Country book · Latin America

Ecuador

The equator, the Andes and the Galápagos in one small country

Ecuador packs Amazon rainforest, snow-capped volcanoes and the unique wildlife of the Galápagos Islands into a country smaller than Nevada, using the US dollar as its currency since 2000.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

The Galápagos really did inspire Darwin
Charles Darwin's 1835 visit to the islands' unique finches and tortoises helped shape his theory of evolution.
It uses the US dollar
Ecuador adopted the dollar as its official currency in 2000 after a severe economic crisis.
Quito sits almost exactly on the equator
The city and nearby Mitad del Mundo monument sit within a few kilometers of true zero latitude.
It's one of the most biodiverse countries per square kilometer
Rainforest, páramo, coast and islands combine to give Ecuador extraordinary species density for its size.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's all Amazon jungle"
Ecuador is split into coast, Andean highlands, Amazon and the Galápagos — four very different climates and cultures.
"The Galápagos are Ecuador's only draw"
Quito's colonial center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Andean towns like Otavalo have major Indigenous markets.
"It's the same as Peru or Bolivia"
Ecuador has its own cuisine, currency and a much smaller Andean range distinct from its neighbors' altiplano.
"Visiting the Galápagos is cheap and casual"
Strict conservation permits and limited licensed operators make it one of the more tightly regulated destinations on Earth.

Highlights

The best of Ecuador

The Galápagos Islands

Giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies with almost no fear of humans.

Cotopaxi volcano

One of the world's highest active volcanoes, a near-perfect snow-capped cone visible from Quito on clear days.

Quito's colonial old town

One of the best-preserved and least altered historic centers in the Americas.

Otavalo market

One of South America's oldest and largest Indigenous markets, running since pre-Colonial times.

Culture

Cultural riches

Indigenous Andean traditions

Kichwa communities around Otavalo and Cotopaxi maintain traditional dress, weaving and language.

Panama hats, actually from Ecuador

The famous 'Panama hat' is woven from toquilla straw in Montecristi and Cuenca, misnamed after export routes.

Amazonian Indigenous nations

Groups like the Waorani and Achuar maintain rainforest traditions in Ecuador's Oriente region.

Colonial religious art

The Quito School blended Spanish and Indigenous craftsmanship into elaborate gilded church interiors.

Food

What to eat

Ceviche ecuatoriano

Shrimp cured in lime and tomato juice, served with popcorn or plantain chips rather than crackers.

Locro de papa

A creamy potato and cheese soup from the Andes, topped with avocado.

Cuy

Roasted guinea pig, a traditional Andean delicacy served whole at festivals in the highlands.

Encebollado

A tuna and cassava soup with pickled onion, considered a national hangover cure.

Empanadas de viento

Cheese-filled fried pastries dusted with sugar, a coastal street food classic.

History

Important people in history

Eloy Alfaro

1842 — 1912

Liberal revolutionary president who separated church and state and modernized the country's infrastructure.

Rafael Correa

b. 1963

President from 2007 to 2017, expanded social spending and renegotiated oil and debt terms.

Antonio José de Sucre

1795 — 1830

Revolutionary general who won the decisive Battle of Pichincha in 1822, securing Ecuadorian independence.

Cities