The Brief History The Kingdom of Quito was formed in the northern highlands of Ecuador by native tribes around the year 1000 (1). The land was colonised by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro (2), and a Spanish colony lived there during the seventeenth century. Ecuador united with Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama in 1819 in a confederacy called Greater Colombia (3). It collapsed in 1839, and Ecuador successfully gained independence. This was followed by political disrupt including revolts and dictatorships. In 1941, Ecuador was invaded by Peru and lost a large area of land in the Amazon region (4). This was followed by more battles in 1981 and 1995. In May 1999, both countries signed a treaty which put this border dispute to an end. |
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Culture of Ecuador
The national
culture of Ecuador is a blend of European and Amerindian traditions with
influences from Africa, as most of the people had mestizo heritage (5). 96% of
Ecuadorians had German, Italian or Spanish origins and about 95% of the people are Roman Catholics (6), although their beliefs are often combined with
traditional indigenous customs. Christmas is also celebrated in Eduador.
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Ecuadorians emphasise on the importance of family, especially on the care of the elderly. Many elderly people live with one of their children (7), instead of being sent to a retirement home.
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Ecuadorian meals are also centered on lunch instead of dinner as in western countries (8). It may even be the only main dish they eat in a day. The types of food vary between different regions. For example, those that live in coastal zones eat fish and beans, while those from mountainous regions prefer meat and rice.
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Points of Interest
The beautiful Galapagos Islands, situated about 1000 km west of mainland Ecuador, are formed more than five million years ago when underwater volcanoes rose from the ocean floor (9). The Galapagos Islands have a wide range of biodiversity, of which many are enedemic to that individual island. |  |
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Travel Advice
(The following information is based on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website)
When travelling to Ecuador, try to maintain a high degree of caution as Ecuador is known to have a high crime rate and lots of civil unrest, of which many involved violence. Always avoid all protests and demonstrations, as they are very common and may turn violent.
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It is also required by law to carry your identification all the time.
