Geography

Ecuador has an area of 103,930 square miles (269,178 square kilometers), including the Galapagos Islands. It is bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west.

The Andes Mountains divide the country into three main regions. Along the coast the land is flat, and the terrain varies sharply. One can pass from the tropical rain forest in the north to absolute desert conditions in the south. Guayaquil and Esmeraldas are the two main cities of this region.

Two ranges of the Andes Mountains that run side by side mark the second region. Many of the peaks are volcanoes. Among the highest peaks are Chimborazo, at 20,702 feet (6,310 meters) and Cotopaxi, at 19,347 feet (5,897 meters). Cotopaxi is the world's highest active volcano. Between the two ranges are fertile valleys and plateaus.

To the east of the Andes is the third region. This consists of lowland areas of tropical rain forests in the basin of the Amazon River. The majority of Ecuador's rivers flow through this region. The most important of them is the Napo River. The Napo flows toward Peru, where it joins the Amazon River. Because Ecuador lies on the equator, most of the country, except in the mountains, experiences humid tropical climates. The mountain valleys have a springlike climate all year round.

Plants and animals

In addition to the rain forest of the eastern part of the country, the northern and southeastern corners of the coastal area were once covered with tropical rain forest. Many of the trees in the coastal areas have been cut down over the years, however. In the central part of the coast are scattered palms that produce the ivory-colored tagua nuts used to make buttons. The mountains have some evergreen forests as well as grasses at higher elevations.

In the rain forest live a wide variety of monkeys, as well as such mammals as jaguars, ocelots, foxes, weasels, otters, skunks, raccoons, coatis (relatives to the raccoon), and kinkajous (tree-dwelling animals). Numerous species of rodents and bats inhabit the area.

The Galapagos Islands are known for their unusual animal life. The islands feature most groups of reptiles, including giant tortoises and swimming marine iguanas.

People and culture

The ethnic groups of Ecuador include Indians, blacks, mestizos (people of combined European and Indian heritage), whites, and immigrants from a variety of foreign countries, including Lebanon, China, Korea, Japan, Italy, and Germany. Most of Ecuador's people are Roman Catholic. Spanish, which is the official language, is widely spoken. Such languages as Quechua and Shuar are also used by the Indian populations.

Almost two thirds of Ecuadorans live in cities in the coastal region or the mountains. Very few people live in the eastern part of the country. The largest cities by far are Guayaquil and the capital, Quito.

Economy

History

The area presently known as Ecuador had a long history before the arrival of Europeans. Pottery figures have been discovered that date from 3000 to 2500 BC. In the 15th century AD the country was conquered by the Incas of Peru. They had ruled for less than a century when Spain invaded Ecuador in 1534. Spanish rule lasted until the early 19th century.

In 1822 Ecuador gained independence from Spain and joined Colombia and Venezuela to form the Republic of Colombia. The president of this state was Simon Bolívar. Ecuador left the republic in 1830 and became an independent country. Since independence, Ecuador has had many changes of government. Because of the constant change it has been difficult to achieve progress in the country. One long-standing dispute was solved in 1998, however, when the president signed a peace treaty with Peru. The two countries had been fighting for many years over part of their shared border. Population (2001 estimate), 12,879,000.