Ecuador

Ecuador is a country that straddles the equator on the west coast of South America. Its diverse landscapes encompass the Amazon jungle, the Andean highlands, and the Galapagos Islands with their abundant fauna. On the slopes of the Andes, at an elevation of 2,850m, Quito, its capital, is famous for its long-preserved intact Spanish colonial center, with ornate 16th- and 17th-century palaces and religious sites, such as the ornate Church of the Society of Jesus.