As the name suggests, Ecuador lies right on the equator. The country is bordered by Columbia to the north, and Peru to the south and east. Ecuador is split roughly into four regions: the Galapagos Islands (birthplace of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution), the Pacific Coast, the Andes and Central Highlands, and the Amazon region. Ecuador’s capital, Quito, is situated 2850m above sea level up in the Andes range, making it the world’s second highest capital city. Spanish is widely spoken within Ecuador, although native languages such as Quichua are also spoken within the some parts of the Andes and Amazon. Owing to its unique geography, Ecuador is commonly regarded as one of the world’s ‘mega-diversity hotspots.’ For a nation its size, Ecuador is one of the most species-rich countries in the world. With a remarkable array of birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, reptiles, fish and plants, travellers find themselves captivated by nature wherever they go. Ecuador’s population is a vibrant melting pot of indigenous, mestizo (mixed descent) and Afro-Ecuadorian people. It is a predominantly Roman Catholic country with strong family values. The people are patient, polite and friendly with visitors to Ecuador likely to make dozens of lifelong friends. Ecuador is one of the safest countries in South America and was listed in 2018 by the US as a country that poses the lowest risk to travellers, and has shown the most improvements to safety in recent years. Women play an important role in Ecuadorian society, occupying a large part of the workforce. In 1929, Ecuador became the first Latin American country to grant equal voting rights to women. Although a fortunate country in many ways, Ecuador is still a developing nation. An estimated 70% of Ecuadorians live below the poverty line, and this figure is much higher within the indigenous and remote communities. While the government alongside community and volunteer groups like VESA fight to assist these remote communities, issues such as poor education and malnutrition are still widely prevalent. Ecuador’s welcoming and friendly people, incredible climate and natural diversity make it one of the most unique destinations on earth. While somewhat less-travelled than its South-American counterparts, Ecuador’s size and concentration of spectacular landscapes and wildlife continue to attract a growing number of adventure-craving travellers.