Ecuador's name comes from the Equator, which divides it unequally, putting most of the country in the Southern Hemisphere. It may be the smallest Andean country, but it has four distinct and contrasting regions. The Costa, or coastal plain, grows enough bananas to make the country the world's largest exporter of the fruit. The Sierra, or Andean uplands, offers productive farmland. Oil from the Oriente, jungles east of the Andes, enriches the economy. The Galápagos Islands, volcanic islands 960 kilometers west of Ecuador, bring tourism revenue with its unique reptiles, birds, and plants.
Fast Facts
Population: 13,032,000
Capital: Quito; 1,451,000
Area: 283,560 square kilometers (109,483 square miles)
Language: Spanish, Quechua
Religion: Roman Catholic
Currency: U.S. dollar
Life Expectancy: 71
GDP per Capita: U.S. $3,200
Literacy Percent: 93
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