30 interesting facts about Ecuador

From megadiverse flora and fauna to the closest country to space, these are the most interesting facts about Ecuador

Despite its relatively small size compared with local giants Brazil and Argentina, Ecuador is home to an astounding array of wonders, including picturesque colonial towns, the Amazon rainforest, the spectacular peaks of the Andes and the fragile but alluring Galápagos Islands. 

What is Ecuador famous for? Whether it’s nature, wildlife, culture, anthropology or language, this diverse country is sure to impress.

Here are the most interesting facts about Ecuador we picked up on our journey through its lands (and seas).

Interesting facts about Ecuador

1. The national tree of Ecuador is the cinchona tree which produces quinine, the first drug used to prevent and treat malaria.
(Source: BBC Travel)

2. Ecuador is one of only two countries in South America that does not share a border with Brazil.
(Source: Google Maps)

3. The US dollar is the official currency in Ecuador. The country adopted the US dollar in 2000 after the 118-year-old sucre suffered severe inflation.
(Source: The Guardian)

4. In 2008, Ecuador was the first country to recognise the rights of nature officially. Rather than treating nature as property, Ecuador recognises that nature has constitutional rights and has the “right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles.”
(Source: Law & Social Inquiry, Inside Climate News)

5. Despite its size, Ecuador has 10% of the planet’s plant species, 8% of its animal species and 18% of its bird species. Almost 3,800 species of vertebrates, 1,550 mammals, 350 reptiles, 375 amphibians, 800 freshwater fish and 450 saltwater fish have been identified in Ecuador.
(Source: Embassy of Ecuador)

6. In fact, Ecuador is one of 17 megadiverse countries in the world and has the most biodiversity per square kilometre of any nation.
(Source: The Telegraph)

7. Ecuador is home to the only person in the world who operates a seismic monitoring station from the branches of a tree. Carlos Sánchez, known as ‘the volcano-watcher’, monitors Tungurahua – one of the world’s most active volcanoes – from a tiny treehouse on the side of a mountain.
(Source: BBC Travel)

8. Sánchez is also visited by hundreds of people who come to…