Theme Week Ecuador

Monday, 23 April 2018 - 12:00 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
Category/Kategorie: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks
Reading Time:  6 minutes

A vicuña, one of two wild South American camelids. In the background the point on the Earth's surface that is farthest from the Earth's center, Chimborazo volcano © David Torres Costales/cc-by-sa-3.0

A vicuña, one of two wild South American camelids. In the background the point on the Earth’s surface that is farthest from the Earth’s center, Chimborazo volcano © David Torres Costales/cc-by-sa-3.0

Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Ecuador also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) west of the mainland. The capital city is Quito, while the largest city is Guayaquil. What is now Ecuador was home to a variety of Amerindian groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century. The territory was colonized by Spain during the 16th century, achieving independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia, from which it emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830. The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador’s ethnically diverse population, with most of its 16.4 million people being mestizos, followed by large minorities of European, Amerindian, and African descendants. Spanish is the official language and is spoken by a majority of the population, though 13 Amerindian languages are also recognized, including Quichua and Shuar.

Ecuador is a middle-income country, with a developing economy that is highly dependent on commodities, namely petroleum and agricultural products. It is governed as a democratic presidential republic. One of 17 megadiverse countries in the world, Ecuador hosts many endemic plants and animals, such as those of the Galápagos Islands. In recognition of its unique ecological heritage, the new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights.

Shipwreck Bay on San Cristobal © MusikAnimal/cc-by-sa-4.0 A vicuña, one of two wild South American camelids. In the background the point on the Earth's surface that is farthest from the Earth's center, Chimborazo volcano © David Torres Costales/cc-by-sa-3.0 Portoviejo - Paragliding at Crucita Beach © Jaime del Castillo/cc-by-sa-3.0 Quito - Basilica del Voto Nacional © Suplecol/cc-by-sa-3.0 Quito - Calle de la Ronda, one of the most popular areas © Diego Delso/cc-by-sa-4.0 Quito - Church of San Francisco © Bernard Gagnon/cc-by-sa-3.0
<
>
A vicuña, one of two wild South American camelids. In the background the point on the Earth's surface that is farthest from the Earth's center, Chimborazo volcano © David Torres Costales/cc-by-sa-3.0
The country has four main geographic regions:

  • La Costa, or “the coast”: The coastal region consists of the provinces to the West of the Andean range – Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, El Oro, Santa Elena. It is the country’s most fertile and productive land, and is the seat of the large banana exportation plantations of the companies Dole and Chiquita. This region is also where most of Ecuador’s rice crop is grown. The truly coastal provinces have active fisheries. The largest coastal city is Guayaquil.
  • La Sierra, or “the highlands”: The sierra consists of the Andean and Interandean highland provinces – Azuay, Cañar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Imbabura, Loja, Pichincha, and Tungurahua. This land contains most of Ecuador’s volcanoes and all of its snow-capped peaks. Agriculture is focused on the traditional crops of potato, maize, and quinua and the population is predominantly Amerindian Kichua. The largest Sierran city is Quito.
  • La Amazonía, also known as El Oriente, or “the east”: The oriente consists of the Amazon jungle provinces – Morona Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Sucumbíos, and Zamora-Chinchipe. This region is primarily made up of the huge Amazon national parks and Amerindian untouchable zones, which are vast stretches of land set aside for the Amazon Amerindian tribes to continue living traditionally. It is also the area with the largest reserves of petroleum in Ecuador, and parts of the upper Amazon here have been extensively exploited by petroleum companies. The population is primarily mixed Amerindian Shuar, Huaorani and Kichua, although there are numerous tribes in the deep jungle which are little-contacted. The largest city in the Oriente is probably Lago Agrio in Sucumbíos, although Macas in Morona Santiago runs a close second.
  • La Región Insular is the region comprising the Galápagos Islands, some 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) west of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean.

Ecuadorians often describe the country as a series of “micro-environments” and economic-cultural regions that are reflected in the country’s cultural and geographic diversity of coastal fishing and trade (with Guayaquil as a port), highland (with Quito as a center), and the Amazon or jungle region, with several indigenous populations continually facing intrusions by “colonos” (colonists) seeking to use land for farming including palm oil, or for oil and resource exploitation. Various studies have noted the threats to the country’s cultures and the continuing growth in population that has contributed to poverty and are a reflection of unsustainable development. Migration of more than 111,000 Ecuadorians following crisis in 1999 also highlights the population growth and inability of the resource base to sustain it, as well as the lack of appropriate economic planning in the country to fit historical traditions or the resource base.

Here you can find the complete Overview of all Theme Weeks.

Read more on Ecuador.travel, LonelyPlanet.com – Ecuador, travel.state.gov: Travel information Ecuador, History, Culture, Cuisine, Tourism, Economy, Democracy, Human Rights, Wikitravel Ecuador, Wikivoyage Ecuador and Wikipedia Ecuador. Learn more about the use of photos. To inform you about latest news most of the city, town or tourism websites offer a newsletter service and/or operate Facebook pages/Twitter accounts. In addition more and more destinations, tourist organizations and cultural institutions offer Apps for your Smart Phone or Tablet, to provide you with a mobile tourist guide (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.




