Administrative Map of Ecuador
Physical vector Map of Ecuador, coloured according to elevation, with rivers, ocean depths and selected cities. Surrounding territory greyed out.
Vector illustration of Map of Ecuador with typical features
Map of Ecuador with the regions coloured in bright colours and the main cities.
Relief Map of Ecuador – 3D-Rendering
This article explores the beautiful geography and facts about Ecuador. Ecuador is officially known as the Republic of Ecuador. The Republic of Ecuador is also translated as the Republic of Equator because Ecuador spreads over the equator on South America’s West Coast. Ecuador is also bordered by a variety of countries on most of the sides. On the north side, it is bordered by Columbia while on the south and the east side, it is bordered by Peru.
On the west side, is the Pacific Ocean. The capital of Ecuador is Quito which is the largest city in the country. The territory of Ecuador was previously colonized by Spain after which the country gained its independence in 1830. The official language that is spoken in Ecuador is Spanish despite the variety of populations that reside in a particular country.
Landscape
The landscape of Ecuador is very interesting and this is because of a blend of different natural regions. It comprises highlands, low lands, forests and also the coastal areas. There is a great variety in terms of the landscape that attracts the people to Ecuador. The landscape of Ecuador falls into three categories. One of them is the coastal lowlands. Second is the mountainous Sierra and the third is the Oriente Jungle.
The coastal lowlands fall on the western side of the country which borders the Pacific Ocean. This area is characterised by sandy beaches as well as the tropical climate around the coast. Other than this, many mangrove forests cluster up around the coast. The second category or region is the mountainous Sierra that consists of Andes which is one of the most significant mountain ranges of Ecuador.
The landscape of the country is such that there are cities located in between the mountains, for instance, one of the cities of Ecuador is Quito which is also the capital of the country. It is located in the basins that are throughout the mountain ranges. The mountain ranges are also of two kinds. Some of the mountains are high such as the Andes mountains and the chains that they are extended into are the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental.
The cordillera occidental extends into the west while the cordillera oriental extends into the east. Other than this, there are some of the lower mountains as well. These mountains usually consisted of rolling hills. The last category is the Oriente Jungle which forms most of the part of Western Ecuador.
This tropical forest of Ecuador is known for the variety of plants and animals and the range of species that reside in this dense forest. Another characteristic of this dense forest is that the species of plants and animals that are found in the Oriente Jungle are very rare because of the unique temperature of this environment.
Climate
The climate of Ecuador is directly influenced by the position of the country. Since it is located on the equator, the temperature of the country is humid as well as tropical. The mountain valleys in Ecuador have a mild temperature throughout the year while in the coastal area, the temperature is tropical which is characterised by heavy precipitation. The temperature in the highlands is temperate as well as dry. There is more rainfall in the lowlands instead of the highlands.
Due to its location at the equator, the timings of the sunset as well as the sunrise are fixed in Ecuador and there is very little variation in the daylight hours. The region comprising the rainforest of Ecuador is known as the Oriente which is characterised by significant rainfall and very high temperatures.
The other region that is the Costa experiences a wet season which is characterised by heavy precipitation only in the first half of the year but for the other half, it experiences a relatively dry season. Only the Santa Elena peninsula which is one of the regions in Ecuador is the one with the driest climate because the level of rainfall decreases from 1000 mm to 100 mm only.
In the highlands as well, the rainfall is less than 500 mm or even 250 mm but only in the centre towards the canyons and the valleys. The rest of the country has a humid climate overall which receives at least more than 500 mm of rainfall. The difference between seasons is very less in terms of the temperature especially in Costa and also in Oriente. Other than the seasons, there are greater differences in the day and night.
The average temperature in the day time is usually between 29 to 33 degrees Celsius and the average temperature at night time falls significantly as compared to the day time and is between 20 to 23 degrees Celsius. As the altitude rises, there are chances of frost and also above 16,400 ft of height, snow-capped peaks can also be seen. Moreover, there are also difficulties in growing crops at higher altitudes.
Flag of Ecuador
Importance of flags in general
The flag of a particular country is of utmost significance to that particular region. This is because of the features that it holds of that particular country. The flag of the country is responsible for the identification and the recognition of the country or some of the departments of that country.
This is because different departments in a particular country also have their separate flags such as the naval force of the country and the military force. In some cases, there are separate flags introduced for the country during the war.
The flags of a country promote a sense of nationalism as well as unity among the people of the country as they feel that there is an instrument that is made to bind all the people of the same country. They feel connected because of the similarity that exists between them which is the flag.
