Ecuador is slightly smaller than the state of Nevada in the United States. The
country is named for the equator, which passes right through it.
There are four major geographic regions: the coastal lowlands, the Andean highlands,
the eastern lowlands, and the Galápagos Islands. The climate varies more with
elevation than with season. The coastal lowlands are hot and humid. The highlands
include subtropical valleys and frigid mountains. The eastern lowlands are tropical
and form part of the Amazon Basin. The Galápagos are somewhat cooler than the
coastal lowland.
Petroleum accounts for over 40 percent of the exports, followed by coffee, bananas, sugarcane, fruits, corn, potatoes, rice, and other foods.
Important industries in Ecuador include food processing, textiles, chemicals, and fishing. The currency is the sucre.
There are approximately 11.5 million people in Ecuador. The largest city is Guayaquil
at 1.8 million people while the capital of Quito is at approximately 1.3 million.
The majority of the people are mestizo (Spanish-Indian mix). The native Indian population is the next largest number of people.
Spanish is Ecuador's official language, though the Indian language known as
Quechua is
spoken by the indigenous people in the highlands. Quechua
is recognized by the
constitution as an important part of the Ecuadorian culture.
Many Quechuan words make
their way into the Spanish in Ecuador, especially where there is no equivalent term in
Spanish.
Other popular dishes include: arroz con pollo (fried chicken with rice), locro (a soup made with cheese, potatoes, meat, and avocados), llapingachos (cheese and potato cakes), and cuy (roasted guinea pig).
Here is a recipe for:
Shrimp Soup
(Sopa de Camarón)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups chopped onions 2 cloves garlic, peeled 3 tablespoons tomato sauce 6 cups boiling water 5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1 tablespoon salt 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground marjoram 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 pound medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined 1/2 cup green peas 1/2 cup whole kernel corn 4 eggs Pour oil into a deep saucepan. Add onions and garlic and cook until browned, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the garlic. Add the tomato sauce, water, potatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, and marjoram. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and purée with about 1 cup of the soup stock in a blender or food processor.
Add cream cheese mixture, shrimp, peas, and corn to the soup and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat.
Beat the eggs. Very gradually, at first only a tablespoon at a time, add about 2 cups of the hot soup broth to the eggs while beating the eggs constantly to prevent curdling. Pour the egg mixture into the soup while stirring the soup. Reheat the soup but do not allow the soup to boil.
Soccer is the favorite sport in Ecuador, followed by volleyball. There are also other
cultural activities, especially in the big cities.
Some important holidays include Independence of Quito Day (August 10) and the founding
of Quito (December 6). Many of the holidays are celebrated with bullfights,
festivals, and sporting events.
For more information on Ecuador, please visit the following site:
Photos courtesy of the UN.