Equateur

Equateur, often anglicized as Ecuador, is a country in western South America. The name derives from its location on the equator. The official name is the Republic of Ecuador. The capital and seat of government is Quito, and the largest city is Guayaquil.

Geographically, Ecuador has a Pacific coastline and borders Colombia to the north and Peru to the east and south. Its territory includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 kilometers west of the mainland. The landscape spans the Andes with volcanoes such as Chimborazo and Cotopaxi, the coastal plain (Costa), and the Amazonian lowlands (Oriente). The equator crosses northern Ecuador.

Historically, indigenous civilizations inhabited the region long before Spanish colonization. It became part of the Spanish Empire and achieved independence in 1822 as a member of Gran Colombia; Ecuador became a separate republic in 1830. Since 2000, the United States dollar has been the official currency.

Demographically, the population is around 18 million. The official language is Spanish, and Quechua and other indigenous languages are widely spoken. The society is ethnically diverse, with Mestizo, Indigenous, and Afro-Ecuadorian communities. The economy is mixed, with contributions from oil, agriculture (notably bananas, cocoa, and coffee), and services, including tourism. The Galápagos Islands are a major ecotourism destination, and Quito’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Governance-wise, Ecuador is a presidential representative democratic republic with a multi-party system. The government is divided among executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and the country maintains numerous protected areas to conserve its rich biodiversity.