Overview - Ecuador

The country of Ecuador lies on the Pacific coast of South America, bordered by Columbia to the north and Peru to the east and south. There 14.3 million Ecuadorians scattered across a territory whose total surface area is 283 000 km2. Ecuador takes its name from the fact that it straddles the line that separates the planet’s two hemispheres. The official language is Spanish, but many native communities living in the Andes and in the eastern shuar still speak Quechua, a language that dates back to the Inca Empire.

Ecuador is split into four main geographical areas: the Costa, the Sierra, the Amazon, and the Galapagos archipelago. Each region has its own distinct and unique climate and landscapes, which makes this a country of natural contrasts. Traveling through the wonderful natural world of Ecuador, we can float along the currents of wide rivers and narrow streams, take a rest on the shores of crystal-clear lakes, explore mysterious caves and gaze at bizarre and unique plant and animal species that evolved far from Man on deserted islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.