What is Ecuador known for? 25 interesting facts about Ecuador

I have spent 3 months in Ecuador, but I’m eager to return soon. I wrote this post to recall and share the most interesting facts about Ecuador, highlighting what it is known for.

The following are things that I have learned through both traveling around the country and some research.

I hope you find this a fun and interesting read, and that it will inspire you to travel to Ecuador as well.

1. Ecuador is named after a geographical fact

The actual name is República de Ecuador, which literally means the Republic of the Equator. As a matter of fact, the Equator runs through the country, and there is a monument about 40 minutes by bus from Quito where the Equator line is marked. (which leads to the second point below).

2. The line that marks the middle of the world is wrong

One of the most popular things to do in Quito is visiting “La mitad del mundo“, a monument located at 40 minutes drive from the city, that celebrates the exact point where the famous Ecuadorian line is traced on the ground and where you can literally stand with one foot in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern.

However, modern measurements have established that the line is in the wrong location, 260 mt off north.

So if you have ever taken the iconic picture, it was not accurate and you had probably been standing in the Southern Hemisphere. I am afraid you need to go back 😉

3. The spectacle bear, living in the Ecuadorian Andes, is in danger of extinction

This beautiful species of the spectacled bear, endemic to the tropical Andes, is in danger of extinction for different reasons:

• Deforestation due to natural causes or human action
• Farmers are killing them to prevent them from attacking their livestock. To keep in mind, the spectacled bear is not a carnivore by nature, but because of deforestation, they cannot find enough vegetation for their daily intake and are forced to hunt for food elsewhere.
• The protected areas where bears can live undisturbed have been reduced and are not connected, leaving them without sufficient territory for reproduction.
• There is not enough attention and investigation on this species.

(source)

4. Quito is 2,850 m (9350ft) above sea level

It makes Quito the second-highest capital above sea level (the first being La Paz in Bolivia), but also the closest to the Equator.

That causes the climate of Quito to be quite bizarre. I remember asking people if we were in Winter or Summer, and I got so many different answers; it was hilarious.

The fact is, there is no such thing as winter and summer, but a dry and wet season. In any case, temperature-wise, you never know.

And in the course of the da,y find temperature spam that goes from 5 to 30 degrees C (41 to 100 F). So go prepare and dress in layers.

5. Ecuador is the world’s most biodiverse country  per sq/km

This is an amazing Ecuador fact. Despite its relatively small size, Ecuador’s territory is home to 10% of the world’s diversity. The widest distance in Ecuador is 600 km, but you can switch from tropical hot weather to winter temperatures in 2 hours.

Ecuador is made of 24 provinces and four main geographical region,s such as:

Galapagos Islands: Located around 900 km from the coast, the world-famous Galapagos Islands belong to Ecuador and are home to the most unique endemic and native species of flora and fauna, among which are the giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, and many more.

The Coast (La Costa): the spectacular coastline is the preferred destination for surfers and backpackers who mainly gather in the party town of Montañitas. However, all beach lovers find their corner of paradise along the spectacular, rugged Ecuadorian coast. I still have to explore it as my three-month trip to Ecuador did not include this area. An excuse to go back.

The Andes (Sierra): The Ecuador mountain range is home to 32 of the 47 volcanoes of Ecuador. The other 15 are in the Galapagos. Mountain lovers and hikers can have their best life in this area, where they can hire knowledgeable guides and embark on an expedition.

The most popular is the Cotopaxi, with easy hikes to the base camp. But there are many other options to explore this diverse territory; consider Mindo and its cloud forest, Otavalo, with the spectacular Cuicocha lake, and the capital Quito, surrounded by soaring mountains (including the Ruco Pichincha volcano), the Quilotoa crater, and so many more. So much to see in Ecuador for outdoorsy!

The Amazon Jungle (La Amazonia): Famous for its diverse wildlife, you can visit the two main parks, the Cuyabeno or Yasuni, for 3 days of full immersion in the jungle in the heart of the Amazon Jungle.

6. Ecuador is one of the 4 largest exporters of Bananas in the World

So maybe you have been eating Ecuadorian bananas all your life and didn’t know 😉

7. Ecuador is the first country to recognize the Rights of Nature in its Constitution.

“Ecuador rewrote its Constitution in 2007-2008 and it was ratified by referendum by the people of Ecuador in September 2008.

