, one of the sons of the Inca emperor Huayna Capac. However, he could not receive the crown of the Empire since the emperor had another son, Huascar, born in Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire. Upon Huayna Capac's death, the empire was divided in two: Atahualpa received the north, with his capital in Quito, and Huascar received the south with its capital in Cusco. Finally, in 1530, Atahualpa defeated Huascar and conquered the whole Empire for the crown of Quito.

Colonization
Barely a week later, in 1531, the Spanish conquistadors, under Francisco Pizarro, arrived in an Inca empire torn by civil war. Atahualpa wanted to defeat Huascar and reign over a re-unified Incan empire.

The Spanish, however, had conquest intentions and established themselves in a fort in Cajamarca, captured Atahualpa during the Battle of Cajamarca and held him for ransom. A room was filled with gold and two with silver to secure his release. During his capture, Atahualpa arranged for the murder of his half-brother Huascar in Cusco. The stage was set for the Spaniards to take over the Inca empire. Despite being surrounded and vastly outnumbered, the Spanish executed Atahualpa. To escape the confines of the fort, the Spaniards fired all their cannons and broke through the lines of the bewildered Incans. In subsequent years the Spanish colonists became the new elite centering their power in the Vice-Royalties of Nueva Granada and Lima.

The indigenous population was decimated by disease in the first decades of Spanish rule — a time when the natives also were forced into the "encomienda" labor system for Spanish landlords. In 1563, Quito became the seat of a royal audiencia (administrative district) of Spain and part of the Vice-Royalty of Lima, and later the Vice-Royalty of Nueva Granada.

Independence

After nearly three hundred years of Spanish colonization, Quito was a city of around ten thousand inhabitants. It was there, on August 10, 1809 (the national holiday) that the first call for independence from Spain was made in Latin America ("Primer Grito de la Independencia"), under the leadership of the city's criollos like Carlos Montúfar, Eugenio Espejo and Bishop Cuero y Caicedo. Quito's nickname, "Luz de América" ("Light of America") comes from the inspiration that this first attempt produced in the rest of Spanish America, creating a domino effect that would ultimately lead to the expulsion of Spain from the continent. It was also near Quito, at the Battle of Pichincha in 1822 that Ecuador, under the leadership of Antonio José de Sucre, joined Simón Bolívar's Republic of Gran Colombia, only to become a separate republic in 1830.

Building a nation

The nineteenth century was marked by instability, with a rapid succession of rulers. The first president of Ecuador was the Venezuelan born Juan José Flores, who was ultimately deposed, and followed by many authoritarian leaders like Vicente Rocafuerte, José Joaquín de Olmedo, José María Urbina, Diego Noboa, Pedro José de Arteta, Manuel de Ascásubi and Flores's own son, Antonio Flores Jijón, among others. The conservative Gabriel Garcia Moreno unified the country in the 1860s with the support of the Roman Catholic Church. In the late nineteenth century, world demand for cocoa tied the economy to commodity exports and led to migrations from the highlands to the agricultural frontier on the coast.

A coastal-based liberal revolution in 1895 under Eloy Alfaro reduced the power of the clergy and the conservative land-owners of the highlands, and this liberal wing retained power until the military "Julian Revolution" of 1925. The 1930s and 1940s were marked by instability and populist politicians, such as five-time President José María Velasco Ibarra.

