Ecuador

Ecuador has made significant contributions to environmental science as one of the most diverse countries in the world. Much of present-day Ecuador was part of the Inca Empire, the largest political entity in the pre-Columbian Americas, and the country has a rich cultural heritage. The area was colonized by Spain in the 16th century and gained independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia, from which became an independent sovereign state in 1830. Ecuador's ethnically diverse population of 17.8 million, most of whom are mestizos, followed by large minorities of Europeans, Indians, Africans and Asians. Ecuador covers a part of the Andes Mountain range and lies in a part of the Amazon basin. It is located on the Equator, from which it takes its name, and is bordered to the north by Colombia, to the east and south by Peru, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. It encompasses the Pacific archipelago of the Galapagos Islands. It is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries in the world and is home to many endemic plants and animals, such as those found in the Galapagos Islands. The country is home to 1,600 species of birds, which is 15% of the known species of birds in the world, and an additional 38 species endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Known as the birthplace of Darwin's theory of evolution and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands are a region of extraordinary wildlife. Ecuador is also home to 106 endemic reptiles, 138 endemic amphibians and 6,000 butterfly species, in addition to more than 16,000 plant species, and has 11 national parks, 10 wildlife refuges and 9 ecological reserves.