Originally a Spanish colony, the Republic of Ecuador is made up of 24 provinces. The provinces of Guayas, Pichincha, and Manabí are the most significant. Ecuador is 283,561 square kilometers in total area. Situated in West South America, the nation is bounded by the Pacific Ocean, Peru, and Colombia. There are three different types of terrain in the country. The Sierra Nevada is located in the central highlands, while the east has jungles and the coast lowlands are close to the ocean. Because of the different heights, it has a fairly varied climate. It gets colder inland and stays tropical at the coast and in the jungle. There are more than 17 million people living there. Quito serves as the nation's capital. But with more than 2.6 million residents, Guayaquil is the most populated city.Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), which handles 5.1 million passengers annually, is the biggest international airport in the nation. It is now South America's 20th busiest airport as a result. Antonio José de Sucre, the leader of independence, is honored by the name. Access to locations in the Americas and Europe is offered by the airport. Ecuador's indigenous and Spanish ancestry have a great influence on the country's culture. Most people in the population consider themselves to be Christians. Spanish is the official language. The civil law of Chile serves as the foundation for Ecuador's legal system. The system of government is a republic with a president. Guillermo Lasso, the elected president, is the head of state and government.The US dollar (USD) is the accepted form of payment. With an open economy, the nation produces a GDP of about $115.47 billion. As a result, it now has the ninth-largest GDP among Latin American and Caribbean nations. The per capita income of its population is $6,413. The industries and service sectors account for the majority of the GDP. Despite this, agriculture does contribute significantly to the export of cocoa, coffee, and bananas. With one-third of all exports coming from this sector, oil exports are still very significant.After entering an economic slump in 2015, the nation has been gradually recovering ever since. Ecuador is a well-liked travel destination because of its abundant natural and cultural riches. Along with four other UNESCO World Heritage sites, it is home to the well-known Galapagos Islands. The capital Quito, the Devil's Nose, Cotopaxi National Park, and the Baños de Agua Santa hot springs are a few of the must-see locations. The three main tourist activities are sightseeing, hiking, and animal viewing. Approximately 3.5 million tourists travel to the country each year, coming from all over the world. The government intends to improve its tourism offers even further.
