Having a territory of 276,841 sq km, Ecuador is about the size of Colorado, USA, or about half the size of France. Compared with other countries in Latin America, that's relatively small and consequently, most distances could be traveled by bus within a day's ride. Buses are inexpensive and the more up-scale services are quite doable. Daily flights can be made from Quito to all major cities. Many cities are traveled by plane within 30-45 minute flights.
Ecuador has three very distinct zones: the coast, the Andes Mountain Chain and the Amazon Jungle inside the east. As the world isn't precisely round and wider across the equator, the center of our planet is a little farther away from the equator than from the poles. Therefore, the Chimborazo, with 6,267 m above sea level, lies at a greater distance from the middle of the earth than Mount Everest, which makes it the highest mountain on earth. Volcanic activity considerable along the Andes and also on the Galapagos Islands.
You can find 7 climate zones in Ecuador, with precipitation varying from extremely wet on the Andes slopes to semi arid in the southern coast and temperatures varying from tropical in the lowlands to permanently cold up high in the mountains. The Central valley with the Andes is particularly more comfortable with a permanently spring-like climate.
Indian cultures thrived in Ecuador 100's of years before their lands were conquered by the Incas in the late 14 hundreds. Still several languages are spoken, apart from the official Spanish and also the widely spoken Inca language. Ingapirca is the principle archaeological monument Inca period, as all other pre-colonial buildings are already destroyed by the colonizers. Many indigenous people died during the first period of Spanish rule from diseases brought over from Europe. During the first centuries of colonial rule many indigenous people were forced into the "encomienda", the forced labor system for the colonial rulers.
In 1563, UNESCO World Heritage Site Quito had become the seat or "audiencia" (administrative district) of the new colony and in 1717 of the Vice-royalty of New Granada when it was created, which included the territories of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. New Granada became independent in 1822 adopting Gran Colombia as its new name.
Ecuador split off from the Federation in 1830. Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador fought and lost several wars with its neighboring countries and with that a great deal of territory, while several border issues remained in dispute. The latter were permanently settled in 1999 after a brief war with Peru in 1995. Aforementioned had triggered negotiations under the auspices of Brazil, Argentina, Chile along with the USA. Ecuador currently has had about four decades of democracy.
Ecuador carries a population of about 15 million inhabitants that was concentrated in the central Andes until a couple of decades ago. Currently, the population is distrubuted about equally between the Andes and the coast. Much of the population has moved to the cities which now occupy about 60% of the inhabitants, with Guayaquil - 2,600,000 - and Quito - 1.8 million - being the major cities. But in the Amazon region, the "Oriente" (East) the population remains very low at (3%).
The nation's economy is heavily dependent on oil , while complimented by manufacturing for the internal market, commerce and agriculture. Besides oil, bananas, shrimp, flowers, and some other minor agriculturalcommodities for the export. In 2010, oil oil sales made u 56% of the export earnings. Being the world's largest exporter of the world of bananas and plantains its annual sales exceed $2 billion a year while Ecuador also is a major player on the markets of shrimp ($800 million) and cacao ($400 million) markets. Non-traditional export goods are flowers ($600 million), canned fish ($600 million), and cars ($375 million).
Ecuador is rapidly developing into a world-class tourist country with famous destinations being Galapagos National Park, the old centers of Quito and Cuenca, and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Cajas and Cotopaxi National Parks as well as the Otavalo Indian market. As Cuyabeno can now be reached in a mere couple of hours from capital Quito, it has been quickly building a reputation as the best Amazon destination in South America.
Ecuador has three very distinct zones: the coast, the Andes Mountain Chain and the Amazon Jungle inside the east. As the world isn't precisely round and wider across the equator, the center of our planet is a little farther away from the equator than from the poles. Therefore, the Chimborazo, with 6,267 m above sea level, lies at a greater distance from the middle of the earth than Mount Everest, which makes it the highest mountain on earth. Volcanic activity considerable along the Andes and also on the Galapagos Islands.
You can find 7 climate zones in Ecuador, with precipitation varying from extremely wet on the Andes slopes to semi arid in the southern coast and temperatures varying from tropical in the lowlands to permanently cold up high in the mountains. The Central valley with the Andes is particularly more comfortable with a permanently spring-like climate.
Indian cultures thrived in Ecuador 100's of years before their lands were conquered by the Incas in the late 14 hundreds. Still several languages are spoken, apart from the official Spanish and also the widely spoken Inca language. Ingapirca is the principle archaeological monument Inca period, as all other pre-colonial buildings are already destroyed by the colonizers. Many indigenous people died during the first period of Spanish rule from diseases brought over from Europe. During the first centuries of colonial rule many indigenous people were forced into the "encomienda", the forced labor system for the colonial rulers.
In 1563, UNESCO World Heritage Site Quito had become the seat or "audiencia" (administrative district) of the new colony and in 1717 of the Vice-royalty of New Granada when it was created, which included the territories of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. New Granada became independent in 1822 adopting Gran Colombia as its new name.
Ecuador split off from the Federation in 1830. Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador fought and lost several wars with its neighboring countries and with that a great deal of territory, while several border issues remained in dispute. The latter were permanently settled in 1999 after a brief war with Peru in 1995. Aforementioned had triggered negotiations under the auspices of Brazil, Argentina, Chile along with the USA. Ecuador currently has had about four decades of democracy.
Ecuador carries a population of about 15 million inhabitants that was concentrated in the central Andes until a couple of decades ago. Currently, the population is distrubuted about equally between the Andes and the coast. Much of the population has moved to the cities which now occupy about 60% of the inhabitants, with Guayaquil - 2,600,000 - and Quito - 1.8 million - being the major cities. But in the Amazon region, the "Oriente" (East) the population remains very low at (3%).
The nation's economy is heavily dependent on oil , while complimented by manufacturing for the internal market, commerce and agriculture. Besides oil, bananas, shrimp, flowers, and some other minor agriculturalcommodities for the export. In 2010, oil oil sales made u 56% of the export earnings. Being the world's largest exporter of the world of bananas and plantains its annual sales exceed $2 billion a year while Ecuador also is a major player on the markets of shrimp ($800 million) and cacao ($400 million) markets. Non-traditional export goods are flowers ($600 million), canned fish ($600 million), and cars ($375 million).
Ecuador is rapidly developing into a world-class tourist country with famous destinations being Galapagos National Park, the old centers of Quito and Cuenca, and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Cajas and Cotopaxi National Parks as well as the Otavalo Indian market. As Cuyabeno can now be reached in a mere couple of hours from capital Quito, it has been quickly building a reputation as the best Amazon destination in South America.
About the Author:
Find out why The Andes such a wonderful region to to explore. For 4 decades Wesley Vanderhill has lived in South America and suggests you where to go and what to do in Ecuador.
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