Ecuador is a country in northwest South America, also known as the Republic of Ecuador. It measures 283,560 sq km including 6,720 sq km of water. The bordering countries of Ecuador are Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east. On its western side, Ecuador has a coastline of 2,237 km facing the Pacific Ocean. The Equator slices across the north of Ecuador. The terrain of Ecuador is made up of a low-lying coastal plain to the west, the central Andes Highlands and dense jungle and rainforest in the east. The highest elevation is Chimborazo, which stands at a height of 6,267m.

Ecuador is a land of many verdant regions, intersected by fast-flowing rivers, including the Napo and the Pastaza. Many of Ecuador's large rivers cascade into a series of beautiful waterfalls. The Galapagos Islands are also considered to be a part of Ecuador and are rich in plant, marine and animal life including the famously huge Galapagos tortoise.

The capital of Ecuador is Quito. Other large cities within Ecuador include Machala, Manta and Ambato. In 2002, Ecuador were very proud to compete in their first ever World Cup tournament in Japan. Ecuador was formed after the break-up of Gran Colombia in 1830. The national language of Ecuador is Spanish and the official monetary unit is the US Dollar.

The USA is Ecuador’s leading export partner, followed closely by Colombia. The main export of Ecuador is petroleum. Industry accounts for 25% of Ecuador’s workforce, who work in industries such as petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing and lumber. The agricultural produce of Ecuador includes bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc and sugarcane.

Ecuador is a land subject to many floods, volcanic activity and severe earthquakes. The weather is best described as tropical in coastal and rainforest regions and temperate in the central highland plateau of the Andes. In low-lying areas the main rainy season lasts from December to April. The highest recorded temperature in Quito was 30°C.