Ecuador is divided into four distinct regions: the Galapagos Islands, the coastal region, the Sierra, and the rainforest. Living in Quito, most of my experience has been with the highlands, or Sierra region of the country. This area is characterized by mountains and volcanoes. The Andes Mountains run the length of the entire continent and are second in elevation only to the Himalaya Mountain range of Asia.
Ecuador is on the Equator, making it the part of the globe that gets the most sun. The weather is generally pleasant and mild. However, in the Sierra the temperature can range from warm and humid to snowy and freezing. My favorite section has been the cold, rocky part of the Sierra.
Ecuador is one of seven South American countries that share the Andes mountain range. The others are Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela. The presence of many volcanoes is what makes Ecuador especially unique. There are 84 volcanoes identified in Ecuador--27 of them are reported as active, according to the website Riobamba.com.ec. It is also one of only three South American countries on the Equator. The other two are Brazil and Colombia.
The Equator runs directly through Quito, the capital of Ecuador. This phenomenon was recognized long before the country was colonized by the Spanish.
