Ecuador Beautiful, Bountiful, Biodiverse Most biodiversity per square mile of any nation
What’s in a Name? • Ecuador means “Equator” in Spanish, the official language of Ecuador • Some Equator facts: • 24,900 miles in length • Always 12 hours of sunlight at the equator • Energy from the sun greatest at equator • Passes through 3 continents, 3 oceans, 13 countries
Lo Location • Middle of the World Monument (La Mitad Del Mundo ) near Quito Located: On the Equator in northwestern • Equator South America Borders: Latitude 0 0’ 0” Colombia, Peru, Pacific Ocean Size: North and South Including Galapagos Islands it’s Hemispheres meet 109,484 Sq. Mi. Slightly larger than Colorado Equidistant between Distance: North and South Poles 3,016 from Illinois to Ecuador
Map aps World Location Country Map
Geo eographic ic Reg egio ions Costa Coastal Plains Sierra Central Highlands Oriente Rain Forest Galápagos Islands __________________________ _ Temperature Range 100 ⁰ F to 55 ⁰ F Mainland 88 ⁰ F to 61 ⁰ F Galápagos
Cos osta Coastal Plains Rainforest along northern coast Rich soils, tropical rainforest, tropical savannas, dry forests, small coastal mountain ranges
Sier ierra Central Highlands Cloud Forest Andes Mountains, volcanos, valleys, grassy highlands, cloud forests, mountain lakes
Ori riente Rain Forest Stream in the Amazon Basin Gentle slopes, flat valleys, Amazon River tributaries
Gal alápagos Isla Islands • In the Pacific Ocean 600 miles west • Natural Laboratory of Evolution of Ecuador mainland • Plants, animals and birds evolved in isolation • 3,090 sq. miles scattered over 23,000 • Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835 sq. miles of ocean helped support Theory of • Consists of 19 rugged islands and Evolution about 50 islets • Main industry - tourism • Formed by underwater volcanos • 170,000 visitors per year • Largest island, Isabela • mostly by cruise boats 82 miles long • UNESCO World Heritage Site • Annexed to Ecuador in 1832 • Residents: 25,000 people • Became Galapagos National Park many thousands animals and birds in 1959
Blu lue Foo ooted Boo ooby
Flig Flightle less Cor oromorant an and Sal ally ly Ligh ightfoot Crab abs
His istory ry 1450 - 1972 1972 1941 Peru invades mineral rich 1450s Incas of Peru finally province of El Oro conquer Ecuadorian tribes 1942 Ecuador loses El Oro 1534 Spanish conquer Ecuador to Peru 1948 – 1960 Banana trade 1822 Ecuador becomes part of improves economy Gran Colombia 1972 Oil production starts 1830 Ecuador independence
Ing Ingapirca Most important Inca Monument in Ecuador In Cañar Province 10,500 ft. high Temple of the Sun
His istory ry 1981 1981 - 2014 2014 1981 Border War with Peru 2006 Rafael Correa elected President promising economic and social 1982 Falling oil prices lead to improvements economic depression; 2008 New Constitution state of emergency 2008 Ecuador re-establishes diplomacy 1992 Native people granted with Colombia title to 2.5 Million acres 2014 Proposed Constitution change to in the Oriente eliminate term limits for re-election of government officials 2000 Ecuador adopts US dollar as national currency
Mai ainland Wild ildli life Mam ammals ls • Jaguar • Mantled Howler Monkey • Ocelot • Squirrel Monkey • Capybara • Three-Toed Sloth • Paca • False Vampire Bat • Giant Otter • Spectacled Bear • Brazilian Tapir • Andean Fox • South American Coatimundi • Llama • Collared Peccary • Amazonian Manatee • Nine Banded Armadillo • Amazon River Dolphin • Kinkajou • White-Bellied Spider Monkey These are examples of over 350 species
Oce celo lot A wild cat also called dwarf leopard
Birds Andean Cock-of-the-Rock 1,50 ,500 spec species - Here ar are so some me- White -Throated Toucan Scarlet Macaw Magnificent Frigate Bird Male Blue- Footed Booby Osprey Laughing Falcon Andean Cock-of-the-Rock Andean Condor Yellow – Rumped Cacique Female Galápagos Penguin Flightless Cormorant
Rep eptil iles Galápagos Tortoise over er 400 spe pecies -Her Here ar are som ome- Boa Constrictor Anaconda Fer-de-Lance Green Iguana Basilisk Marine Iguana Spectacled Caiman Galápagos Lava Lizard Galápagos Tortoise
