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General
Information about Ecuador

Area: 280.000 Km2.
Population: Approximately
12,500,000 inhabitants.
Capital: Quito has approximately 1,800,000 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 Galapagos 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 cater to tourists accept American Express,
Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club credit cards.
Documents: Upon arrival
in the country, all foreigners must present a passport and a visa
certified by an accredited Ecuadorian consul in the country of origin.
It is a good idea to always 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 tropic zone,
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 Galapagos 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 those clothes
are good between May and August. For the rest of the year, warmer
casual clothing, including a raincoat, is recommendable. For Galapagos
and the Amazon region, informal lightweight clothing is essential.
Custom: Travelers over 18 years of age can bring 300
cigarettes and one bottle of liquor into the country tax free.
Voltage:110 V, 60 Hz outlets.
Time Difference: In relation to European countries, Ecuadorian
time is 7 hours earlier in summer and 6 hours earlier in winter.
The Galapagos Islands are ahead of the continental Ecuador by one
hour.
Taxes:
All persons, whether they be foreigners or nationals, must pay a departure tax of $ 31.60 in cash. 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.
Air Transportation: Ecuador has two international airports,
"Mariscal Sucre" in Quito and "Simón Bolívar"
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.
Do not forget to reconfirm your international flight at least 72
hours before departure. Our staff will be happy to help you.
International airlines operating in Ecuador:
American Airlines, Avensa Servivensa, Aces, Aeropostal, Avianca,
Air France, Copa, Continental Airlines, KLM, Lanchile, Grupo Taca
LACSA, TAME, Lufthansa and Ladeco.
National airlines operating in Ecuador: :
TAME. AEROGAL. AUSTRO AEREO.
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 vaccination: 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.
Medical Services: Most cities in the country have excellent
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, telefax, e-mail: From
Ecuador you can make international telephone calls directly or by
calling through the operator at 116 or 117. Andinatel is the company
in charge of communication in the sierra and Pacifictel on the coast.
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.
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
is a new craft market 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!
Transporte:
(trein, bus, taxi, airplane) 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:
- Be careful with your belongings -don't trust people.
- Don't eat or drink foods bought on the street, even when they
look good, because they may spread disease.
- Tipping is always courteous but never obligatory.

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