8 Interesting Facts About Ecuador
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Loading... - Anton Hristova
- 01 Aug 2022
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When I began traveling non-stop in 2007, it took me years to finally visit South America. There was no particular reason why it took me so long, I just never got around to it. However when I landed in Quito, Ecuador for my first trip to the Galapagos Islands, it marked the beginning of more exploration of Latin America over the coming years. Given that Ecuador has a lot to offer travel-lovers, I figured it was a good time for another installment of 8 Facts You Might Not Have Known, so buckle up as we look at eight interesting things about Ecuador that you probably didn’t know!
1. Ecuador is the closest country to space.
You might think the closest point on Earth to space would be Mount Everest, but you’d be wrong. The reason has to do with the fact that the Earth is not a perfect sphere. Because of its rotation, it bulges slightly at the equator. That means that—all things being—equal, the equator is closer to space and farther from the center of the Earth than anywhere else. The bulge is big enough that Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is actually 1.5 miles “higher” than Mount Everest. Because mountain peaks are measured from sea level, Mount Everest is considered higher because the bulge in the Earth at the equator also means that the seas are higher, too.
2. Ecuador is the only country in the world named after a geographical feature.
The official name of Ecuador is República del Ecuador, which literally means “The Republic of the Equator.” The equator runs through the country and, in fact, there’s a large monument about 45 minutes away from Quito where you can stand in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
3. Ecuador has the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
At the first UNESCO World Heritage conference in 1978, 32 sites were in the inaugural list. Each World Heritage Site has a number and site #1 is the Galapagos Islands and #2 is the City of Quito.
4. Ecuador had a long-standing border conflict with Peru.
For decades, Peru and Ecuador clashed over where the border between the two countries was to be drawn. In 1941, fighting broke out and it was ended by the Rio Protocol. Fighting broke out again, however, in 1981 and 1995. Final demarcation of the border and end of the conflict occurred in 1999. One oddity of the agreement is that Ecuador has a perpetual lease of one square kilometer of Peru where they have a military base. It’s Peruvian territory but run by Ecuador. (Keen to learn more about Peru? Read interesting facts about Peru.)
5. Ecuador was once joined with Colombia and Venezuela.
From 1822 to 1830, Ecuador was part of the nation of Gran Colombia which included Colombia and Venezuela. After gaining independence from Spain, Ecuador joined Gran Colombia, but the project soon fell apart and Ecuador became a republic in 1830. Read More...
