2. The republic of Ecuador is a country on the northeastern coasts of South America. The name of it comes from Spanish phrase meaning “on both sides of the equator”. The total area of it is nearly 300 000 sq km (272 045 sq km).

3. It borders on Columbia in the north and on Peru in the east and south. It is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west.

4. The climate of the country is equatorial, and in some southern parts, it is subequatorial. The temperature here is +23 o C +27 o C. It is mostly hot and wet.

5. Vast territories of the country are covered with forests. In the forests there are bears, jaguars, skunks and other animals. You can also find different kinds of snakes, lizards and crocodiles here. Along the territory of the country many tributaries of the Amazon River flow. Guas, Napo, Tigre and Putumayo are among them.

6. The country is ruled by the parliament. The head of the state is the president. It is divided into 22 provinces. The state language is Spanish. Different peoples live on the territory of Ecuador. The population of the country is 13 million 184 thousand people.

7. The capital of the country is Quito. Over 1.5 million people live there. There are some places of interest in Ecuador. They are mostly in Quito. The Archeological Museum, St Francisco Church, St Augustine Church and the Parliament Palace are among them.