Recommended posts:

Share this post: (Please note data protection regulations before using buttons)

Petah Tikva in Israel

Petah Tikva in Israel

[caption id="attachment_233420" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Haim Ozer street © Юкатан/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Petah Tikva (lit.: 'Opening of Hope'), also known as Em HaMoshavot (lit.: 'Mother of the Moshavot, is a city in the Central District of Israel, 10.6 km (6.6 mi) east of Tel Aviv. It was founded in 1878, mainly by Haredi Jews of the Old Yishuv, and became a permanent settlement in 1883 with the financial help of Baron Edmond de Rothschild. In 2021, the city had a population of 252,270. Its popul...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Montenegro - Podgorica

Theme Week Montenegro - Podgorica

[caption id="attachment_150261" align="aligncenter" width="590"] City Hall © Mazbln/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Podgorica (lit. "under the small hill") is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. When founded (before the 11th century), the town was called Birziminium. In the Middle Ages, it was known as Ribnica. The name Podgorica was used from 1326. From 1946 to 1992, the city was named Titograd in honour of Josip Broz Tito, the former President of Yugoslavia. Podgorica is not only the administrative centre of Mo...

[ read more ]

Royal Palace of Caserta

Royal Palace of Caserta

[caption id="attachment_234948" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Editor04082022/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Royal Palace of Caserta (Italian: Reggia di Caserta) is a former royal residence in Caserta, southern Italy, constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence as kings of Naples. It is the largest palace erected in Europe during the 18th century. In 1997, the palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site; its nomination described it as "the swan song of the spectacular art of t...

[ read more ]

Myakka River State Park in Florida

Myakka River State Park in Florida

[caption id="attachment_233859" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Sunset © Mwanner/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Myakka River State Park is a Florida State Park, that is located nine miles (14 km) east of Interstate 75 in Sarasota County and a portion of southeastern Manatee County on the Atlantic coastal plain. This state park consists of 37,000 acres (150 km²), making it one of the state's largest parks. It is also one of the oldest parks in the state. It was delineated in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps...

[ read more ]

Beyoğlu in Istanbul

Beyoğlu in Istanbul

[caption id="attachment_192392" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Monument of the Republic, to commemorate the founding of modern Turkey in 1923 © Nevit Dilmen/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Beyoğlu is a district located on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city (historic peninsula of Constantinople) by the Golden Horn. It was known as Pera during the Middle Ages, and this name remained in common use until the mid-20th century and the ethnic cleansing of its large Greek population. The distr...

[ read more ]

Madonna Inn in California

Madonna Inn in California

[caption id="attachment_238639" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © flickr.com - Omar Omar/cc-by-2.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Madonna Inn is a motel in San Luis Obispo, California. Opened for business in 1958, it quickly became a landmark on the Central Coast of California. It is noted for its unique decor, pink dining room, and themed rooms. It was created by Alex Madonna, a successful construction magnate and entrepreneur, and his wife Phyllis. The inn includes a restaurant and bakery, and is located on the west side of U...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Tokyo - Sensō-ji temple

Theme Week Tokyo - Sensō-ji temple

[caption id="attachment_225147" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © jreysp/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Sensō-ji (Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a five-story pagoda, the Asakusa Shinto shrine, as well as many shops with traditional goods in the Nakamise-dōri. The Sensoji Kannon tem...

[ read more ]

Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coast

Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coast

[caption id="attachment_240566" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Lulworth Cove © Nilfanion/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Lulworth Cove is a cove near the village of West Lulworth, on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, southern England. The cove is one of the world's finest examples of such a landform, and is a World Heritage Site and tourist location with approximately 500,000 visitors every year, of whom about 30 per cent visit in July and August. It is close to the rock arch of Durdle Door and other Jurassic Coast sites. ...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Ukraine - Dnipropetrovsk on the Dnieper River

Theme Week Ukraine - Dnipropetrovsk on the Dnieper River

[caption id="attachment_160871" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Hoodrat/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Dnipropetrovsk is Ukraine's fourth largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central part of the country. Dnipropetrovsk is the administrative centre of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Within the Dnipropetrovsk Metropolitan area the population is about 1,360,000 people. A vital industrial centre of Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk was one...

[ read more ]

Fleet Street in London

Fleet Street in London

[caption id="attachment_228333" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © flickr.com - sludgegulper/cc-by-sa-2.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was named. The street has been an important through route since Roman times. During the Middle Ages, businesses were established and senior clergy lived there;...

[ read more ]

Return to TopReturn to Top
© flickr.com - Minke Wagenaar/cc-by-sa-2.0
Theme Week Amsterdam – The Rembrandt Square

Rembrandtplein (Rembrandt Square) is a major square in central Amsterdam, named after the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn who owned...

St. Agnes Lighthouse © Andrewrabbott
Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall. One of the islands, St Agnes, is...

© Gryffindor
Komische Oper Berlin

The Komische Oper Berlin is a opera company based in Berlin. The company produces opera, operetta and musicals. The opera...

Schließen