With its relatively small territory (256.370 Km2 98.985 square miles), Ecuador has the biggest biodiversity per area in the world! In a study by Conservation International, Ecuador ranked among the 17 “mega diverse” countries, alongside the United States, China, Australia, Brazil and Mexico. With 9.2 species per km2, it occupies the first place in the world with regards to species per area.

The richness of this country lies in its DIVERSITY, both natural and cultural.
Ecuador has 4 diverse and unique regions: the Amazon Rain forest, the Coast, the highland Andes, and the Galapagos Archipelago. These four regions are subdivided into 22 provinces. Besides its exuberant biodiversity, Ecuador is home to an impressive variety of ethnic groups, including some untouched communities, who still preserve their non-western or pre-Columbian values and practice cultural manifestations from ancient times

LOCATION: Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in America. It lies on both the northern and the southern Hemispheres, and is divided by the Equator, which gave Ecuador its name in the 19th Century. Ecuador borders Colombia (North), Peru (South and East), and the Pacific Ocean (West).

AREA: about 270.670 km2 or 168.186 square miles.

DISTANCE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH: 1.081 km or 672 miles.

POPULATION: approximately 13 million .



LANGUAGE: Spanish. Most of the indigenous population speaks Quichua. In many schools English is the second language taught as the second language. There are 18 different languages among Ecuadorian communities.

COAST REGION: Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Rios, Guayas, Santa Elena, El Oro.

HIGHLAND REGION: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolivar, Chimborazo, Cañar, Azuay and Loja.

JUNGLE REGION: Sucumbíos, Napo, Pastaza, Morona, Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe.

NOTE: The Santa Elena province - previously part of Guayas- and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas province - previously part of Pichincha- have been recently approved as such. They do not appear in our maps of this edition as the official borders have not yet been published.

INSULAR REGION: The Galapagos Islands.

RELIGION: 95% Catholics

CURRENCY: Dollars. The government has produced a series of local coins of 1,5,10,25 and 50 cents that have the same value as the American coins (which are also accepted). Banks open from 9h00 to 17h00 and on Saturdays only half day. Money exchange offered every day in main hotels.

GOVERNMENT: Democratic. Current President is Rafael Correa (2009 - 2013).

CLIMATE: Ecuador is located in the Tropical Zone. The climate throughout the country ranges from tropical equatorial rain in the Amazon to perpetual snow on the top of the mountains. Cities in the highlands have temperatures that vary from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while coastal cities’ temperatures vary from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. The wather in the jungle is constant: rainy, humid and warm. The Galapagos Islands are always sunny and warm, however, temperature drops a bit during the months of June to November.



WHAT TO WEAR: