Mark & Ashley Ackeret

Named for the imaginary line that divides it in two, Ecuador is one of the most diverse locations in the world. The Galápagos Islands off its west coast contain some of the world’s most amazing creatures! Many of the world’s bananas are grown in the coastal plain region, and Cotopaxi in the Andes mountains is the highest active volcano in the world. Because the Earth bulges slightly at the equator, Mount Chimborazo is the highest point, not Mount Everest, when measuring which is farthest from the Earth’s center. Originally part of the Inca Empire, Spain conquered and claimed this land. They gained independence in 1822, adopting the official name “Republic of the Equator” in 1830.
Capital: Quito
Population: 17,093,159
Languages: Spanish 93%, Quechua 4.1%
Lowest Point: coastline — 0 ft. above sea level
Highest Point: Mount Chimborazo — 20,549 ft. above sea level
Religion: Catholic 74%; Evangelical 10.4%; atheist 7.9%; Jehovah’s Witness 1.2%