Ecuador

Equator monument, Ecuador

Ecuador is located at the western side of South America. It lies to the north of its much larger neighbour, Peru.

The country is named after the equator. This makes it the only country in the world named after a geographical feature.

Ecuador was the first country to give nature the same legal rights as people.

Ecuador only shares a border with two countries: Colombia and Peru.

Ecuador has a population of just over 18 million people, making it slightly smaller than Chile.

The country was once joined to Colombia and Venezuela. Together, they were known as Gran Colombia, and it lasted from 1822 to 1830 when it broke apart into the three countries we know today.

Equator monument, Ecuador

Ecuador and Peru were at war for many years over where the border should be. The two countries finally reached an agreement in 1999.

As in Peru, Christianity is the main religion in Ecuador.

Spanish is the main language in Ecuador, similar to Peru and most of South America.

As in many parts of South America, soccer is the most popular sport in Ecuador. Cycling is becoming very popular as well. In fact, the Ecuadorian cyclist Richard Carapaz won the prestigious Giro D’Italia for the first time in 1999.

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Ecuador is the closest country to space. The Earth is not a perfect sphere but actually bulges at the equator, pushing Ecuador closer to space than any other country!

“GIRO0536 carapaz” by filip bossuyt is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Ecuador

Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands lie off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. These nineteen islands are famous for having many types of animals found nowhere else on Earth. These include giant tortoises, iguanas that can swim, a finch that sucks blood and another that can use tools. The islands were created as a result of volcanic activity. Even today, two islands are still being added to by volcanic eruptions. An incredible 97% of the islands have been set aside as national park.

The famous scientist Charles Darwin came up with his theory of evolution by natural selection when he visited the Galapagos Islands in 1835!

Cotopaxi Volcano, Andes

Andes

The Andes mountain range runs down the centre of Ecuador. Similar to Peru, these mountains rise up in jagged snow-capped peaks. This is one of the only places on Earth where you will see snow at the equator. The major rivers of Ecuador start in these high mountains. Here you will also find several active volcanoes.

Amazon rainforest

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon rainforest covers the eastern part of Ecuador. �This dense rainforest is home to a huge number of plants and animals.

“Ecuadorian Amazon rain forest, looking toward the Andes” by Dallas Krentzel is licensed under CC BY 2.0

“Calves on pasture at El Chaupi organic dairy farm, Ecuador” by Julia Rubinic is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Farmland, Ecuador

Coastal Plain

The west of Ecuador is dominated by a wide open coastal plain. 98% of the forest has been cut down here and replaced by farmland for cattle, bananas and coffee. This plain stretches all the way from the coastline to the Andes in the middle of the country.

For its size, no country can compare Ecuador’s incredible biodiversity. This small country has 10% of the world’s plant species and a whopping 18% of the bird species found on Earth.

Marine Iguana

The marine iguana is found in the �Galapagos Islands. It is the only lizard �in the world that spends time in the sea. �In fact, they are excellent swimmers and �can dive up to 20m deep. Once underwater,�they cling to the seafloor with their claws �and feed on algae. They can also hold their �breath for up to 30 minutes submerged. �Marine iguanas ‘sneeze’ out the excess �salt their bodies absorb from a special �gland in their nose. They are threatened �by introduced species, like dogs and cats �that eat their eggs and young iguanas.

“Fat Marine Iguana opens wide” by Eric Chan is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Marine iguanas can shrink their bodies by up to 20% during times of drought.

Basilisk

The basilisk is a small lizard with a fearsome reputation. According to ancient legends, the basilisk was the king of the serpents and could kill with just a glance. In truth, they are peaceful creatures but with one incredible ability. The basilisk can run on water! The lizard’s feet have special flaps of skin that unfold when it is on water, allowing it to literally run on the water’s surface. In addition to this, they can also take an unbelievable 20 steps per second and hold their breath for 30 minutes. All these skills combined allow them to escape predators, like boa constrictors, with ease.

Basilisk

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Galapagos giant tortoise

Galapagos Giant Tortoise

The Galapagos giant tortoise is the longest living vertebrate (animals with a backbone) in the world. One individual lived for 152 years! They keep growing until they are 50 years old as well. When fully grown, they can weigh more than 200kg. The reason they grow so huge is that there are no predators on the islands. They can store food and water very efficiently, which means they can go a year without eating or drinking. The Galapagos tortoises are herbivores and eat mostly cacti, grass, vines and fruit.

The Galapagos giant tortoise can float! �Scientists believe the first tortoises arrived by floating all the way from mainland South America.

Spider Monkey

The spider monkey lives in the dense Amazon rainforest of Ecuador. These sociable monkey live in groups called troops. The spider monkey gets its name from its long tail it uses to climb and hang from the trees. They spend almost their entire lives high up in the treetops eating fruit, seeds, nuts, insects and sometimes birds’ eggs. Their main predators are pumas, jaguars and large snakes, like boa constrictors. When one troop of spider monkeys meet another, they will hug each other in greeting. Spider monkeys are threatened by habitat loss, deforestation, hunting for meat and being captured and sold as pets.

Spider monkey and baby

Spider monkeys can make a wide range of sounds including screams, barks and sobs!

Quito

Quito

Quito is Ecuador’s capital and largest city. Located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, Quito has a population of approximately two million people. Situated 2850m above sea level, it is the second highest city in the world. Quito was built on the foundations of an ancient Incan city. The city centre is one of the best preserved historic centres in the whole world.

“quito 143” by bob is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Cuenca

Cuenca

Cuenca is a small city located in the Andes Mountains of southern Ecuador. It is considered to be the most European of all Ecuador’s cities and its historic centre is famous for its classic Spanish architecture.

The full name of Cuenca is actually Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca!