Ecuador is a beautiful country with incredible diversity. The country The smallest country in the rugged Andean highlands, Ecuador is among the most rewarding travel destinations in South America. With its array of vibrant indigenous cultures, well preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and dense rainforest, it packs its perimeters with more points of interest than many countries twice its size. In addition to the breath-taking Andean mountain range, it has spectacular volcanic and jungle landscapes, vibrant Indian markets and a rich colonial history. And all that in a nation no bigger than the US state of Nevada. Also part of the Ecuadorian territory are the Galápagos Islands. These islands are considered to be one of the world's greatest natural-history treasures with a abundant and unique diversity of animal and plant life.

Facts at a Glance:

Full country name: Republic of Ecuador (Rebublica del Ecuador)
Area: 283,560 sq km (175,780 sq mi: about the size of Nevada)
Population: 13,363,593 with 1.24% growth rate (July 2005 est.)
Capital city: Quito (pop. 1.5 million); other main city and the other main port: Guayaquil (2.0 million).
People: 65% Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and Spanish), 25% Indigenous, 7% Spanish & others, 3% African descent
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Quichua, other indigenous languages
Religion: over 95% Roman Catholic, small minority of other Christian denominations
Government: Republic; Administrative divisions: 22 provinces
President: Alfredo Palacio (since April 2005)
Independence: May 24, 1822 (from Spain).

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Location, Land, and Environment:

Ecuador is draped across the equator in the northwestern corner of South America. It shares a border with Peru to the south and east, and is bounded by Colombia to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The country can be divided into four regions: the western coastal lowlands, the central Andean highlands, the eastern jungles of the Amazon basin, and the Galápagos Islands.

The western lowlands - once thick with forests - are today blanketed by banana, palm and cacao farms and have little to interest most travelers. The central highlands are composed of two volcanic ranges separated by a central valley, where much of the population lives. The highlands also contain the nation's highest mountain, Chimborazo, whose 6310m (20,700ft) peak stands out - thanks to Earth's equatorial bulge - as the farthest point from the center of the planet. The Amazon basin lowlands east of the Andes are an almost impenetrable tangle of rainforest known to Ecuadorians as the Oriente (the East). Although the Amazon itself does not flow through Ecuador, all rivers east of the Andes eventually empty into it.

The world famous Galápagos Islands were Ecuador's first national park and are celebrated for their unique and fearless wildlife. Thanks to its agreeable climate and patchwork of habitats (alpine grasslands, coastal swamps, tropical rainforest), Ecuador is one of the most species-rich nations on earth. Dubbed by ecologists a 'megadiversity hotspot,' it boasts 300 species of mammal alone, including monkeys, sloths, llamas and alpacas. Birdwatchers come from all over to gawk at the famous Andean condor, but there are plenty of other bird species, and about half of the 58 species found on the Galápagos Islands are endemic. Ecuador's freshwater fish are equally exotic, though most visitors prefer to experience from a distance the amazing qualities of electric eels, stingrays, piranhas and the tiny candiru catfish - a little charmer who swims up the human urethra and lodges itself in place with the help of its sharp spines.

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Elevation Extremes:
Lowest point: sea level, along the coast
Highest point: Chimborazo, 6,267 m (20,561 ft)

Weather/Climate:
The only thing predictable about Ecuador's weather is its unpredictability, and it's not uncommon to run the gamut of 'seasons' in the course of a single day. The country has two seasons, wet and dry, but local weather patterns vary greatly depending on geography. If you hit the beaches between May and December, it rarely rains and the temperature is a few degrees cooler. In the highlands, the dry season is between June and September and around Christmas, but even the mountains' wet season isn't particularly wet. The central valley is generally springlike all year, with temperatures no higher than 24°C (66°F). The Oriente experiences rain year round; July and August are the wettest months, September through December the driest. It's usually as hot here as it is on the coast.

History:

The history of pre-Inca Ecuador is lost in a misty tangle of time and legend, and the earliest historical details date back only as far as the 11th century AD. It is generally believed that Asian nomads reached the South American continent by about 12,000 BC, and were later joined by Polynesian colonists. Centuries of tribal expansion, warfare and alliances resulted in the relatively stable Duchicela lineage, which ruled more or less peacefully for about 150 years. The Incas arrived around 1450 following this era. Despite fierce opposition, the conquering Incas soon held the region through strong leadership and intermarriage. This period ended, however, due to a war over the inheritance of the new Inca kingdom weakened and divided the region on the eve of the arrival of the Spanish invaders.

The first Spaniards landed in northern Ecuador in 1526. Pizarro reached the country in 1532, and spread terror among the Indians with his conquistadors' horses, armor and weapons. The Inca leader, Atahualpa, was ambushed, held for ransom, tried and executed, and the Inca empire was effectively demolished. Quito remained Incan for the two years following but was eventually destroyed by Atahualpa's general, who wanted to see the city demolished instead of lost to the invading Spaniards. Quito was re-founded in December 1534. Today, there is only one intact Inca site in Ecuador - Ingapirca, to the north of Cuenca. There were no major uprisings by the Ecuadorian Indians, even though their life was abysmal under Spanish rule. The colony was ruled from Lima in Peru until 1739, when it was transferred to the viceroyalty of Colombia. It was largely rural and conservative, with large estates of introduced cattle and bananas farmed by forced labor.

As a Creole middle class began to emerge, there were several attempts to liberate Ecuador from Spanish rule. Independence was finally achieved by Simón Bolívar in 1822. Full constitutional sovereignty was gained in 1830. The country's internal history has since been marked by fierce rivalry and occasional open warfare between the conservative city of Quito and the liberal and socialist Guayaquil. Over the last 100 years, assassinations and political instability invoked military intervention, and the 20th century has seen more periods of military rule than periods of civilian rule. In 1941, neighboring Peru invaded Ecuador and seized much of the country's Amazonian area. The 'new' border between the two countries - initially agreed upon and ratified by the 1942 Rio de Janeiro treaty - was finally recognized by both counties in a 1998 treaty. The squabbling ultimately died down because both countries were eager to impress potential foreign investors, who tend to be scared off by territorial skirmishes.

Despite its history of internal rivalry, border conflicts and six presidents in less than six years, life in Ecuador remained relatively peaceful up until the end of the millennium. In an attempt to stop the decline of Ecuador's currency (the sucre, which lost 75% of its value in less than a year) soon-to-be deposed president Jamil Mahuad made an unpopular announcement on January 10th that he would 'dollarize' the economy, replacing sucres with US dollars at a rate of 25,000 sucres per dollar. Thousands of non-violent protestors subsequently occupied government buildings in Quito and forced Mahuad's resignation.
Mahuad's vice-president, Guastavo Noboa, took office on January 22, 2000. Noboa was presented as one of the few honest politicians in a country where political corruption is the norm, although his political experience was minimal. His first comments were that he would eliminate political corruption and that he agreed with dollarization. Noboa has continued apace with implementation of dubious International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic 'structural adjustment' policies, in the face of increasing indigenous and working class opposition.

For travelers, this political upheaval presents pluses and minuses. The advantages are that prices remain low for risk-taking travelers with US dollars; the disadvantages are that protests often blockade roads and disrupt overland transport. Upscale travel to the Galapagos Islands hasn't been affected much, but a massive Janurary 2001 diesel tanker spill that released a 200,000 gallon oil slick just off the coast of San Cristobal Island has persuaded many packaged tourists to cancel their trips for the time being.

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Social Statistics:
Infant mortality rate: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.21 years
HIV/AIDS- adult prevelance rate: 0.3% (2001 est)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 21,000 (2003 est)
Literacy: 92.5% (age 15+ that can read and write) (2003 est.)
Education: years compulsory - ages 6-14, but enforcement varies.
Attendance (through 6th grade)--76% urban, 33% rural
Population below poverty line: 45% (2001 est)
Unemployment rate: 11.1% (note- widespread underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Culture:
Ecuador's pre-Columbian peoples excelled in pottery, painting, weaving,sculpture, and gold and silver work. The Spaniards trained indigenous artists to produce colonial religious art, which can be seen in many churches and museums. Ecuador's colonial religious architecture is predominantly baroque, although domestic architecture tends to be simple and elegant, comprising whitewashed houses with verandahs, built around a central courtyard. Traditional Andean music has a distinctive haunting sound and is based on an unusual pentatonic scale. Wind and percussion instruments, including the bamboo panpipe and bamboo flutes, are used. Local crafts include fine examples of basketry, leatherwork, woodcarving, weaving, ceramics and jewelry.

Religion:
The predominant religion is Roman Catholic, but there is a scattering of Methodist, Baptist and other faiths. The Indigenous people, while outwardly Catholic, tend to blend Catholicism with their traditional beliefs.

Language:
Spanish is the main language. Most Indigenous people from the highlands are bilingual, with Quechua being their preferred language and Spanish the second tongue. Several small lowland groups speak their own languages. English is understood in the best hotels, and in airline offices and travel agencies, but is of little use elsewhere.

Food:
Ecuadorian food consists of soup and stews, corn pancakes, rice, eggs and vegetables. Seafood is particularly good, even in the highlands. Local specialties/curiosities include “caldo de pates” (soup made from cattle hooves), “cuy” (whole roasted guinea pigs) and “lechón” (suckling pig).

Suffrage:
Obligatory for literate citizens 18-65 yrs. of age; optional for other eligible voters; active duty military personnel may not vote.