;Territorial dispute
Control over territory in the Amazon basin led to a long-lasting dispute between Ecuador and Peru. In 1941, in the midst of fast-growing tensions between the two countries, war broke out. Peru claimed that Ecuador's military presence in Peruvian-claimed territory was an invasion while Ecuador, on the other hand, claimed Peru invaded Ecuador. In July 1941, troops were mobilized. Peru had an army of 11,681 troops, facing a poorly supplied and badly armed Ecuadorian force of 5,300 soldiers, of which a little over 1,300 were deployed in the southern provinces of the country. Hostilities broke on July 5, 1941, when Peruvian forces crossed the Zarumilla river on several spots, testing the strength and disposition of the Ecuadorian border troops. Finally, on July 23, 1941, the Peruvians launched a major invasion, crossing the Zarumilla river in force and advancing into the Ecuadorian province of El Oro. Over the course of the war Peru gained control over all the disputed territory and occupied the Ecuadorian province of El Oro and some parts of the province of Loja (some 65% of the former country), demanding that the Ecuadorian government give up their territorial claims. The Peruvian Navy blocked the port of Guayaquil, cutting supplies to the Ecuadorian troops. After a few weeks of war and under pressure by the U.S. and several Latin American nations, all fighting came to a stop. Ecuador and Peru came to an accord formalised in the Rio Protocol, signed on January 29, 1942, in favor of hemispheric unity against the Axis Powers in World War II. As a result of its victory, Peru was awarded the disputed territory. Two more wars, and a peace agreement reached in 1999, would follow to finally end the dispute. Both wars were undeclared. (See Paquisha Incident and Cenepa War.)
;Government instability
Recession and popular unrest led to a return to populist politics and domestic military interventions in the 1960s, while foreign companies developed oil resources in the Ecuadorian Amazon. In 1972, the construction of the Andean pipeline, which brought oil from the east to the coast was completed, making Ecuador South America's second largest oil exporter. That same year a "revolutionary and nationalist" military junta overthrew the government, remaining in power until 1979, when elections were held under a new Constitution. Jaime Roldós Aguilera was elected President, and he governed until May 24, 1981, when he died in a plane crash. By 1982, the government of Osvaldo Hurtado faced an economic crisis, characterized by high inflation, budget deficits, a falling currency, mounting debt service, and uncompetitive industries, leading to chronic government instability.

Many years of mismanagement, starting with the mishandling of the country's debt during the 1970s military regime, had left the country essentially ungovernable. By the mid 1990s, the government of Ecuador has been characterized by a weak executive branch that struggles to appease the ruling classes, represented in the legislative and judiciary. The three democratically elected presidents during the period 1996-2006 all failed to finish their terms.

;Today's government
The emergence of the indigenous population (app. 25% see demographics below) as an active constituency has added to the democratic volatility of the country in recent years. The population have been motivated by government failures to deliver on promises of land reform, lower unemployment and provision of social services, and by historical exploitation by the land-holding elite.

Their movement, along with the continuing destabilizing efforts by both the Elite and Leftist movements, have led to a deterioration of the executive office. The public and the other branches of government give the president very little political capital to work with, as happened when in April 2005 Ecuador's Congress ousted President Lucio Gutiérrez.

The Vice-President, Alfredo Palacio, took his place and remained in office until the presidential election of 2006, which did not produce a conclusive winner until a runoff election on 26 November elected Rafael Correa over Alvaro Noboa.

Geography

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Ecuador has three main geographic regions, plus an insular region in the Pacific Ocean:

La Costa, or the coast, comprises the low-lying littoral in the western part of the country, including the Pacific coastline.

La Sierra ("the highlands") is the high-altitude belt running north to south along the center of the country, its mountainous terrain dominated by the Andes mountain range.

El Oriente ("the east") comprises the Amazon rainforest areas in the eastern part of the country, accounting for just under half of the country's total surface area, though populated by under 5% of the population.

The Región Insular is the region comprising the Galápagos Islands, some 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) west of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean.

Ecuador's capital is Quito, and is located in the province of Pichincha in the Sierra region. Its largest city is Guayaquil, located in the province of Guayas in the Coast. Cotopaxi, which is located just south of Quito, in the neighbouring province of that same name, is one of the world's highest active volcanoes. Mount Chimborazo (6,310 meters) is considered to be the most distant point from the center of the Earth, given the ovoidal shape of the Earth, which is widest at the equator.

