Ecuador

- Geography:
slow walking - slasa

http://factmontster.com/fun-and-interesting-facts-about-ecuador/
http://truenomads.com/2014/01/17-interesting-facts-ecuador/

attraction http://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-ecuador/
http://www.escapehere.com/destination/10-most-popular-tourist-attractions-in-ecuador/
food
http://floratheexplorer.com/eating-traditionalfood-ecuador/

Ecuador - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
between Colombia and Peru
Capital: Quito
Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in
Amazonian jungle lowlands
Population: 13,927,650 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Government: republic

Language in Ecuador
There are many languages spoken in Ecuador. The predominant and official language is
Spanish, in addition to Quechua and other pre-colonial American languages. 2,300,000
speakers of American Indian languages (Adelaar 1991).

Ethnologue lists 22 languages of Ecuador which include Achuar-Shiwiar, Chapalaachi,

Cofn, Colorado (Tsachila), Cuaiquer, 9 varieties of Quichua, Secoya, Shuar, Siona,
Tetete, Waorani.
Society and Culture
Ecuadorians
Ecuador is far from homogenous. The population is a mix of Mestizo (mixed Amerindian
and white), Amerindian, Spanish and Blacks. 3%.
There are more than 14 indigenous groups on the mainland each with their own
identities and nuances.
The main indigenous groups of the Amazon region are the Huaoranis, Achuar, Shuar,
Cofn, Siona-Secoya, Shiwiar, and Zparo. The government declared the Tageri,
relatives of the Huaoranis, "intangible," denoting their desire to live far from civilization.
The principle indigenous groups of the highlands are the Quichua, Caaris, and
Saraguros. The Awa live in northern Ecuador. The Chachis, Cayapas, Tschilas, and
Huancavilcas live on the northern coast.
Regionalism
Regional differences exist and manifest in the way people dress, their physical
appearance, language and family name. The people from the Sierra ("serranos") and
the people from the Costa ("costenos") display the most pronounced regionalism.
Ecuador has 4 diverse regions: the Amazon Rain forest, the Coast, the highland Andes,
and the Galapagos Archipelago.
The Sierra is the heartland of Ecuador's indigenous culture. The oldest cultures of
America lived on the Ecuadorian coast. Three cultures still exist: the Aws, the Chachis
or Cayapas and the Tsachilas or Colorados.
Religion
The Roman Catholic Church has a strong influence on personal and social behaviour is
part of national identity. Most holidays and celebrations are based on Christian festivals.
Due to historical circumstances the Church is wrapped up with the process of
government.
Indigenous Ecuadorians, while nominally Catholic, tend to blend Catholicism with their
traditional beliefs.
Machismo

Machismo survives in a culture where traditional gender roles remain. The man is the
breadwinner and the wife looks after the home. From birth, children are raised to
understand that they will have different roles and expectations in life.

Etiquette and Customs in Ecuador

Meeting and Greeting

The most common greeting is a handshake with direct eye contact and
a smile.
While shaking hands, use the appropriate greeting for the time of day:
"buenos dias"(good morning), "buenas tardes" (good afternoon), or "buenas
noches" (good evening).
People that are close greet in a much more tactile manner; men
embrace and pat each other on the shoulder (called an "abrazo"), and women

kiss once on the right cheek. Always let the Ecuadorian determine when to
move to this level of formality.
Always refer to people by the appropriate honorific title (Senor or
Senora) and their surname.
In general, only close friends or family use first names.
Once someone uses your first name it is a sign that you may also do so.
Gift Giving Etiquette
Ecuadorians give gifts for birthdays, Christmas or New Year, as well as
religious events in a persons life.
A young girls 15th birthday is considered a special date and is much
celebrated.
If invited to an Ecuadorian home, bring flowers, good quality spirits,
pastries, imported sweets for the hosts.
A bouquet of roses is always well received.
Do not give lilies or marigolds as they are used at funerals.
Do not give scissors or knives as they indicate you want to sever the
relationship.
If you know the person well, perfume is an excellent gift.
Gifts are generally opened when received.

Dining Etiquette
Never arrive on time when invited to a home. Although it may sound
strange you should arrive a little later than invited, i.e. 30 -45 minutes late.
Dress well as this affords the host respect.
Dont discuss business at social events unless prompted to.
It is considered good manners to reciprocate any social invitation.
Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the
knife in the right while eating.
Guests are served first.
The host says "buen provecho" ("enjoy" or "have a good meal") as an
invitation to start eating.
Food is always eaten with utensils. Even fruit is eaten with a knife and
fork.
It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate
when you have finished eating.
Meals are social occasions and can be quite lengthy.
Expect lively conversation during the meal.

