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 Situated
in South America, Ecuador shares its borders with
Colombia and Peru, while on the west coast it looks over
the Pacific Ocean. Quito is its capital and the official
language is Quichua as well as other indigenous
languages.
Ecuador is a country that is divided into three
geological regions, the Oriente, Sierra and Costa as
well as the Galapagos Islands of the coast of the
country. The Andes run through the center of the country
with mountain peaks reaching over 6,000 m above sea
level, dotted with volcanoes, half of which are still
active; this area is the Sierra.
The Oriente region offers thick jungle areas, flowing
with rivers that carry water from the Andes to the
Amazon River, while the Costa boasts tropical lush
forests and pristine beaches. Along the coast there are
also banana, coffee, sugar and cacao plantations,
providing the main produce for the country.
The Galapagos Islands are the true wildlife treasure of
Ecuador, situated off the coast in the Pacific Ocean,
these are islands where unique and rare species find
their haven and are one of the world’s most beautiful
sites for wildlife observation.
The climate varies a lot depending on the location and
altitude, the dry season running from June to September.
Near the coast the weather is humid and hot, while in
the mountains it can get very cold. Most of the larger
cities are in the subtropical area, although Quito can
get quite cold at night.
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