Ecuador is a marvelous and surprising country located in the middle of the world. With its relatively small territory, 256,370 km2, Ecuador has the biggest biodiversity per area in the world! With 9.2 species per km2, it occupies the first place in the world regards to species per area. It has some of the world's oldest rainforest, the world's highest active volcano, and the amazing Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador has 4 diverse and rich regions, each with a different climate and environment: Three continental areas; the Coast, the Highland Andes, and the Amazon rainforest, plus the enchanted islands: the Galapagos Archipielago, located 622 miles off the Pacific Ocean. These four regions are subdivided into 22 provinces. The richness of this country lies in its diversity, both natural and cultural. Besides its exuberant biodiversity, Ecuador embraces an impressive variety of ethnic groups, including some untouched communities which still preserve traditional values and customs from ancient times. It bears the legacy of Spanish colonialism and is the home of the Panama hat. Ecuador is a unique place to explore. In just a few hours one can make the transition from cold glaciers to warm seas, and from Andean forest to rainforest.

Generally speaking, Ecuador has two seasons, winter (wet) and summer (dry). But in a country as geographically diverse as Ecuador, local weather patterns vary greatly. In fact, it is not uncommon to experience all four seasons (USA) in a single day.

Official name: Republic of Ecuador.

Location: Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America. It lies on both the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres, and is divided by the equator which gave Ecuador its name in the 19th century. Ecuador borders Colombia (north), Peru (South and East), and the Pacific Ocean (West).

Official language: Spanish. Quechua, Shuara and other indigenous dialects are spoken.

Population: 13 million approximately.

Capital city: Quito (pop. 1.5 million approx.)

People: 40% mestizo, 40% Indian, 15% Spanish descent, 5% African descent.

Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small minority of other Christian denominations.

Government: Democratic. Current President, Gustavo Noboa.

Currency: US Dollar.

Squint your eyes at a map of the region and Ecuador looks something like a grinning skull, gazing across the Pacific at its lone 'overseas' holding, the blissfully distant Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador is among the most rewarding travel destinations in South America. With its array of vibrant indigenous cultures, well preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and dense rainforest. Touch down in its picture-perfect capital, Quito, and you are no more than a day's drive from a slog through all-swallowing Amazonian jungle, a snow swept ascent of an active volcano, a sociable haggle with indigenous "artesanos" or a welcome wallow on a tropical beach.

Is located between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains, consisting of coastal lowlands and mountains. Jungle, mangrove forests, quaint fishing villages, and stunning beaches run the length of the more than 2,000 kilometers expanse of Ecuadorian coast. The coastal plains are important in agricultural production with banana being the king and making Ecuador one the biggest producer and exporter of these fruits. The coast is the commercial hub of Ecuador, with Guayaquil at its center. Generally, the region is warm and humid with temperatures averaging 25°C (77°F) to 32°C (90°F). The rainy season, from December to May, is warmer and down right muggy. The dry season is less humid but by no means dry.

Guayaquil is Ecuador's main Pacific port founded by Sebastián de Benalcázar in 1535. It is located on the northern side of the "Golfo de Guayaquil" just two degrees south of the Equator. The largest Ecuador's city is modern and has a manufacturing center. It's full of joy and activities offers the best to its visitors.

Although not the capital, Guayaquil has always been the main city and commercial/financial center of Ecuador. Also as a port, it handles most of Ecuador's imports and exports.

"Malecón 2000" is the reconstruction project of the "Simón Bolívar" Pier, one of the most representative sites of Guayaquil city. The new pier which construction has already begun, will be one of the most important civic-tourist-commercial center of South America.

The two and half kilometers of "Malecón 2000", extend from Cuenca street through "Las Peñas" Neighborhood, and are divided in three well defined zones: South, Center and North Sectors, which are also divided into sub sectors.

Portoviejo, my hometown, is the provincial capital and center of political and cultural manifestations of Manabí Province. It is also known as the City of the Real Tamarinds, because there was a time when the tamarind tree plantations grew so tall and lush that they became the pride of the city.

Portoviejo is a welcoming and gentle city and one of the most ancient of Ecuador and America with a significantly noticeable churches buildings. The Valley of Portoviejo River with its mountains and hills give the city its charm. The recently renewed Cathedral and the San Pedro Major Seminar, are considered the most modern architectural works in Manabí.

Portoviejo has many places to go: beaches, monuments, tourist centers and shows that generate potentials for tourism. The craft is also a popular manifestation of this land. In Picoazá parish, for example, hats and wooden furniture are still elaborated; in Riochico, people continue making hammocks and other handcrafts including embroidered cloths and preparation of cookies in their homes. Near Portoviejo is the beach of "Los Frailes" as well as The "Machalilla" National Park. "Los Frailes" is plenty of wildlife and arguably is the best beach on South America's Pacific Coast.  The "Machalilla" National Park is the unique protected area in the country where you can find three ecological zones: Continental zone, Islands and Marine zone. Encompassing 55,095 hectares, its ecosystem is dry tropical forest –unique in the world. Here, bizarre trees without leaves grow alongside rare cacti. The park extends offshore to encompass islands, including enchanting "Isla de la Plata", as well as the adjacent ocean waters and coastline. "La Plata" island is called a miniature Galapagos because of the similar composition and behavior of the Galapagos Islands' bird fauna, as well as its landscapes.

Also known as the "Sierra", the Highlands lies between the western and eastern ranges of the Andes Mountains  –the Western Chain and the Eastern Chain. The climate is subtropical in the valleys and frigid in the permanently snow-covered mountains, which reach as high as 20,000 feet above sea level.