In Invertebrates 4,500 species of butterflies - Som Some fas asci cinating one ones- Blue Morpho rhetenor is an outstanding one Blue Morpho Butterfly Leafcutter Ant Golden Silk Spider Sally Lightfoot Crab
Sea ea Lif ife Humpback Whale -So Some well ell kno known- Manta Ray Whale Shark Scalloped Hammerhead Shark Humpback Whale Pacific Green Turtle Hawksbill Turtle Galápagos Sea Lion
Amphib ibia ians Smoky Jungle Frog 450 spe pecies -Here ar are som some- Amazon Poison-Dart Frog Ecuadorean Poison- Dart Frog Fleischmann’s Glass Frog Marine Toad Smoky Jungle Frog
Geo eographic ical l Fea eatures • Area 109,484 square miles • Wettest Area The Oriente region • Elevation 100 inches precipitation per year • Lowest Sea Level • Highest 20,565 feet • Average Temperature Highs Mount Chimborazo Quito 66⁰F January • Longest Navigable River 67 ⁰F July 700 miles Napo River Guayaquil • Highest Waterfall 88⁰F January 475 feet San Rafael Falls 84⁰F July • Highest Volcano • Average Temperature Lows 19,347 feet Cotopaxi Quito 50⁰F January 49 ⁰F July Guayaquil 70⁰F January 66 ⁰F July
Two o Seas easons Mainland Galápagos July - December Winter November – May Foggy Rainy January - June Summer June – October El Niňo period with seasonal rain Dry and warmer weather but tropical rains till occur
Riv Rivers Cropping on Guayas Floodplain • Numerous Rivers start in the mountains of the Sierra unnavigable, often torrential • Guayas Main river in the Costa Region Navigable Fertile Floodplains for crops • Napo River Most important river in Oriente Region Carries greatest volume of water Navigable
Nati tional Symbols ls • National Flag • National Bird Andean Condor • National Flower Rose • National Day • National Tree August 10 Ecuadorean Palm
Ecu cuadorean Iv Ivor ory Pal alm • Also called tagua palm • Endosperm of tagua nut used instead of elephant ivory for carvings and jewelry
Vol olcanos - 31 Activ ctive Some notables are: • ‘Cotopaxi’ WORLD’S HIGHEST ACTIVE VOLCANO 19,347 feet high 36 miles from Quito in Cotopaxi National Park • ‘ Reventador ’ 11,686 feet high 62 miles from Quito in Reventador National Park • ‘Tungurahua’ ( Throat of Fire ) 16,480 feet high 5 miles from Baños in Sangay National Park • ‘Wolf’ 5,610 feet high on Isabela , largest of Galápagos Islands most recent eruption May 25 through June 2 , 2015
Cot otopaxi World’s Highest Active Volcano 19,347 feet
Gla lacie ier Top opped Cot otopaxi
Reventador 11,686 feet
Tun ungurahua ‘Throat of Fire’ Eruption April 5, 2014 Surged 6 miles above volcano’s crater Volcano height 16,480 feet
Wol olf On Isabela Island in the Galápagos Volcano erupted May 25, 2015 Volcano height 5,610 feet
Vol olcanos - In Inactiv ive Most Notable Inactive Volcano Chimborazo (Mountain of Snow) HIGHEST PEAK NEAREST THE EQUATOR 20,702 feet high located in Chimborazo National Park 90 miles from Guayaquil last erupted approx. 550 AD
Chi himborazo ‘Mountain of Snow’ Highest Peak in Ecuador Highest World Peak from Earth’s Center 20,702 feet
UNESCO Wor orld Her erit itage Sit ites es City of Quito Galápagos Islands Center of City of Cuenca Sangay National Park
Citie ities Quito Guayaquil • Capital • Largest City • 2 nd Largest City • Population of 2,709,000 • Population of 1,726,000 • Main Port • Cultural Center • Industrial Center • In North Central Sierra Region • Lively city of clubs and night life • Located in the Costa Region
Qui uito
Mor ore Citie ities Cuenca Machala • 4 th largest city • 3 rd largest city • Population of 700,000 • Population of 245,000 • Center for artists making • ‘Banana Capital of the World’ ceramics, blankets, hats • Lies in heart of Banana • Four Universities production region • Well preserved Spanish Colonial • Main distribution center for Buildings bananas • In Southern Sierra Region • Southern Coastal City
Machala Tourist destination among Ecuadorians
Peo eople le • Population 15,868,396 • Ethnic Groups Mestizo * 71.9% • Language Montubio * 7.4% Spanish (Castillian) 93% (official) Amerindian 7% Quechua 4.1% White 6.1% other indigenous 0.7% Afroecuadorian 4.3% foreign 2.2% Mulato 1.9% • Urbanization 63.7% Black 1 % • Life Expectancy 76.56 years Other 0.4% • Literacy 94.5% * mixed Amerindian and White • Obesity 18% ** rural inhabitants of Costa interior
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