Ecuador
Latest stories
Destination of the week: Ecuador
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may have been dominating Ecuador-related news stories in recent months, but now the South American country is hitting the headlines for an exciting new reason – the discovery a brand new mammal.
Ecuador volcano update
Ecuador's Reventador volcano saw increased activity on Monday (July 28th 2008) with explosions, ash flow and burning lava in the crater area, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) reports.
Yellow fever vaccinations for Ecuador
The Ecuadorian Health Ministry is recommending travellers get yellow fever vaccinations if they intend to visit certain parts of the country.
Ecuador volcano activity update
Ecuador's many active volcanoes are a spectacular sight and the adventure holiday activities nearby are popular with tourists but recent eruptions have prompted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to put people on their guard.
Five gap-year travellers die in Ecuador bus crash
Five Britons have been killed when a bus-load of gap-year travellers crashed into a lorry in Ecuador at 19:30 local time on Saturday.
Ecuador is a country of incredible biodiversity; a haven for wildlife-lovers and adventure-holiday junkies.
The Galápagos Islands – a unique archipelago – are only one example of its many important ecosystems. A living museum of evolution – the 19 Islands and surrounding marine reserves are a melting pot of different species, including the weird but wonderful land iguana and the giant tortoise. Situated in the South Pacific, approximately 1,000km from the mainland of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are not-to-be-missed.
This Andean country is also home to the world's highest active volcano – Cotopaxi – and historic colonial cities such as Quito (which has been named a UNESCO world heritage site) Cuenca and Loja. The Pacific Ocean coastline boasts popular beaches such Esmeraldas and Bahia de Caraquez.
Ecuador Essential Information:
Capital: Quito
Major cities/towns: Cuenca, Banos, Loja, Sucumbios
Time Zone: GMT -5
Language: Spanish (primarily) with Amerindian languages such as Quechua also spoken. Learn the basics of Spanish at www.bbc.co.uk
Currency: Ecuador uses the US Dollar. For up-to-date exchange rates see: www.xe.com/ucc
International dialling code: +593
British Embassy: visit the website for information