Wait for a toast to be made before taking the first sip of your drink.
The host makes the first toast. The most common toast is "Salud!"
When you lift your glass, look at the person being toasted.
If you do not want to drink more, leave your glass one-quarter full.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Meeting Etiquette
Ecuadorians are more formal in their business dealings than many other
cultures.
Shake hands when meeting someone and also when leaving.
Handshakes are generally not very firm.
A man extends his hand to a woman.
Maintain eye contact when greeting people.
Professional or academic titles with the surname are used in business.
Common titles are "Doctor" (medical doctor or Ph.D.), "Ingeniero" (engineer),
"Arquitecto" (architect), and "Abogado" (lawyer).
If someone does not have a title, the honorific Senor or Senora is used
with the surname.
Always wait until invited before moving to a first-name basis.
Business cards are exchanged during the initial introductions.
Try to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish.
The Ecuadorian Communication Style

Ecuadorians are known for being warm and polite. They can be quite tactile and tend to
stand much closer to each other when speaking than in many other cultures. As a result
they are highly tuned to body language and non-verbal communication.
Ecuadorians need information in order to make their minds up on someone. As a result
they will ask probing questions in order to assess how open, trustworthy or reliable you
may be. One should not take this negatively or as an intrusion but rather be forthcoming
with information.
If you are from a culture is less reliant on relationships, trust and non-verbal cues then
you need to watch what messages you may, or may not, be giving. Being distant on
protective over personal information would be construed as being rude and closed.
A good way of overcoming the initial deliberations your Ecuadorian counterpart may
have is through using an intermediary to introduce you. This acts as a reference for your
credibility.
Ecuadorians are indirect communicators who speak diplomatically and with courtesy.
They view blunt communication as extremely rude. If they want someone to do
something, they will generally flatter the person so that it would then be difficult for them
not to agree. Ecuadorians are non-confrontational and will go out of their way to avoid
saying no. In fact, they will generally tell you what they think will please you rather than
what they actually plan to do. They are also optimistic and have a positive outlook on
life. They prefer to see the glass as half full and try to make the best of any situation.
Business Meetings
As a visitor you may get by without speaking Spanish as senior personnel are usually
fluent in English. It is however a good idea to learn some basic phrases to demonstrate
an appreciation of their language. Some funny phrases can also help break the ice.
Ecuadorians are essentially concerned with the people they are doing business with not
the company. As a result they will spend time talking about issues that have nothing to
do with business. This should be viewed as relationship building time and indulged in as
much as possible. Wait for your counterparts to instigate a change in topics.
Avoid confrontation and be careful not to embarrass people or public place them in
awkward positions. Calling attention to someones error demonstrates a lack of finesse.
Never let someone think that you do not trust them; since trust and personal
relationships are the cornerstone of business you must ensure that this is solid.
A persons word is his bond. Never make promises you cannot keep.

Ecuador is a whole lot more than just the Galapagos Islands, with amazingly preserved Spanish
architecture in its larger cities, and untouched jungle beyond its craggy mountains. Though famous
for its equatorial laws-of-physics-defying stunts, its also home to some of the rarest wildlife in the
world, and you can eat lunch for just a few dollars. So to get you excited about getting to know
Ecuador better, or visiting some day, enjoy some interesting and fun facts about Ecuador. Enjoy!

History

Ecuador was involved in the Western Hemispheres longest-running territorial

dispute, in which it battled with Peru over control of its Amazon territories. The dispute
lasted all the way through 1999, ending about 150 years of hostilities.

Ecuador has had great periods of political instability; it has had 20

constitutions since achieving its independence from Spain, and had 48 presidents in its
first 131 years of independence.

Ecuadors Independence Day is May 24th (though they first declared

independence on August 10th, 1809, achieving independence from Spain on May 24th,
1822).

Ecuadors colonial heritage is especially evident in larger cities, like here in Qutio.

Geography

Ecuador is one of only two South American countries (the other being Chile)

that does not share a border with Brazil.

Ecuador is considered one of only seventeen megadiverse countries, for its

great biodiversity, which includes the utterly unique Galapagos Islands, and which
means:

Ecuador is the most biodiverse country in the world per square kilometer, and

the 8th most biodiverse country overall.

1,600 different species of birds (15% of the worlds total) live in Ecuador, as
well as 6,000 species of butterfly.

This was the first country in the world to include recognition of the rights of

nature as a part of its constitution.

The country maintains a scientific research station in Antarctica, and is part of

the Antarctica Treaty, which designates Antarctica as a continent for research, rather
than ownership.

Though its not the tallest mountain above sea level, the summit of the
Ecuadorian volcano ofChimborazo is actually the furthest point from the center of the
Earth, due to the earths slide bulge at the equator.

Because of its location on the equator, Ecuador has very little variation
between the length of days from summer to winter, with sunrise and sunset occurring
each day around 6:00.

Ecuador is slightly smaller than the state of Nevada.

Ecuador is home to Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world.

The biodiversity of the Galapagos served as the inspiration for Darwins

theory of evolution.

Ecuadors geographic diversity provides great opportunities for the outdoorsy crowd.

Culture

The countrys capital of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is

considered the best-preserved historic town center in all of Latin America.

Several inland Amazonian native tribes were able to avoid both Inca and
Spanish conquest, thus preserving their cultural traditions independently of foreign rule.

Voting is compulsory for all literate citizens aged 18-65, and optional for other
citizens.