The new Ecuadorian Constitution includes a Chapter:  Rights for Nature. Rather than treating nature as property under the law, Rights for Nature articles acknowledge that nature in all its life forms has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles.  And we – the people –  have the legal authority to enforce these rights on behalf of ecosystems.  The ecosystem itself can be named as the defendant.”

8. Official language is Spanish, but…

There are 14 indigenous languages that are recognized and established as regional languages; the most common and used are Quechua in the Andes and Shuar in the Amazon.

9. Ecuador is one of the most popular expats´ destinations

In fact, it is the Latin American country with the lowest unemployment rate and decent salaries, with low living costs. In local non-touristic restaurants, you can find a fulfilling meal for 3 dollars. 

10. At the Galapagos, it is prohibited to touch the Animals

It’s absolutely prohibited to touch animals in the Galapagos, especially the baby sea lions. In fact, in their first 3 years of life, they are fed and protected by their mums.

If you touch them, they lose their natural smell, and the mothers no longer recognize them, stopping feeding. I know it’s terrible, but that’s one reason more not to touch them.

Regardless, you are not supposed to touch them, but they are allowed to touch you. And they might, especially the big sea lions, so playful!

11. The Galapagos Islands and Quito were among the 12 sites included in the first list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

According to a CNN article, “Only countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and the list can nominate sites, and that was just 40 countries when the first nominations came out.

Thirty-seven years later, 191 nations have signed the convention.” Galapagos Islands and Quito were on the first list with 12 sites altogether to be proclaimed World Heritage Sites, #3 and #4 respectively.

Source: CNN

12. The iconic and trendy Panama hat is actually from Ecuador.

Panama hats are popular handmade hats made from toquilla palm plants, scientifically called Carludovica palmata. The plant is grown on the Ecuadorian coast, mainly in the province of Manabí.

The name suggests that the hat comes from Panama because when the Ecuadorian producers began to ship the iconic hat to the US during the Gold Rush era, the cargo ships would go through Panama.

Another factor was that due to poor business, the Ecuadorian producers started to migrate to Panama between 1700 and 1800 and continued the production from there, where the business took off. So, the real origins of the Ecuadorian hat weren’t very well-known. The story of the origin of the Panama Hat is so interesting that I wrote an entire post about it and bought a book.

13. The Ecuador currency is US

I found it very strange at first when I arrived. Then I learned that when Ecuador faced a bad financial crisis in 2000, the Sucre collapsed so severely that people started putting their holdings into dollars, unofficially dollarizing the country’s economy.

The government made the switch official afterward. (Source) As usual, not everybody benefited from it, especially the rural communities. The financial and tourism industries obviously flourished.

If you are from the US, you don’t have to worry about money exchange now, except for the coins. Those are different.

INSIDER TIP – make sure to bring small notes, not bigger than 20 USD, otherwise it’s difficult to get change. In fact, you will be surprised to see that all the time you withdraw money from the ATM you only get pieces of 20. The commission can go from 2 US to 4 for withdrawal.

14. Ecuador is the closest country to the moon

It would be more accurate to say to space. The reason is simple.

The Earth is not perfectly round, but it’s slightly squeezed from the poles, which implies that there is a bulge that circles the Earth just below the equator. So anyone standing in that part of the world is already standing “higher,” or closer to outer space, than people who aren’t on the bulge.

That’s Ecuador, Kenya, Tanzania, and Indonesia. And that takes us to the next interesting fact.

(source: NPR)

15. Chimborazo Volcano is the highest mountain in the world

Wait a minute, wasn’t it Everest? Yes, but that depends on the perspective.

Let’s say if you climb to the top of Chimborazo, you would be closer to the moon than Everest. That’s because of the bulge we were talking about earlier, and the volcano Chimborazo happens to stand exactly on the bulge.

So Chimborazo is 1.5 miles closer to outer space than Everest.

But, if you define “highest” as highest from sea level, Mount Everest is still the winner.

(source: NPR)

16. The sun rises and sets approximately at the same time

Always because of Ecuador’s latitude, the sun rises and sets from 6 to 6.20 all year round, providing 12 hours of light every day of the year.

17. The first female president, Rosalia Arteaga, served for only 2 days

Writer and social activist, Rosalia Arteaga, from Cuenca, has always been committed to serving the Ecuadorian people. In 1996, she was the first woman in Ecuador to be elected vice-president of the Republic of Ecuador. When Bucaram, at the time president, was declared unfit to govern, Rosalia Arteaga was nominated as interim President. However, after only two days, the congress and the army opposition made her resign.

