Ecuador is a beautiful and diverse country. Ecuador is on the west coast of South America, between Colombia to the north and Peru to the south, and is crossed by the equator, hence the name Ecuador which is equator in Spanish. Quito is the moedern capital of Ecuador and is just 15 miles south of the equator. Ecuador is about the size of Nevada, and has four main geographical areas: the coast, the sierra or mountainous region, the jungle known to Ecuadorians as the Orient and the Galapagos Islands. Because Ecuador encompasses many geographical regions, there is a rich diversity of plants and animals. These varied geographical regions and climatic conditions create many habitats that allow a rich diversity of plants and wildlife to thrive. Ecuador has a population of almost 12 million people.
The official language of Ecuador is Spanish, which is spoken by the Mestizos who are those of mixed Indian and European bloodlines of mostly Spanish origin. Many live in the cities and live a mostly Spanish lifestyle. A significant portion of the Andean population, however speak the ancient Inca language of Quechua. The Quechua language has also spread into the lowlands jungle areas. A variety of indigenous tribes exist in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and these native people have their own languages that are unrelated to Quechua, two of the bigger groups are the Jivaro and the Waoroni.
The customs in Ecuador include celebrating the holidays such as Christmas in many different towns with a colorful parade. Town’s people dress up their donkeys and cars for the colorful procession. On New Year’s Eve, the festivities include fireworks and the burning of effigies, made by stuffing old clothes. Many Ecuadorians take this opportunity to mock current political figures. Carnival, “Mardi Gras”, is a major festival celebrated during the hot month of February. Ecuadorians celebrate by throwing buckets of water at each other; even fully clothed passer bys are at risk. It is virtually impossible to avoid getting wet during Carnival. Most Ecuadorians accept it with good humor.
In Ecuador it is customary for most activity in cities to close down for the afternoon siesta between the hour of 1:00 and 3:00 PM. During this time many stores and offices are closed. This custom that exists in many Latin American countries arose as a way to avoid working in the intense afternoon heat.