The Valley has been populated and its land has been cultivated for many centuries. Nestled in the valley is Quito, the capital of Ecuador. The "Sierra" also contains spans grassy highlands ("paramo"), cloudforests, mountain lakes, active volcanoes, thermal baths, Indian markets, colonial towns and haciendas. Mount Chimborazo is the highest peak in Ecuador. The world’s highest active volcano is Cotopaxi, which reaches 5,897 meters or 19,348 feet.

In the highlands, the dry season is between June and September and around Christmas, but even the mountains' wet season isn't particularly wet and the dry season sees its share of downpours. The central valley is generally spring (USA) like year round, with mild temperatures around 19°C (66°F).

Not surprisingly, this region possesses Ecuador's most developed tourist industry, providing a wide range of accommodations, culinary options, shopping opportunities, and cultural festivals, all easily accessible from Quito.

San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador's capital was founded in 1534 by Sebastián de Benalcázar. The city was built on the ruins of the old Quito, one of the capitals of the Inca Empire, which sits at 2,850 meters above sea level. It is situated in the Inter Andean valley. Quito is a mandatory stop for those who want to discover Andean beauty and visit one of the largest colonial sectors of Latin America. Quito was declared Cultural Patrimony of Mankind by the UNESCO in 1978.

The capital of Ecuador is arguably the most beautiful city in South America. Located just 22 km (14 miles) south of the equator, it boasts a wonderful spring (USA) like climate in a spectacular setting. Landscapes in Quito are dominated by mountains, with several snowcapped volcanoes standing sentinel in the distance; the city itself sits at the foot of a 4,700 m (15,400 ft) volcano, the "El Guagua Pichincha". Architecturally, Quito has plenty of colonial treasures, and modern building has been strictly controlled in the old town since 1978, when it was declared a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. The old center is full of whitewashed houses, red tiled roofs and colonial churches, with no flashing neon to disrupt the ambiance of the past. The northern part of the city is the new town, containing modern offices, embassies, shopping centers and airline offices.

Quito counts with natural leadership as it was the first Latin American city to claim independence on August 10, 1809.

The Amazon basin, east of the Andes, is an almost impenetrable tangle of rainforest known to Ecuadorians as the "Oriente" (the East). It is the world's largest remaining tropical rainforest. More life hums, buzzes, chatters and bubbles here than anywhere else on the planet. One Amazonian tree can host more ant species than all of the British Isles put together, one hectare of forest boasts about as many frog species as all of North America, and the great expanse of the jungle contains more than twenty percent of the earth's vascular plant species. Here one can find a monkey small enough to sit on your fingertip, an eight pound toad, a spider that eats birds, and the world's largest snake, the 30-foot anaconda.

Although the Amazon river itself does not flow through Ecuador, all rivers east of the Andes eventually empty into the mighty river. The rivers formed in the mountains by the melting snow of the volcanoes empty into the Amazon. The "Napo" River is the longest river in Ecuador and flows for 530 miles.

The "Cuyabeno" Wildlife Refuge, has been declared one of Earth’s ten biological hotspots of biodiversity. Hotspots are the world's richest and most threatened ecosystems, and Ecuador claims two! 

This rainforest is home to thousands of indigenous inhabitants. The indigenous tribes that live in Ecuador's rainforest are the ancient keepers and guardians of the world's biological heritage having lived there for more than 10,000 years, they know its trees, its animals, and its rhythms better than anyone.

The weather in the Amazon rainforest is rainy and hot and more rainy and more hot! The average daytime temperature is 30-32ºC (85-90ºF), while nights can cool down to 20ºC (68ºF). The least rainy period tends to be January to May. June, July, and August are the wettest (still considered a prime time to visit the Amazon because of increased animal activity), and September through December are completely unpredictable! In fact, one can expect rain all year round!

The Galapagos are a group of isolated and protected volcanic islands located 1,000 kilometers (622 miles) off the coast of Ecuador. The islands were officially discovered in 1535 by the Spanish missionary Fray Tomas de Berlanga. There are 13 major islands, 6 smaller islands and over 40 islets. The flora, fauna and wildlife evolved in isolation, which makes the Galapagos a fascinating place to visit.

On land and in the sea, the Galapagos Islands give the impression of a diabolic Garden of Eden. The islands' tumultuous volcanic history of scorched earth and fiery flows are evident the moment you arrive. Inhospitable. Uninhabitable. Tortured. These are the adjectives inspired by the lava seascape.

The creatures of the Galapagos are survivors of a tortured landscape. And because of their long history of isolation from Homo Sapiens, both land and sea animals remain virtually fearless and unaffected by visitors. As a visitor to the Galapagos, you will swim goggles to whiskers with sea lion pups, penguins, and sea rays, in addition to turtles and tropical reef fish. On land you will find yourself sidestepping over hundreds of Darwin's dragon spawn, as well as nesting blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and scuttling Sally Lightfoot crabs. Although the islands are located on the equator, penguins and albatrosses are present, yet coral reefs, commonly found in tropical seas, are almost non-existent. Galapagos wildlife is unafraid of man, yet far from tame.
 

The Galapagos Islands are influenced by ocean currents and are hot and rainy between January and April and cool and dry the rest of the year.

In 1934 the Ecuadorian government, in collaboration with the Charles Darwin Research Station, had the foresight to set aside a number of wildlife sanctuaries on the islands before finally declaring the Galapagos a national park in 1959. About 90% of the island territory is now protected and, thankfully, carefully managed. As a result, the park service only allows visits to about 50 sites, in addition to the islands' few towns.