Quick answer: Ecuador is named after the equator, uses the US dollar, and was the first country to give nature constitutional rights (2008). The Galápagos Islands and Quito were among the first 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978, and Chimborazo’s summit is the point on Earth farthest from its center. It is also the world’s top banana exporter.
Updated September 2026 by our local guides in Quito: we checked every fact below against current sources and added corrections where things have changed since this post was written, including the Julian Assange asylum, the UNESCO list and the expat rankings.
| Ecuador in numbers | As of 2026 |
|---|---|
| Capital | Quito, about 2,850 m (9,350 ft) above sea level |
| Highest peak | Chimborazo, about 6,263 m |
| Currency | US dollar (since 2000) |
| Regions | Coast, Andes (Sierra), Amazon (Oriente) and Galápagos |
| Official languages | Spanish; Kichwa and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations |
| UNESCO sites | Galápagos and Quito both inscribed in 1978, the first year of the list |
| Park fees to know | Galápagos National Park: USD 200 for most foreign adults (since Aug 2024) |
Despite its relatively small size compared with local giants Brazil and Argentina,Ecuador is home to an astounding array of wonders that include picturesque colonial towns, Amazonian rainforest, the spectacular peaks of the Andes and of course the fragile but alluring Galápagos Islands. 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
2026 update: A few facts below have changed or need a correction:
- Julian Assange (#4): Ecuador withdrew his asylum in April 2019 and he was arrested inside the London embassy. He left UK prison in June 2024 after a plea deal with the US and returned to Australia.
- Named after a geographical feature (#7): Many countries are named after rivers or mountains. What is unique is that Ecuador is the only country named after the equator.
- UNESCO (#9): The first list in 1978 had 12 sites, not 32. The Galápagos Islands (site no. 1) and the City of Quito (no. 2) were both on it.
- Chimborazo (#5): Its summit is the point on Earth farthest from the planet’s center, thanks to the equatorial bulge. “Closest to the sun” is a popular way of saying it, but it only holds in a loose sense.
- Expat ranking (#16): Ecuador topped the InterNations Expat Insider survey in 2015. It has not held that top spot in recent editions, although it still ranks well for cost of living.
- Bananas (#15): Still true and bigger than ever: Ecuador remains the world’s largest banana exporter, shipping a record of about 378 million boxes in 2025.
- The national tree of Ecuador is the cinchona tree which produces Quinine, the first drug used to prevent and treat malaria.
(Source: Britannica) - Ecuador is one of only two countries in South America that does not share a border with Brazil.
(Source: Google Maps)
3. In 2008, Ecuador was the first country to officially recognise the rights of nature. 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: Rights of Nature) - Ecuador has granted political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Under investigation by the US government and facing extradition to Sweden, Assange sought refuge at the Embassy of Ecuador in London. He has been there since June 2012.
(Source: Telegraph) - The summit of Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest mountain, is the point on Earth closest to the sun. Due to the mountain’s location along the equatorial bulge, its summit is the farthest point from the Earth’s core. This also means that Ecuador is the closest country to space.
- (Source: Smithsonian Institution)
- Ecuador is one of 17 megadiverse countries in the world and has the most biodiversity per square kilometre of any nation.
(Source: Conservation International) - It is well known that Ecuador is named after the equator which runs through the country. It is in fact the only country in the world officially named after a geographical feature. The official name, República del Ecuador, translates as “The Republic of the Equator”.
(Source: Encyclopedia.com) - The equator is widely promoted at the tourist attraction Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City) 26km north of the capital, Quito. This is supposed to be where one can stand with one foot in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern. Unfortunately, thanks to modern re-measurements the exact equator is said to lie 240 meters north of the marked line and monument. Doh!
(Source: World Geodetic System)
Would you like to explore Quito? Join our free walking tour. - Ecuador has the world’s first and second UNESCO World Heritage Sites. At the inaugural UNESCO World Heritage conference in 1978, 32 sites were initially designated. Every World Heritage Site has a number – site #1 is the Galápagos Islands and #2 is the city of Quito.
(Source: UNESCO) - Quito, Ecuador’s capital city, is 2,850m above sea level, making it the highest official capital city in the world. La Paz in Bolivia is higher but it cheats a little as it is not the constitutional capital (that’s Sucre), only the seat of government. Nothing’s ever simple in Bolivia!
(Source: Wikipedia)
Do you would like to get to know Quito? Join our free walking tour. - Charles Darwin visited Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands in 1835 and largely based his theory of evolution on the discoveries he made there.
