| Highlights |
Like all South American countries, Ecuador is a land of fascinating contrasts. Juxtaposed with wealth on a grand scale is the grinding poverty of the everyday lives of many Indians. Likewise the country ranges from the humid fascination of the Amazon jungle to the stark, harsh uplands of the Andes where the majority of the indigenous communities live, to the laid-back Caribbean coast, rich in exotic fruits and bananas. Quito, set in the heart of the Andes, is one of South America's most beautiful capitals. To the north and south of Quito are found many fascinating Andean towns and national parks, Otavalo, Sangay, Cotopaxi and Cuenca to name but a few. The Amazon basin is home to thousands of indigenous people and Ecuador leads South America in the fight to conserve and preserve their beautiful rainforest and its traditions. However, the great Galapagos Islands, located some 500 miles west of the Ecuador's Pacific coastline are certainly the highlight of visiting Ecuador. Famed by the scientific explorations of Charles Darwin in 'the Beagle', during the last century, the island's majestic array of wildlife continues to provide visitors with a breathtaking spectacle - giant tortoises, iguanas and lizards to name but a few.
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| Country Facts |
Ecuador is bounded to the north by Colombia, to the east and south by Peru and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. It covers three distinct geographical regions ranging from lush, tropical coastal lowlands, through the high Andean plateau, down to the jungle-covered Oriente in the Amazon basin. Politically it is one of the most stable countries in South America and like Peru and Bolivia, almost half of the country's population is pure Indian.
Ecuador enjoys a warm, sub-tropical climate. The weather varies within the country due to the Andes mountain range and coastal changes. Andean regions are cooler and it is often very cold at nights in the mountains.
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