Ecuador

Advanced indigenous cultures flourished in Ecuador long before the area was conquered by the Inca empire in the 15th century. In 1534, the Spanish arrived and defeated the Inca armies.
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

border countries: Colombia, Peru

related countries: Spain, Venezuela

Official Name:
República del Ecuador
short form: Ecuador
int'l long form: Republic of Ecuador

ISO Country Code: ec

Time:
Local Time = UTC -5h

Country Calling Code: +593

Capital City: Quito (pop. 1.4 million)

Other Cities:
Cuenca, Guayaquil (largest city in Ecuador)

Government:
Republic.
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain).
Constitution: 10 August 1998.

Geography:
Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru.
Area: 256,370 sq. km;
Terrain: Jungle east of the Andes, a rich agricultural coastal plain west of the Andes, high-elevation valleys through the mountainous center of the country and an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Climate: Varied, mild year-round in the mountain valleys; tropical, hot and humid in coastal and Amazonian jungle lowlands.

People:
Nationality: Ecuadorian(s).
Population: 13.5 million.
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 65%, Indigenous 25%, Caucasian and others 7%, African 3%.
Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic (95%), but religious freedom recognized.
Languages: Spanish (official), indigenous languages, especially Quichua, the Ecuadorian dialect of Quechua.
Literacy: 90%

Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower.

Agriculture products: Bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp.

Industries: Petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals.

Currency: US Dollar (USD)

Ecuador in numbers
More statistical data for Ecuador.