Biodiversity
Ecuador is one of seventeen megadiverse countries in the world according to Conservation International. With 1600 bird species (some 15% of the world's known bird species) in the continental area, and 38 more endemic to the Galápagos. There are also 25,000 species of plants recorded, it has 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians, and 6,000 species of butterflies. The Galápagos Islands are very well known as a region of distinct fauna, famous as the place of birth of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite being on the UNESCO list, the Galapagos have become endangered by many different situations which now threaten the existence of this exotic ecosystem.

Provinces and cantons

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Ecuador is divided into twenty-two provinces, each with its own administrative capital:

The provinces are divided into 199 cantons and subdivided into parishes (or parroquias).

Economy

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Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, flowers and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Industry is largely oriented to servicing the domestic market, and some exports to the Andean Common market. Deteriorating economic performance in 1997-98 culminated in a severe economic and financial crisis in 1999. The crisis was precipitated by a number of external shocks, including the El Niño weather phenomenon in 1997, a sharp drop in global oil prices in 1997-98, and international emerging market instability in 1997-98. These factors highlighted the Government of Ecuador's unsustainable economic policy mix of large fiscal deficits and expansionary money policy and resulted in an 7.3% contraction of GDP, annual year-on-year inflation of 52.2% and a 65% devaluation of the national currency in 1999, which helped precipitate a default on external loans later that year.

On January 9 2000, the administration of President Jamil Mahuad announced its intention to adopt the U.S. dollar as the official currency of Ecuador to address the ongoing economic crisis. The formal adoption of the dollar as currency on September 10, 2000, as opposed to pegging the local currency to it, as Argentina has done, theoretically meant that the benefits of seigniorage would accrue to the U.S. economy. Subsequent protest related to the economic and financial crises led to the removal of Mahuad from office and the elevation of Vice President Gustavo Noboa to the presidency.

However, the Noboa government confirmed its commitment to dollarize as the centerpiece of its economic recovery strategy. The government also entered into negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), culminating in the negotiation of a twelve-month stand-by arrangement with the Fund. Additional policy initiatives include efforts to reduce the government's fiscal deficit, implement structural reforms to strengthen the banking system and regain access to private capital markets.

Buoyed by high oil prices, the Ecuadorian economy experienced a modest recovery in 2000, with GDP rising 1.9%. However, 70% of the population was estimated to live below the poverty line that year, more than double the rate in 1995.

In April 2007, after winning a referendum on Constitutional reform, President Correa announced that he no longer intended that the country would make repayments to the IMF nor deal with the World Bank.

Demographics

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Ecuador's population is ethnically diverse. The largest ethnic group is comprised of Mestizos, the mixed descendants of Spanish colonists and indigenous Native Americans, who constitute 65% of the population. Amerindians are second in numbers and account for 25% of the current population. Whites, mainly criollos, the unmixed descendants of early Spanish colonists, as well as immigrants from other European and Latin American countries, and account for some 7%. The small Afro-Ecuadorian minority, including Mulattos and zambos, and largely based in Esmeraldas and Imbabura provinces, make up 3%.

There are sizeable expatriate Ecuadorian communities in Spain and Italy, as well across Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan. It is estimated that 700,000 people emigrated from Ecuador following the 1999 economic crisis, and in total the expatriate Ecuadorian population is approximately 2.5 million.

The tropical forest region to the east of the mountains remains sparsely populated and contains only about 3% of the population.

The public education system is free at the point of delivery, and attendance is mandatory from ages five to fourteen. Provision of public schools falls far below the levels needed, and class sizes are often very large, and families of very limited means will often pay for education. However, the Ministry of Education reports that only 76% of children finish six years of schooling. In rural areas, only 10% of the children go on to high school. Ministry statistics give the mean number of years completed as 6.7. Ecuador has sixty-one universities, many of which now offer graduate degrees, although only 87% of the faculty in public universities possess graduate degrees. 300 Higher Institutes offer two to three years of post-secondary vocational or technical training.

Religion

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Approximately 95% of Ecuadorians are Roman Catholic In the rural parts of Ecuador, indigenous beliefs and Christianity] are sometimes syncretized. There is also a growing number of [[Protestant denominations.

