Ecuador Guide
Introduction to Ecuador
Sitting on the equator between Colombia and Peru, Ecuador is the smallest of the Andean nations, covering an area no bigger than Nevada. For all its diminutive size, however, the country is packed with startling contrasts of scenery, from steaming tropical rainforests and windswept highlands to ice-capped volcanoes and palm-fringed beaches, all within easy reach of the capital, Quito. In this land of bold contours and bright colours, you can find yourself beneath a canopy of dripping vegetation amongst clouds of neon-coloured butterflies one day, and in a highland market mixing with scarlet-ponchoed indígenas the next.
It's also a country of astounding biodiversity, boasting some 1600 species of bird (more per square kilometre than any other South American country), 4500 butterflies and more than 3500 orchids (a greater number than any country on Earth). Add to this a considerable historic and cultural legacy, stunning colonial architecture and a diverse array of indigenous groups, and it's easy to see why Ecuador is often regarded as a microcosm of South America. Perhaps the country's greatest attractions, though, are the Galápagos Islands, whose extraordinary wildlife played a pivotal role in shaping Charles Darwin's theories on evolution.