(Source: Darwin Online)
Do you would like to visiti Galapagos: Join our Galapagos Tours. - Guinea pig, known as ‘cuy’, is considered a delicacy in Ecuador, its consumption seen as an ancient tradition. After Kia’s reaction to me eating reindeer heart in Finland, I thought it best to refrain…
(Source: BBC) - Ecuador is one of three countries created in 1830 following the collapse of Gran Colombia. After independence from the Spanish colony, the Viceroyalty of New Granada, the short-lived republic of Gran Colombia (1819–30) was created. It included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama as well as parts of northern Peru, western Guyana and northwest Brazil.
(Source: Britannica) - The Panama hat is actually from Ecuador. Straw hats woven along the Ecuadorian coast were taken to Panama initially to be sold to canal workers and, after the canal opened, to affluent westerners passing through the Panama Canal.
(Source: Montecristi Panama Hats) - Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter of bananas, accounting for up to 29% of all bananas exported in 2011.
(Source: FAOstat) - Ecuador has been voted as the best country for expats for the second year running. Quality of life, cost of living and personal finances have all been cited as excellent reasons to up sticks and head to the equator.
(Source: InterNations) - There are at least 14 recognised languages spoken in Ecuador. Spanish is the official language while 13 indigenous languages are also recognised including Quichua and Shuar
(Source: CIA Factbook) - Ecuador is divided into four main and very unique geographic regions: La Costa or “the coast”, La Sierra or “the highlands”, La Amazonía also known as El Oriente or “the east” and La Región Insular, the region comprising the Galápagos Islands.
(Source: National Geographic)
Source: http://www.atlasandboots.com/interesting-facts-about-ecuador/
Where can you see these Ecuador facts for yourself?
Several facts on this list are places you can visit in a day from Quito. The Old Town, one of those first UNESCO sites, is right outside our door, and our free walking tour covers its plazas, churches and a traditional market with a chocolate tasting. The Mitad del Mundo monument is about 45 minutes to an hour north of the city, with an adult ticket of $5 on the official site. Chimborazo is a long day trip south, and the Galápagos need at least five days to do well.
Free Walking Tour Quito · Free (tip-based) · 3 hours · Mon–Sat 10:30 & 14:30, Sun 10:30
See the UNESCO-listed Old Town with an English-speaking Ecuadorian guide, including colonial churches, a market and a chocolate tasting. Meet 10 minutes early at Pedro Fermín Cevallos N6-78 y Olmedo.
Related guides
- Mitad del Mundo: the history and the monuments
- Things to do in Quito
- Ecuador itinerary for 7, 10 or 14 days
- Galápagos on a budget: real 2026 costs
- Ecuadorian street foods you must try
Plan it with us
Curious to see the equator, the Andes and the Galápagos for yourself? Visit us at Pedro Fermín Cevallos N6-78 y Olmedo in Quito, message us on WhatsApp at +593 97 953 3832, or write to info@communitytravel.ec and our local guides will help you build the trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ecuador famous for?
Ecuador is famous for the Galápagos Islands, the equator line that gives the country its name, the colonial Old Town of Quito, volcanoes such as Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, Amazon rainforest reserves like Cuyabeno, and exports of bananas, cacao, shrimp and roses. It is also known as the true home of the so-called Panama hat.
Why is Ecuador called Ecuador?
Ecuador means equator in Spanish, and the country’s official name, República del Ecuador, translates as Republic of the Equator. The name comes from the French geodesic mission of the 1730s, which measured the equator near Quito. It is the only country named after the equator, which crosses the country just north of Quito.
Is Chimborazo really the closest point to the sun?
Chimborazo’s summit, about 6,263 meters high, is the point on Earth’s surface farthest from the planet’s center, because the Earth bulges at the equator. That makes it the spot closest to outer space and, loosely, to the sun. Mount Everest is still the highest mountain measured from sea level.
What currency does Ecuador use?
Ecuador has used the US dollar as its official currency since 2000, when it replaced the sucre after an economic crisis. Ecuador mints its own coins in the same sizes as US coins, and both circulate together. Bring small bills, because $50 and $100 notes are often refused in shops.
Is Quito the highest capital city in the world?
Quito, at about 2,850 meters, is the highest official capital city in the world. La Paz, Bolivia, sits higher at around 3,600 meters, but it is the seat of government, while Sucre is Bolivia’s constitutional capital. Many visitors feel the altitude in Quito for a day or two, so take it easy on arrival.
Quick reference: Ecuador travel facts and figures 2026 · Ecuador travel glossary · About Community Adventures Ecuador