Most festivals and annual parades are based on religious celebrations.

There is a small Muslim minority numbering in the low thousands. The Jewish community numbers just over one thousand and is mostly of German and Italian origin. There are also Sephardic Jews (Judeo-Spanish Jews).

Culture

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Ecuador's mainstream culture is defined by Ecuador's mestizo majority and, like their ancestry, is a mixture of European and Amerindian influences infused with African elements inherited from slave ancestors. Ecuador's indigenous communities are integrated into that mainstream culture to varying degrees, but some may also practice their own autochthonous cultures, particularly the more remote indigenous communities of the Amazon basin.

The Panama hat is of Ecuadorian origin, and is known there as a Jipijapa, after the town which is claimed to be its origin. Its manufacture, and particularly that of the Montecristi superfino, is considered a great craft.

Sports

The most popular sport in Ecuador, as in most South American countries, is soccer. Its best known professional teams include Barcelona S.C. and C.S. Emelec, from Guayaquil, Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito, Deportivo Quito and El Nacional (the Ecuadorian Armed Forces team) from Quito, Olmedo from Riobamba, and Deportivo Cuenca, from Cuenca.

The matches of the Ecuadorian national football team are the most watched sports events in the country. In June 2007 FIFA adopted a resolution prohibiting international soccer games at 2,500 metres or more above sea level. Rafael Correa, and his presidential counterparts in Peru, Bolivia and Colombia, issued a joint letter of protest against this ruling.
Ecuador qualified for the final rounds of both the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. Ecuador finished ahead of Poland and Costa Rica to come second to Germany in Group A in the 2006 World Cup. Futsal is particularly popular for mass participation.

There is considerable interest in tennis in the middle and upper classes in the Ecuadorian society, and several Ecuadorian professional players have attained considerable international fame, including Francisco Segura, Andrés Gómez and Nicolas Lapentti. Basketball also has a high profile, while Ecuador's specialities include Ecuavolley, a 3-person variation of volleyball. Bullfighting is practiced at a professional level only in Quito, during the annual festivities which commemorate the Spanish foundation of the city, although bloodless variations of this sport, called rodeos montubios are practiced in many rural areas during local festivities.

Olympic sports are also popular especially since Ecuador obtained its first Olympic gold medal in Atlanta's 1996 Olympic Games, through Jefferson Pérez, on the 20 km race-walk. There is flourishing activity in non-traditional sports such as mountainbiking, motorbiking, surfing, and paintball.

Food

The food in Ecuador is very diverse, varying with altitude as do the agricultural conditions. Pork, chicken, meat or “cuy” (guinea pig) are popular in the mountain regions served with an immense variety of cereals, potatoes or rice. A street food in mountain regions of Ecuador is potatoes served with roasted pig (hornado). Fanesca is also a dish that has been made famous in Ecuador, it is a soup made during the time of Lent and is made with 12 types of bean (i.e. green beans, lima beans, lupini beans, fava beans, etc.) and milk and is usually served with codfish. The beef jerky was invented in Ecuador.

There is a great variety of fresh fruit available, particularly at lower altitudes. Seafood is popular at the coast, particularly prawns. Shrimp and lobster are key parts of the coastal diet as well. Plantain and peanut based dishes and foods are the basis of most coastal meals, which in general are served in two courses: a "caldo", or soup, which may be "aguado" (a thin soup, usually with meat), or "caldo de leche", a cream vegetable soup. The second course might typically include rice, some meat or fish in a "menestra" (stew), and salad or vegetables. Patacones are popular side dishes with most coastal meals.

Some of the typical dishes in the coastal region are: ceviche, pan de almidón, corviche, guatita, encebollado and empanadas; in the mountain region: hornado, fritada, humitas, tamales, llapingachos, lomo saltado, churrasco, etc.

In the rainforest, a dietary staple is the yuca, a root (elsewhere called cassava). The starchy root is peeled and boiled, fried, or used in a variety of other dishes. Many fruits are also available in this region.

