Ecuador - Tourism and Travel

The Republic of Ecuador is located in northwestern South America, on the Pacific Coast.

Ecuador has an area of 13,625,000 miles.

There is a broad, fertile plain along the coast.

Ecuador has high mountain ranges that are part of the Andes.

Cotopaxi, in Ecuador, is the highest active volcano on Earth. It is 19,347 feet (5,897 meters) above sea level.

In 1877, Cotopaxi erupted. The eruption caused a mudflow that destroyed everything in its path for 150 miles (240 kilometers).

A large part of eastern Ecuador is in the Amazon rainforest.

The Galapagos Islands, an archipelago of volcanic islands off the Ecuadorian mainland, are part of Ecuador. The Galapagos Islands consist mostly of lava. There is very little vegetation near the coasts. In the interior of the islands, there are wetter slopes covered with forest.

The existence of unique animal species on the different islands of the Galapagos provided Darwin with inspiration for his theory of natural selection.

Ecuador has a tropical climate. It is cooler at higher altitudes.

The capital of Ecuador is Quito. It is located in the Andes, and is the second highest capital in the world, after La Paz, Bolivia. Quito is 9,350 feet (2,850 meters) high.

13,625,000 people live in Ecuador. Most of them live on the coast or in mountain valleys.

55% of the people are mixed race, 25% are Native American, 10% are white and 10% are black.

Spanish is the official language. Native American languages are also spoken.

93% of the people are Roman Catholic.

Most of the workforce is involved in agriculture. Many crops can be cultivated on the rich soil along the coast.

Ecuador has large gold reserves.

Important exports are oil, coffee, cocoa, bananas and shrimp.

Ecuador is one of the main producers of oil in South America.

The official currency of Ecuador is the United States dollar.

Ecuador has a presidential system of government.