She continues to receive a lifetime pension from the Ecuadorian government of $ 48.690 annually. And she’s also a member of the Editorial Board of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

18. Ecuador was part of the Republic of Gran Colombia for only 11 years

After the liberation from Spanish domination, led by Simon Bolivar, Ecuador started an alliance with the neighboring countries of Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama from 1819 to 1830.

Under the leadership of Simon Bolivar, they formed the Republic of Gran Colombia a step towards Bolivar’s dream of the Latin America Republic organized just like the United States.

Unfortunately, it lasted only 118 years for internal disagreements, cultural diversity, and contrasts. Simon Bolivar realized his dream was too unrealistic and resigned.

Read more from the Britannica.

Amazoniaphoto is run by Humberto Castillo, a great photographer who also does amazing photography tours in the Ecuadorian Amazon and in the Andes. Definitely hook up with him if you love nature and photography. He also sells his amazing pictures. Check him out.

19. The evolution of the species theory developed by Charles Darwin in the 19th century was based on the discoveries made during his trip to the Galapagos Islands in 1835

Charles Darwin developed his well-known theory of evolution in the Galapagos Islands after observing the different habits of finches and their abilities to adapt to new environmental conditions.

20. The name “Galapagos” comes from the old Spanish term Galopegos “saddleback.”

The Galapagos Islands were discovered by accident by Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the bishop of Panama, in 1535.

In his correspondence with the Queen of Spain, he reports that during one of his trips on the way to Peru, when his ship became becalmed and was carried west by currents, his discovery was entirely accidental. 

They found themselves with no water and learned to follow the giant tortoise path to find it. That’s how they could survive.

Because of the shape of the tortoiseshell resembling a saddleback “Galopegos“, they called the island of the Galapagos.

21. Ecuador has 10% of all of the planet’s plant species

10.000 species are estimated to be found in the Andes Mountains, while 8200 in the Amazon Region. 2725 species of orchids have been identified.

In Galapagos, there are approximately 600 native species and 250 introduced species.

A total of 25000 species of trees in the whole country is attributed to Ecuador’s climatic diversity. (source)

22. Ecuador has 8% of all of the planet’s animal species and 15% of all the endemic bird species

Nearly 3800 species of vertebrates, 1550 species of mammals, 350 of reptiles, 375 of amphibians, 800 of freshwater fish, and 450 of saltwater fish have been identified. 

About 15% of all endemic bird species in the world live in the Andes, the Coast, and the Amazon region. Insect species exceed one million, and butterfly species exceed 4500, among others. (source)

23. The Sucre, the old Ecuadorian currency, was named after Antonio José de Sucre

The Sucre (Spanish pronunciation: [sukre]) was the official currency of Ecuador between 1884 and 2000. Its code was ECS.

The sucre was named after Latin American political leader Antonio José de Sucre, considered Ecuador’s National hero for his major contribution, with Bolivar, to the liberation from the Spanish domination.

24. Ecuador is the smallest of the Andean countries

The seven Andean States include Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.

25. Ecuador doesn’t share a border with Brazil

Ecuador and Chile are the only two South American countries not to share a border with Brazil.

26. A Carnivorous Mammal has been recently found in the cloud forest.

The Olinguito lives in Ecuador’s Cloud forest and is the first carnivorous mammal discovered in the Western Hemisphere in the past 35 years. The olinguito’s scientific name is Bassaricyon neblina.

The researchers chose “neblina” (Spanish for “mist” or “fog”) in reference to the animals’ habitat in the cloud forest of the Andes mountains.

27. Pacari has been nominated as one of the best chocolates in the world

In fact, in Ecuador, you can find the finest cacao beans in the world. Only approximately 5% of cacao in the world is labeled as “Fine Aroma,” and Ecuador produces nearly 63% of it.

In the past, Ecuador was only focusing on exporting cacao; lately, chocolate production has been growing in Ecuador as well, and Pacari is one of the finest producers.

In 2016, at the Chocolate World Competition, Pacari won several chocolate categories, including the best chocolate in the world. I have tried it on one of my walking tours in Quito, at a chocolate tasting, and then I had to buy some. Sooooo good!

Do you think I have missed another super important Ecuador fact? Please do tell! If you found this useful, instead, please share 🙂

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