Art
There are many contemporary Ecuadorian writers, including the novelist Jorge Enrique Adoum; the poet Jorge Carrera Andrade; the essayist Benjamín Carrión; the poet Fanny Carrión de Fierro; the novelist Enrique Gil Gilbert; the novelist Jorge Icaza (author of the novel Huasipungo, translated to many languages); the short story author Pablo Palacio; the novelist Alicia Yanez Cossio; and the prominent author and essayist, Juan Montalvo.

Ecuador has produced many world renowned master painters including: Oswaldo Guayasamín, Camilo Egas and Eduardo Kingman from the Indiginist Movement; and Manuel Rendon, Enrique Tábara, Aníbal Villacís and Estuardo Maldonado from the Informalist Movement.
Film

The 2006 film Qué Tan Lejos, written and directed by Tania Hermida takes place in the rural sierras and Pacific coast of southern Ecuador. A workers' strike delays a bus from Quito to Cuenca and the story unfolds as two young women decide to take their journey into their own hands, hitchhiking the rest of the way. Along the way they meet interesting characters who help them re-evaluate the purpose of their journey. Notable scenic shots throughout the movie and some great Ecuadorian humor that sometimes gets lost in translation.

The 2005 film Crónicas, written and directed by Ecuadorian Sebastián Cordero and starring John Leguizamo in his Spanish-language debut, is set and filmed entirely in Ecuador.

Although set in Colombia, the 2004 film Maria Full of Grace was partially shot in Ecuador.

The 2003 film The Dancer Upstairs, directed by John Malkovich and starring Javier Bardem, was filmed in Ecuador.

Beyond the Gates of Splendor (2002), directed by Jim Hanon, is a documentary about five missionaries killed by the Huaorani Indians in the 1950s. He recycles the story in the 2006 Hollywood production The End of the Spear. Most of this film was shot in Panama.

The film Proof of Life (2000), starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe, was filmed in Ecuador; the story takes place in a fictitious South American country named "Tecala". The guerrilla movement depicted in the film is reminiscent of Peru's Shining Path or Colombia's FARC.

Ratas, Ratones, Rateros (1999) written and directed by Sebastián Cordero, relates the story of an 18 year-old quiteño whose cousin, a thief from Ecuador's coastal city Guayaquil, embroils all those around him in his affairs. The film has been accused by several critics of painting an extremely distorted contrast between the coast (Guayaquil) and the highlands (Quito), which stems from the ever-present feelings of regionalism.

Entre Marx y una Mujer Desnuda (Between Marx and a Nude Woman, 1995), by Ecuadorian Camilo Luzuriaga, provides a window into the life of young Ecuadorian leftists living in a country plagued by the remnants of feudal systems and coup d'etats. It is based on a novel by Jorge Enrique Adoum.

The 1991 film Sensaciones was shot in Ecuador and directed by Ecuadorean siblings Juan Esteban Cordero and Viviana Cordero. Viviana Cordero was subsequently involved in the production of Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros (see above) and later produced Un Titán en el Ring (2002).

The 1980s film Vibes, starring Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Goldblum, was shot in Ecuador. The Andean cities served as a backdrop for the film.

In addition to film, there are numerous books and novels based on Ecuador, including the science fiction novel by Rod Glenn, The King of America, and the science fiction novel "Galápagos", by Kurt Vonnegut.

Transportation

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Ecuador has a network of national highways maintained by the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Comunicaciones (Ministry of Public Works and Communication) government agency . The Pan-American Highway connects the northern and southern portions of the country as well as connecting Ecuador with Colombia to the north and Peru to the south. The quality of roads, even on trunk routes, is highly variable. There is an extensive network of inter city buses on these highways.

External links

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Government

Presidential Government Site (Presidential Site)

Ecuador Facts Cia (Official Cia world book)

Free Trade With US Report

Unofficial Government Structure site

Other

Photos people of Ecuador