Maybe when you hear about Ecuador, the first idea that crosses your head is the Galapagos Islands, however, this small country is a treasure in the world. It is made up of four regions: the Pacific Coast, the Sierra or Andes, the Amazon or the jungle, and the Galapagos Islands. Yes! everything in 283,560 km² that compose it, and that is not all, add to this that it is a multicultural, multiracial and multi-ethnic country, in which 14 nationalities and 18 indigenous groups of people coexist and you can live the mestizo and syncretistic traditions in every corner of this country.
Now, with this short introduction, we will introduce you to the TOP 5 things you need to know about Ecuador so that when you finish the restrictive measures of COVID-19 you can start planning your trip to the must-do of trips around the world.
1. It is called Ecuador because it is derived from the Latin equator, which means equal, equalizer. The reason that motivated the change of the Royal Audience of Quito had its origin in Paris. There, the enlightened ones of the time debated about the terrestrial structure, concluding that the center of the equator, that is, the imaginary line that divides the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere into two equal halves, passed through the city. In 1830, after the dissolution of Gran Colombia, the deputies of the three provinces met to decide what the new place name would be. After an intense discussion, one of the deputies, aware of the geographical position of his country, got up and shouted: “Here is the line that crosses us and that is why the name will be Ecuador!” This is how what is currently known as the ‘Republic of Ecuador’ was born.
2. Chimborazo is the highest volcano and mountain in Ecuador, and the point furthest from the center of the Earth2 with an altitude of 6263.47 meters Note 2 above sea level. Its last known eruption is believed to have occurred around A.D. 550. It is located in the central Andes, next to the city of Riobamba.Due to the Earth’s rotation, the diameter in the equatorial zone is the largest on the entire planet. Thanks to this, if the distance from the center of the Earth is measured, its summit is the most distant point, surpassing by more than two kilometers that of the highest mountain above sea level, Everest.
3. Ecuador is the number 1 country in banana exports in the world, in fact, 1 in 4 bananas consumed on the planet was produced in Ecuadorian territory. You can find different varieties: barraganete, dominico, maqueño, oritos, banana rose and many others.
4. It is the second smallest country in South America and is the largest with biodiversity in plants and animals. Can you imagine how green and wonderful it is?What’s more, the Yasuní National Park Reserve is the most biodiverse place in the world.
5. The “Ecuavolley” is almost the official sport besides soccer, very similar to Volleyball but with different rules and numbers of players, a very famous invention that is one of the favorites of the population, streets are closed to be able to play it and the players acquire nicknames based on the way they play, nicknames like Vinceño, Manoplas, Barraca, Chulla Bola, La Bestia, Disco Chino, and El Coco, like others.
Visit this treasure and you are sure that it will be one of the best destinations you could have dreamed of! #LetsdiscoverEcuador
By: Free Walking Tours Cuenca
Free Tour Community 