If you’re in love with the nature, biodiversity, UNESCO protected areas, national parks, endemic animal species and preserved historical towns, then Ecuador is one the best possible choices in the world of all. This mid-sized country, with around 15 million inhabitants, lies in the northwestern part of the South America. It shares the border with Peru on south and also on the east for around 1.400 kilometers and on the north with Colombia just around 600 kilometers. Ecuador has 2.200 kilometers of coastline on the western side of the country.
Mantel de la Novia waterfall in Ecuador
Close to its coast are the famous Galapagos Islands, also being the part of Ecuador. Another important fact is that intersection of the sphere’s surface called the equator is going through the Ecuador and here where the name arrives from. If we would literally translate the Spanish name of the country, the Republic of the Equator would come out.
Following the Inca historical trail, you can find many interesting sites in Ecuador as well. But the country’s territory was settled long before their arrival. In the Inca period, the whole kingdom of Incas was covering large portion of Latin America but old settlers of Ecuador avoided them and remained intact in coastal portions of the territory and also in the area around Amazon jungle. Not only they survived Incas period but also the Spaniards conquistadors. Spanish settlers and warriors brought a lot of misery. Hard work, infectious diseases and violence caused lots of fatalities among old settlers and Indians and this decimated their numbers in a great deal.
An example of a lodge house in Ecuador
Once Ecuador became independent, they didn’t forget their predecessors. Capital city Quito buildings and facilities are showing us today, how this prosperous city looked hundreds of years ago. Also smaller towns grew steadily in that period and those that remain still intact until today, have been put on UNESCO world heritage list, which brings them a special status. They’re well worth of exploring, especially Cuenca and Guayaquil. Also when taking a tour in the cities, visit handicrafts markets which are very popular amongst tourist today. Ecuador is pretty famous for its ceramics, carvings and also some textiles.
Ecuadors capital Quito
But most of all, wild life is the one that boosts Ecuador’s popularity rapidly. Endemic species of plants and animals, so many different sorts of birds, fantastic marine life on their long coast and islands, lively jungle with surrounding areas, mostly protected as national parks, many even on the international level, show that people have the desire, willingness and courage to help nature remain as it was once.
