Spanish | English | Date: 07-30-2010

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About Ecuador

Basic Information:

Official Name: Republic of Ecuador
Area: 256.370 KM2
Capital: Quito
Form of Government: Democratic
President: Econ. Rafael Correa Delgado
Principal Cities: Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca
Language: Spanish
Independence Day: August 10th
Currency: US Dollars
Religion: Catholic is the dominant religion, Freedom of religion

Geography

Straddling the equator in western South America, Ecuador has territories in both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres. It borders Colombia to the north and shares a border Peru to the south and to the east. The Pacific Ocean is Ecuador's western border. Ecuador, 256,370 square kilometers in size, is geographically divided into four regions (the Amazon, the Highlands, the Coast, and the Galapagos Islands) and is politically split into 22 provinces, which, in turn, are split into 205 cantons. The coastal provinces (from north to south) are Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Guayas, and El Oro. Highlands provinces are Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Chimborazo, in the north, and Bolívar, Cañar, Azuay and Loja, in the south. The Amazon is comprised of the provinces (from north to south) of Sucumbíos, Napo, Pastaza, Orellana, Morona-Santiago and Zamora-Chinchipe. Ecuador's 22nd province the Galapagos Islands.

Natural Regions

Ecuador has 4 natural regions that we described below:

• The Coast
• The Highlands
• The Amazon
• The Galapagos Islands

Flora and Fauna

Ecuador is one of the planet's 17 most biologically diverse nations. The nation's drastic geographic and climatic variations have led to the evolution of thousands of species of flora and fauna, most of which thrive in habitats protected by the State and by private organizations. Despite its tiny size, Ecuador is home to rain forests, jungles, mountains, islands, deserts, valleys, and snowcapped peaks. One of the main attractions is the Galapagos Archipelago and its marine reserve, which contain endemic species unique to the area.

Due to geographic differences in altitude, longitude and latitude, and the climatic effects of the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon, and the Andes, the various regions and sub regions of Ecuador have very different climates and microclimates. The Pacific coast has rainy season between December and May and dry from June to November. Temperature oscillates between 23 and 26 degrees centigrade. The climate in the Highlands, on the other hand, is rainy and cold from November to April and dry from May to October. Temperature between from 13 18 degrees centigrade. In the Amazon, the climate is rainy and humid between January and September, with temperatures between 23 and 36 degrees centigrade, and dry between October and December. The Galapagos has a temperate climate with temperatures ranging between 22 and 32 degrees centigrade. | more information

National Symbols

The National Symbols are:
The Flag y Coat of Arms

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