Ecuador

ecuadorEcuador is a Spanish-speaking country located in South America, considered as one of the smallest countries of the region. It has about 2,237 km (1,390 miles) long coastline of the Pacific Ocean on its western border. Ecuador’s population is 15.5 million, and the name of its capital is Quito, located in the Andes mountain range on the equator at an altitude of 9,350 feet (2,800 meters). The country is known for its impressive biodiversity. Ecuador is one of the first countries to include the Right of Nature (Derecho de la Naturaleza) in its constitution. It also has oil reserves, which accounts for about 40 per cent of the national exports. In 2000, Ecuador adopted US dollar as its national currency. Not long ago, a significant portion of Ecuador’s population suffered from extreme poverty apparently leading to huge migration, but the situation has improved since then.

Acknowledgements

  • Authored by M. Kalim Qamar (November 2013)
  • Edited by Burton E. Swanson