Today’s Ecuador facts show what a great place it is and how much it has to offer. Ecuador has a rich culture that respects nature. Even though it’s a small country, it has a lot of great things to see, like a part of the Andes Mountains, beautiful beaches, a wide range of foods, the Amazon jungle, and much more!
Read on if you want to add Ecuador to your list of places to visit. It’s an amazing country full of amazing things and beautiful animals. Let’s look at 20 cool things about Ecuador. These interesting things about Ecuador will make you want to go there right away!
Ecuador was ruled by Peru and Spain.
Peru ruled Ecuador for 300 years, and then the Spanish took over. They brought with them their religion, their way of building, and their language. Even though Ecuador became independent in 1822, there is still a lot of Spanish influence there.
Bolvar United Ecuador with Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama
Simon Bolivar, who was also called “El Libertador” (the liberator), brought together what are now Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama with what is now Ecuador. From 1819 to 1830, they were called La Gran Colombia, which means “Great Colombia.”
Ecuador has the first and second UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Ecuador has the world’s first and second UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first is the famous Galápagos Islands, and the second is the city of Quito. At the first World Heritage Sites conference in 1978, both were named World Heritage Sites.
Ecuador Contains Four Unique Geographic Regions
The economy of Ecuador is affected in different ways by its four different regions. These are:
the mountain highlands, La Sierra;
the coastal lowlands, La Costa;
the Galápagos Islands, La Región Insular;
and the eastern jungle lowlands, La Amazonia or El Oriente.
Families Form In Two Different Ways
Another interesting thing about Ecuador is that there are different ways to start a family. You have the more traditional way, which is a civil marriage, which is a legal contract between two people.
The second is a “free union,” which is when two people get together to start a family but don’t get married. The same duties and rights are given to both unions.
Home to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City)
The only country in Latin America where you can be in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the same time is Ecuador. At the Middle of the World City, there is a line where you can stand with one foot in the Southern Hemisphere and the other in the Northern Hemisphere. This important place in Ecuador is 16 miles (26 km) north of Quito, the country’s capital.
Ecuador is the country closest to space.
Earth is not a perfect sphere, and it bulges toward the equator because of its rotation. So, Ecuador is the country closest to space in the whole world. The equator is farther from the Earth’s centre and closer to space. Mount Chimborazo is actually 1.5 mi (2.41 km) taller than Mount Everest because of how big the bulge is.
In 1958, the Antarctic Treaty was made by 12 countries that did scientific work in Antarctica. It has kept getting bigger, and now 54 countries are protected by the treaty. Ecuador is one of these countries, and the country has its own research centre in Antarctica.
Ecuador was the first country to give nature rights in its constitution.
Another interesting thing about Ecuador is that it was the first country to say that nature should have the same rights as people. In 2008, Ecuador decided that nature has the right to exist, stay the same, and continue its life cycles without interference from humans.
Pachamama, whom many native tribes in Ecuador call “Mother Earth,” has rights. Ecuador shows how we can all help the planet and fight for the rights of nature.
There are over 9,000 different kinds of species on the Galapagos Islands.
The Galapagos Islands, which are made up of 20 islands and small rocks, are Ecuador’s main attraction. With more than 9,000 species, it is one of the most unique places on Earth. The laws of Ecuador protect and value the Galapagos Islands, which people from all over the world come to see.
In the Galapagos Islands, Darwin came up with his theory of evolution. During his trip on the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin stopped at the Galapagos Islands for five weeks. Darwin looked at the plants and animals there and noticed that the beaks of the local birds were different depending on where they lived and what they ate.
The world’s largest tortoise lives in Ecuador.
The Galápagos tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise in the world. It is a symbol of the Galapagos Islands. The Galápagos tortoise can grow to be 5 feet (1.5 metres) tall and weighs more than 900 pounds (408 kilogrammes).
Fifteen different kinds of tortoises have been found on the islands. Four of these species are no longer around, and many others are in danger of going extinct.
The Cinchona Tree is Ecuador’s national tree.
Another interesting thing about Ecuador is that its national tree is a flowering plant that comes in more than 20 different kinds. It can grow up to 50 feet tall, and the bark makes quinine, the first medicine ever found to treat malaria.
Many people in Ecuador think that this tree can also treat stomach problems, leg cramps, and bloating.