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Economy:

Overview- Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. In recent years, growth has been uneven due to ill-conceived fiscal stabilization measures. The aftermath of El Niño and the depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which eventually forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government.

Economic Statistics:

GDP: US $49.51 billion
GDP – per head: US $3700
Annual growth: 5.8%
Inflation: 2%
Major products/industries: Oil, bananas, shrimp and fish, coffee, textiles, metal work, paper and wood products
Major trading partners: US, Latin America, EU, Asia, Caribbean
Labor distribution: agriculture - 8%; industry - 24%; government and services -68% (2001 est.).
Exports: $7.56 billion (2004 est)
Export - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, bananas, shrimp, flowers.
Imports: $7.65 billion (2004 est.)
Imports – commodities: Machinery and equipment, raw materials, fuels, consumer goods.

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Facts for the Traveler:

Currency: Prices in Ecuador are among the lowest in Latin America. From year to year, prices for travel basics like transportation, meals and lodging may vary up or down by as much as 50%, but they remain cheap by Western standards. On 14 March 2000, President Gustavo Noboa ratified a law making the US dollar legal tender in Ecuador. The dollar is replacing the sucre at a rate of US$1 = 25,000 sucres. The government claims 'dollarization' will reduce Ecuador's chronic inflation (approaching 100%), and decrease the national debt. While traveling, small bills are highly recommended as many merchants will not have change for $20’s and $50’s.
Exchange rate: US$1 = 25,000 sucres (note- sucres are rarely if ever used)
Credit cards: Some stores in cities like Quito will take Visa or American Express, however, American dollars are easy to exchange and widely accepted. Traveler’s checks are accepted at the major banks.
Time: EST
Electricity: 110V, 60 Hz
Weights & measures: metric
Tourism: Estimated 300,000 visitors annually

Major Cities and Attractions:

Guayquil

Guayquil is named after a brave Inca chief, Guaya, and his wife, Quill, has the largest population, and is the country’s biggest port. It has a reputation for being hot, humid and crowded, however, it is the center of import and export and is an authentic representation of Ecuadorian commerce and activity. The city is rich in museums, parks, and interesting people. The fish markets are a main attraction any day of the week. The center of the city has many colonial buildings while “barrios” or neighborhoods stretch endlessly in all directions from the city, illustrating the realities of Ecuador’s poverty.

Quito

The capital of Ecuador is arguably the most beautiful city in South America. It's located 2850 meters above sea level and only 22 km (14mi) south of the equator, giving it a wonderful spring-like climate. Set in a valley flanked by mountains, several snowcapped volcanoes are visible from the city on a clear day. the city itself sits at the foot of 4700m (15,400ft) volcano. Quito has plenty of colonial architecture, and modern building has been strictly controlled in the old town since 1978, when it was declared a UNESCO cultural-heritage site. The old center is full of whitewashed houses, red-tiled roofs and colonial churches, without flashing neon to disrupt the ambiance of the past. The northern part of the city is the new town, containing modern offices, embassies, shopping centers and airline offices.

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Otavalo

The small town of Otavalo is famous for its Saturday Indian market, which dates back to pre-Inca times. The market is a colorful and festive affair, and the Otavelonos are very distinctive in their traditional dress. Otaveleños use traditional backstrap looms to create their clothes and tapestries. Their work is so much in demand these days that the Indians have opened shops across Ecuador and now sell directly to galleries and stores in the US and Europe. Poncho Plaza is the main center for crafts, such as blankets, sweaters, bags, scarves, ponchos and tapestries. Bargaining is an entertaining essential in the plaza, but is ineffective in the stores. Otavalo is located two to three hours north of Quito by bus.

Avenue of Volcanoes

The long valley south of Quito, leading to Cuenca, is flanked by two parallel mountain ranges containing some of the country's wildest scenery and nine of its 10 highest peaks. Half of Ecuador's population lives in this valley, tilling its rich volcanic soil. The area is peppered with isolated Indian villages, where lifestyles seem to have changed little over the centuries, and each community displays distinct styles of traditional dress.

Further Reading:

The Conquest of the Incas by John Hemming is the best regional history book and contains several chapters on Ecuador.

Ecuador: Fragile Democracy by David Corkill and David Cubitt looks at historical patterns and modern trends in Ecuadorian politics.
Galápagos: A Natural History Guide by Michael H Jackson is the best general guide to the history, geology and plant and animal life of the islands.
The exceptional Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator is Edward Whymper's story of the 1880 mountaineering expedition that made eight first ascents of Ecuador's highest peaks.
The Panama Hat Trail by Tom Miller is a fun, insightful and informative account of Ecuadorian life disguising itself as a novel about a man in search of Panama hats.

Information adapted from the Lonely Planet website, the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, Human Development Report 1999 & the World Factbook.
(updated 08/05)

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