Though Quito is the capital and has about 2.2 million inhabitants, Guayaquil

is the biggest city, with about 2.3 million.

Ecuador uses the American Dollar as its currency, and has done so since
2000, as the result of a banking crisis. However, as a result of the rarity of coins,
Ecuador continues to issue its own coins, which are designed to resemble American
coins to make transactions easier. Before the dollar, the currency was the sucre.

40% of the countrys exports are oil.

Mestizos (an ethnic blend of Spaniards and native people) account for over
70% of the population, with the rest including significant populations of indigenous
people, white, and black.

Ecuador is a predominantly Christian country, with approximately 70% of the

population identifying as Catholic, and 10% Protestant, though indigenous beliefs have
remained strong and are often found to be practiced alongside Christian traditions, often
blended together.

The national music is known as Pasillo.

Ecuador has won two Olympic medals, both by racewalker Jefferson Prez,
who won gold in 1996 and silver in 2008.

Ecuadors health care system is ranked 20th worldwide.

Regional divisions, partly due to the countrys geography, have led to rivalries
between regions, especially between the residents of Quito and Guayaquil.

Lunch is the largest meal of the day.

The world-famous Panama hat is actually of Ecuadorian origin.

Although Spanish is the first language of 90% of the country, Quechua

survives among some of the indigenous populations.

Due to economic difficulties in their home country, an estimated 2 to 3 million

Ecuadorians live abroad, including many in Spain.

Ecuador straddles the Equator line in South America, and borders Colombia (to its north) and Peru (to its
east and south).

FULL NAME: Republic of Ecuador

GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: 2 00 S, 77 30 W
CAPITAL: Quito
LANGUAGES: Spanish, indigenous languages
POPULATION: 14,306,876 (2010 census)
AREA: 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq miles)
ELEVATIONS: 0m to 6267m

NATURAL HAZARDS: landslides; volcanic activity; floods; droughts

MONETARY SYSTEM: U.S. Dollar (U.S.D.)
ELECTRICITY: 120V / 60hz 2 & 3 pin plugs
INTL AIRPORTS: Quito (UIO) & Guayaquil (GYE)
TIME ZONE: UTC/GMT -5 hours
INTL DIALING CODE: +593
INTERNET DOMAIN: .ec
MAIN EXPORTS: Petroleum, banana, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, flowers (roses), fish (tuna), balsa wood

Its capital San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito

once a part of the Inca empire, has some of the best-preserved early colonial architecture on the
continent. According to UNESCO, Quito has the largest, best-preserved, and least-altered historic centre
(320 hectares) in Latin America and was the first World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in
1978. In addition, The International Capitals Bureau has declared Quito, Ecuador as Americas Cultural
Capital for 2011.
OTHER INTERESTING FACTS & UNIQUE ASPECTS OF ECUADOR:

In Quito, water boils at 90C (direct effect of altitude);

Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in world;
The Humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) migrate from the Antarctic

South Pole to tropical waters off the coast of Ecuador (June to September) to mate and give
birth to their calves;

The Galapagos Islands belongs to Ecuador;

Ecuador has many active volcanoes and also, one of the greatest densities of
volcanoes in the world;

Ecuador is home to ten mountain peaks over 5000 meters (16,000 feet);

Mount Chimborazo at 6,268 meters (20,565 feet) is the highest mountain in

Ecuador. And because the Earth is not a perfect sphere, but bulges at the Equator, the peak
of Chimborazo is also the furthest point from the center of the Earth and the closest
to the sun.

The number of orchid species is calculated at 4100;

A newly discovered species of gecko, small enough at its full-grown size to

rest comfortably on the eraser of a pencil, was discovered in Ecuador;

The worlds smallest orchid (miniscule orchid measuring 2.1mm wide) was

discovered in Ecuador;

Country with the worlds highest diversity of hummingbird species (131);

Home to more than 1600 species of birds, which is more than twice the
number found on any one of the entire continents of North America, Europe or Australia;

Panama hats are of Ecuadorian origin the worlds finest Panama hats are
handmade in Montecristi, Ecuador;

Ecuador is divided into four geographical regions: Pacific Coastal Area

(Litoral), Andean Highlands (Sierra), Amazon Rain Forest (Oriente) and The Galapagos
Islands;

There are three species of vampire bats found in the world; all are found in

Ecuador;

Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country in the world;

Vilcabamba is called the Valley of Longevity locals assert that it is not

uncommon to see a person reach 100 years of age and it is claimed that many have gotten
to 120, even up to 135, which would make it an area with the oldest inhabitants in the
world;

25 000 species of plants present in the country, which represents

approximately10% of all plants known in the world;

Ecuador one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that
do not have a border with Brazil;

Manta, Ecuador claims to be the Tuna Capital of the World;

Quinine, the first drug used to prevent and treat malaria, is obtained from the
bark of the cinchona tree that grows in Ecuador;

Almost 60 per cent of the worlds high grade fine cocoa is produced on
farms surrounding the coastal city of Guayaquil an output that makes it the worlds capital
of the sweet delicacy.