Ecuador has almost everything that the experience-thirsty traveler dreams of. Here you will find lush jungle, high mountain peaks, colorful Native American cultures and the completely unique Galapagos Islands. For millennia, animals and birds have swum or flown to these isolated volcanic islands far out in the Pacific Ocean. Here, over time, they have adapted to the living conditions of the islands and developed into special species that are not found anywhere else in the world.
Population: 15.8 mill.
Capital: Quito
Language: Spanish and Quechua
Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country in the world?
The Cotopaxi volcano in the Andes is over 5000 meters high? It is one of the world’s highest active volcanoes.
Ecuadors geography
Ecuador got its name from its position at the equator. The country borders Colombia to the north and Peru to the south, and the coast faces the Pacific Ocean. Geographically, Ecuador can be divided into three main regions: La Costa (coast), La Sierra (plateau) and El Oriente (jungle). The large coastal plain towards the Pacific Ocean consists of fertile arable land with crops of rice, corn and wheat as well as banana plantations. On the plateau between the mountains, potatoes are grown at an altitude of up to 3,600 meters. In the underground under the rainforest to the east, there are oil reserves which, together with bananas, make up the largest part of Ecuador’s export revenues.
Ecuador’s history
Of Ecuador’s 13 million inhabitants, about 40 percent are Indians, some of whom are descended directly from the Inca Indians. 40 percent are mestizos (of mixed Native American and European descent), 15 percent are Europeans and the rest are of African descent or are mulattos. Ecuador has been inhabited by various Native American civilizations for many thousands of years. Despite strong opposition from the Ecuadorian Indian tribes, the Inca Indians succeeded in incorporating the country into their powerful empire around the year 1450. Soon another conquering power came, namely Spain in the form of the conquistador Pizarro. In 1532, he succeeded in effectively crushing the Inca Empire by executing leader Atahualpa. The remaining Inca Indians destroyed their capital Quito and many other cities so that the Spaniards could not take over anything but a mass of ruins. Therefore, there is now only one caste left in Ecuador,
After the Spanish conquest, Ecuador became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru and later part of the Great Viceroyalty of New Granada. The Spaniards were expelled in 1822, after which Ecuador came under Simon Bolivar’s great Colombian state. In 1830 the country was liberated and became a dictatorship under General Flores, who was soon succeeded by dictator Moreno. Until 1978, Ecuador was a country of great unrest and one military coup after another. When the government finally became civil and democratic, nothing was to the delight of the Indians. The Native American population was still oppressed, and especially when the oil in the jungle regions was found and to be extracted, life became difficult for the Jungle Indians. Since the late 1990s, Ecuador has been plagued by unrest, economic crisis,
Attractions in Ecuador
A trip to Ecuador can include volcanic visits to the Andes, Indian markets in Otavalo, jungle exploration tours in the El Oriente region, a cruise between the incredible Galapagos Islands – or all at once. The capital Quito was quickly rebuilt by the Spaniards after the Inca Indians leveled it. The city is located high on the Andes plateau, has preserved its Spanish colonial character and is a pleasant starting point for a trip in Ecuador. In the highlands is also the city of Otavalo with the famous Native American market. Everything between heaven and earth is sold here, and the atmosphere is hectic and colorful among the many Indians who come from villages throughout the highlands. The cities of the Highlands are located in the middle of high, beautiful mountains with both active and extinct volcanoes.
An exciting counterpoint to the snow-covered, cold mountain peaks of the Andes is the warm, humid jungle east of the mountains. Starting from a classic jungle lodge surrounded by orchids, coffee bushes and pineapple plants, it is possible to explore one of the world’s most exciting natural phenomena, the tropical rainforest. Here you can also get acquainted with its population – the Indians. In the jungle, it is difficult to get around by vehicle, and the exploration must instead take place on foot or by canoe with a motor along the many rivers that cut through the area. But the list of Ecuador’s exciting nature experiences does not end here. It would be almost shameful to be on holiday in Ecuador without visiting the legendary Galapagos Islands.
Climate Ecuador
Get an overview of Ecuador’s climate and weather – from the capital Quito to the legendary Galapagos Islands.
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | KUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | THE | |||
| Quito | ||||||||||||||
| Daytime temperature | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | ||
| Night temperature | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | ||
| Precipitation (mm) | 74 | 114 | 127 | 149 | 98 | 37 | 26 | 32 | 79 | 115 | 79 | 83 | ||
| Galapagos | ||||||||||||||
| Average daytime temperature | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | ||
|
23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
According to bridgat, the location at the equator normally means very small climate variations, but Ecuador’s many different types of landscapes provide many different types of weather. On the south coast the climate is cold, and here only a little rain falls. On the north coast it is warmer, about 30 ° all year round, and here the constant rain gives as much as 2,000 mm of precipitation per year. In the mountain regions, the temperature is 13 ° on average, while in the valley between the Andes’ two ridges, it is more spring-like and 24 ° throughout the year. In the large jungle area to the east, it is always warm and rainy.
