 Despite
its size, the Republic of Ecuador
is a small country compared to its neighbors. Located in the
Northwest of South America the country has so much to
offer that at least a week is needed to discover this
great country.
Besides the many indigenous cultures and traditions of its friendly people, Ecuador
is one the planet’s top 17 most biologically diverse nations. It has
drastic geographic and climatic variations that have led to
evolution of thousands of species of flora and fauna, most of which
thrive in habitats protected by the State and by private
organizations.
Ecuador is home to a portion of
the Amazon rainforest, jungles, mountains, islands,
deserts, valleys, and snowcapped peaks. One of its main attractions
is the Galapagos Archipelago and its marine reserve, which contain
endemic species unique to the area. Ecuador has something to offer
for every traveler.
This country of about 12.5
million is located between
Colombia, the Pacific Ocean and Peru and is divided in Northern and
Southern hemisphere by the equinox line (0 degrees
latitude) which crosses the northern part of the country.
Due to geographic differences in altitude, longitude and latitude,
and the climatic effects of the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon, and the
Andes, the various regions and sub regions of Ecuador have very
different climates and microclimates.
The Pacific coast has a rainy season between December and May and a
dry one from June to November and temperatures oscillate between 23
and 26 degrees centigrade. The Highlands on the other hand, have a
rainy, cold climate from November to April and a dry one from May to October. The temperature here is between 13 and 18 degrees
centigrade. In the Amazon, the climate is rainy and humid between
January and September, with temperatures between 23 and 36 degrees
centigrade, and it is dry between October and December. The
Galapagos has a sub-tropical or temperate climate with temperatures
ranging between 22 and 32 degrees centigrade.
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