South America: Plan your Journey

Ecuador

The Republic of Ecuador is a country in northwestern South America, bounded 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 Galapagos Islands (Archipelago de Colon) in the Pacific, about 965 km (about 600 mi) west of the mainland. Named after the Spanish word for equator, Ecuador straddles the equator and has an area of 272,045 km² (105,037 mi²). Quito is the country's capital. more...

National name: Republica del Ecuador
Full country name: Ecuador
Area: 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq miles)
Population: 12,810,000
Capital City: Quito
Language: Spanish (official), Quechua, other Amerindian languages
Government: Republic
President Alfredo Palacio (2005)
Ethnicity/race: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish 7%, black 3%
Religion: Roman Catholic 95%
Largest Cities: Guayaquil, 2,597,600 (metro. area), 2,013,500 (city proper); Cuenca, 285,700

History of Ecuador

Advanced indigenous cultures flourished in Ecuador long before the area was conquered by the Inca empire in the 15th century. In 1531, the Spanish conquistadors, under the lead of Francisco Pizarro, arrived and defeated the Inca Emperor Atahualpa and his army during the Battle of Cajamarca in 1532. In subsequent years the Spanish colonists became the new elite. more...

Overview of Ecuador's Economy

Monetary unit:U.S. dollar
Literacy rate:
93% (2003 est.)
GDP/PPP (2004 est.):
$49.51 billion
Per capita:
$3,700
Real growth rate:
5.8%
Inflation:2%
Unemployment:
11.1%
Underemployment:
47%
Arable land:6%
Agriculture:
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Labor force:
4.53 million (urban); agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001)
Industries:petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals.
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower.
Exports:
$7.56 billion (2004 est.): petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
Imports:
$7.65 billion (2004 est.): vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity.
Major trading partners: .
U.S., Colombia, Germany, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Japan (2003)

Also Read: A Brief insight in The Economy of Ecuador | Demographics of Ecuador | Music of Ecuador | Activities in Ecuador

Political System of Ecuador

- Politics in Ecuador

Climate, Vegetation and Faunau

- Climate: Warm and subtropical. Weather varies within the country due to the Andes ...more
- Food and Drink
: Best of the jungle fruits include chirimoya, with a delicious custard-like inside; mamey...more
- Culture: Ecuador's mainstream culture is defined by Ecuador's mestizo majority and, like their ancestry...more
- Religion: Around 94% of Ecuadorians are Roman Catholic. Much of the population is practicing and attend...more

Facts for Travellers

Visa:United States entry requirements are the same in all states, with most foreign travelers requiring a visa. The US State Department issues all US visas. more...
Time Zone:
GMT - 5 (Galapagos Islands GMT - 6).
Electricity:110/120 volts AC, 60Hz.
Location: South America
Country dialing code: 593
Highest Point: Chimborazo (6,267 meters) (20,561 ft)
Official Currency: U.S. Dollar
Latitude/Longitude: 2º S, 77º 30 W

Geography of Ecuador

Ecuador is a country in Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator (for which the country is named), between Colombia and Peru. Ecuador is one of the smaller countries in South America. Located on the west coast and straddling the equator, Ecuador has a total area of about 280,000 square kilometers, which includes the Galapagos Islands. Roughly the size of the state of Colorado, Ecuador encompasses a wide range of natural formations and climates, from the desertlike southern coast to the snowcapped peaks of the Andes Mountains to the plains of the Amazon River Basin. more...

Shopping in Ecuador

Bargaining is acceptable in small shops and in markets, but prices are usually fixed in 'tourist stores'. A few stores around the major hotels have fixed prices. In the Province of Azuay, the cities of Cuenca and Gualaceo offer a wide variety of handicrafts at ferias or special market days. more...

Also Read: Foreign relations of Ecuador | Tourist Attractions of Ecuador

Climate of Venezuela Weather The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the [...]
Activities in Venezuela Hiking and trekking Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible. Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central [...]
Tourist Attractions in Venezuela Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to [...]
Nightlife in Venezuela There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas. There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.
Food and Dining in Venezuela Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); [...]
Shopping in Venezuela There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other [...]
Caracas: Venezuela Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to [...]
Military of Venezuela As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through [...]
Foreign relations of Venezuela Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for democracy. Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s [...]
Music of Venezuela Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music. Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like [...]

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