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General
Information about Ecuador
Area:
256,370
km2.
Population:
Approximately 13,000,000 inhabitants.
Capital:
Quito has approximately 1,850,000 inhabitants; however, the economic capital
of the country is Guayaquil which has 2,500,000 inhabitants.
Language:
The
official language is Spanish, although Quechua is also spoken and there are
some other Indian dialects such as Cofan, Siona, Huaorani, Shuar and
Tsachila. English is spoken in most of the hotels, shops and places visited
by tourists. French and German are spoken to a lesser degree.
Religion:
The
Roman Catholic religion predominates by 95%.
Boundaries:
Colombia borders Ecuador on the north, Peru on the south and east, and the
Pacific Ocean has an extension of nearly 800 km on the west.
Islands:
The
Galápagos Islands (approximately 8,000 km2) consist of 13
principal islands, 6 small islands and 42 islets.
Highest
altitudes:
Chimborazo
rises 6,310 meters above sea level and Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano
in the world, is 5,897 meters above sea level.
Currency:
The
Ecuadorian currency is the United States dollar. Other currencies are also
accepted, especially in Quito and Guayaquil. It is advisable to carry
traveler’s checks in U.S. dollars. Places that are visited by tourists
accept American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club credit cards.
Documents:
Upon
arrival in the country, all foreigners must present a passport. Since june
2007 every foreign citizen can enter the country and stay three months
without visa. It is a good idea to carry your passport or a copy of it,
because there are regular checkpoints at different places in the country.
Weather:
Although Ecuador belongs to the tropics, the great differences that exist in
altitude result in varying temperatures in different regions. The average
temperature on the coast is 27ºC. The sierra has a subtropical climate with
temperatures varying between 3ºC and 25ºC. In the Amazon region, the climate
is warm and humid with temperatures varying between 23ºC and 26ºC. The
Galápagos region has a dry subtropical climate with temperatures varying
between 18ºC and 22ºC.
Clothing:
On
the coast, summer clothing is good year round. However, in the sierra summer
clothes are good between May and August. For the rest of the year, warmer
casual clothing, including a raincoat, is recommendable. For Galápagos and
the Amazon region, informal lightweight clothing is essential.
Voltage:
110
V, 60 Hz outlets, in Galápagos most of the boats have 220 v.
Time differences:
In
relation to the central European countries, Ecuadorian time is 7 hours
earlier in the European summer time and 6 hours earlier in the European
winter time. The Galapagos Islands are ahead of the mainland by one hour.
Taxes:
All
persons, both foreign or national, must pay a departure tax of $40.80 in
cash in Quito and $27.16 in Guayaquil. There are also other taxes varying
between $10 and $20 that are charged within the country, especially when
entering national parks and reservations. The tax for Galapagos is $100 and
the Transit Control Card is $10.
Air
transportation:
Ecuador
has two international airports: “Mariscal Sucre” in Quito and “José Joaquin
de Olmedo” in Guayaquil. These airports have flights to and from the
principal cities of the world. There are also other air terminals for the
national airlines that fly to the main cities within the country.
Departure flights:
Do
not forget to reconfirm your international flight at least 72 hours before
departure. Our staff will be happy to help you.
Medical
services:
Most
cities in the country have clinics and hospitals. All the hotels have
information regarding how to contact a doctor or call Emergency. Many hotels
have a staff physician. There are pharmacies that are open 24 hours a day.
Water:
We
suggest you drink bottled water rather than water from the tap.
Telephone, fax, postal services, e-mail:
From
Ecuador you can make international telephone calls directly or by calling
through the operator at 116 or 117. Most hotels now have fax and e-mail
service. There are also many nice “cyber cafés” where you can make
international calls or send fax and e-mail.
Working hours:
Banks
and money exchanges are open from 9 am to 4 pm; businesses and shopping
centers are usually open from 9 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday. Small stores
sometimes stay open longer, and it is possible to shop on weekends.
Recommended medicine and vaccinations:
No
vaccinations are required for entering the country. However, the following
are recommended for travelers: yellow fever, typhus, malaria, polio, tetanus
and hepatitis. Travelers should not forget the medicine they normally take
and should contact their physician before traveling, especially if they have
any type of heart or blood pressure problems.
International airlines operating in Ecuador: American
Airlines, Aces, Aeropostal, Avianca, Iberia, Air Europa, Delta, Copa,
Continental Airlines, KLM, LAN Chile, Grupo Taca LACSA, LAN Ecuador, LAN
Peru, Lufthansa and Santa
Barbara.
National
airlines operating in Ecuador:
TAME,
AEROGAL, ICARO.
Special cuisine: Here
is a short list of some of the quite special foods served in Ecuador. Of
course, the list is not complete since our gastronomy is varied and
extensive. Some examples are locro de papas (potato soup), caldo de patas
(pig feet bouillon), yahuarlocro (potato soup served with fried blood),
timbushca (beef vegetable soup), sopa de bolas de verde (plantain ball
soup), cebiche (seafood cocktail), biche (fish chowder with yucca and
plantain), fritada (fried pork), llapingachos (potato patties), empanadas de
morocho (fried cornmeal turnovers), empanadas de verde (plantain turnovers),
quimbolitos (steamed corn cakes), tamales (steamed cornbread), fanesca (fish
chowder), seco de chivo (lamb stew) and colada morada (spicy wine-colored
fruit drink).
There are also many good restaurants that serve international cuisine.
Crafts:
A
wide variety of crafts are sold everywhere. On Amazonas Avenue in Quito,
there are little stores open every day, and there are new craft markets in
the Mariscal sector that is also open every day. These places offer all
kinds of crafts from all over the country. There are also Indian markets all
over the sierra that are well known for their original designs in sweaters,
wall hangings, ponchos, hats, shawls, scarves, embroidery, wood carvings,
leather objects, leather clothes, clay figurines, bags and articles made of
alpaca wool. Always ask for a cut in price –it’s part of the deal!
Transportation (train, bus, taxi, plane):
There
are two railroad lines in Ecuador. One is the Quito-Cotopaxi National Park
and the other is the Riobamba-Alausi (Nose of the Devil)-Sibambe line.
Unfortunately, these trains are very old and slow and frequent landslides in
the rainy season damage the rails, forcing operations to a standstill,
sometimes for several weeks or months.
The
most important and usual means of transportation both in and between cities
is the bus. There are different kinds of buses, but the tourist who decides
on this means of transportation should be very careful not to get robbed.
Taxis are plentiful in all cities. They can be summoned by phone if so
desired, but they appear on the street quite regularly. Almost all the taxis
in Quito have meters.
The
fastest means of transportation between cities is the airplane. There are
several flights a day between Quito and Guayaquil every day of the week.
There are companies that rent different kinds of cars and they logically
charge according to the type. Our Travel Agency also provides chauffeured
vehicles at prices lower than those of the rental agencies. Requirements for
renting a car are a passport, a credit card, a driver’s license and be over
18 years of age. Before renting a car, be sure you know it is insured.
Observations:
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Be
careful with your belongings – do not trust people.
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Do
not eat or drink foods bought on the street, even when they look good,
because they may spread disease.
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Tipping is always courteous but never obligatory.
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