The Appearance of the flag
The national flag of Ecuador comprises stripes of yellow, blue and red. The width of the yellow strip is double than the stripes of blue and red. Other than the background, there is a small figure known as the Coat of Arms which is located in the centre of the flag. Previously, the flag of Ecuador consisted of blue and white stripes along with white stars that represented the number of provinces.
This flag was operational from 1800 till 1822 after which the new flag was introduced. The length of each horizontal stripe extends till the end of the flag. The design of the coat of arms is created by comprising the different features of Ecuador. It comprises a total of eight colours that are blue, red, yellow, green, grey, sky blue, silver and also gold.
The symbolism of the flag
The different colours that have been used on the flag of Ecuador symbolise different things. The yellow colour of the flag which also takes double space than red and blue represents crops and the fertile soil. While the blue colour represents the clear sky and the oceans of Ecuador.
The red colour in the flag symbolises the blood that has been spilled by the heroes of Ecuador who have fought wars for freedom. This colour represents the contributions that have been made by these heroes to save their fatherland. This flag of Ecuador is very similar to the flags of other countries like the flag of Venezuela which comprises the same background of three horizontal stripes like the flag of Ecuador but at the top left corner of the flag, there is a different figure.
This was the previous flag of Venezuela but the latest flag of Venezuela consisted of the same three horizontal stripes and a semi-circle of stars in the middle of the second strip. The flag of Columbia is also the same as the flag of Ecuador but there is no Code of Arms on that flag. The flag of Columbia only consists of the three horizontal stripes.
Places to visit in Ecuador
Despite the small size of the country, Ecuador is full of beautiful landscapes, ancient architecture, dense forests, and rich culture. The country is one of the most interesting nations in South America which is not very large but is still able to attract tourists to view its ecologically significant forests, adventures and the variety of sites that are naturally beautiful.
The Galapagos Islands
One of the beautiful spots in Ecuador is the Galapagos Islands that were discovered in the 16th century and since then, it is one of those spots that is able to attract dozens of tourists without any effort. This area is known for the variety of tortoises that reside here on the Islands. Other than this, The Galapagos Islands are also one of the most active volcanic regions in the world and the formation of the islands is still under construction.
Despite the fact that the development in the area is not complete, it still invites a lot of tourists because of the beautiful landscape that the islands have to offer. The most important attraction of this area is the variety of bird species that are found here. People visit these islands to view these unique species of birds as these are very rare and not found everywhere.
Quito: Ecuador’s Historic Andean Capital
Another significant attraction of Ecuador is the capital of the country which is Quito. This city is located between the mountains and the fact of its location adds to the scenic beauty of the region. Other than this, Quito is known to be the largest historic centre in the whole of South America which consists of a variety of historical structures. These historical structures have been preserved and protected by UNESCO.
One of the most famous historic structures in Quito is the San Francisco Church which is known for its ancient architecture. It consists of two twin towers painted white and are located on each side of the entrance. The interior of the building is the main highlight and the reason for which dozens of tourists visit the place. If you are passionate about colonial architecture and historical monuments, then this is the best place for you to visit to explore your interests.
Cuenca
Another beautiful city in Ecuador is Cuenca which is located on the southern side of Ecuador. Similar to Quito, Cuenca also comprises colonial architecture and the historical, ancient monuments. One of the key attractions of this area is the Old Cathedral of Cuenca. This historical building is also a museum for the ancient artefacts that are only found at these specific places.
Another famous building which is most visited in Cuenca is the New Cathedral of Cuenca. This is worth visiting in order to get insights about the beautiful architecture of the building which is greatly influenced by the past. Church of San Sebastian, Calderon Park and the Plaza San Blas Square are some of the significant spots in the city that are worth visiting to spend a perfect day with friends and family exploring the scenic beauty of these buildings.
Festivals in Ecuador
Just like many other cities, Ecuador is known for a variety of festivals that provide insights about the colourful traditions of Ecuador that are full of culture. One of these is the La Diablada de Píllaro (The Devils of Pillaro) that is held in January. The festival is celebrated between the 1st and 6th of January. People come out on the streets and participate in the festival by dancing on the streets. The three main characters of this festival are the devil, guaricha, and capariche. People dress up in different costumes according to these characters of the festival which makes it more interesting. Other festivals include carnival, Inti Raymi and The Yamor festival that the residents and the foreigners enjoy with their friends and family throughout the year. Another festival is the Semana Santa that is widely celebrated in the country.
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