Ecuador Country & Tourist Information

Location
South America.

Area
272,045 sq km (105,037 sq miles).

Population
13.8 million (2007 estimate).

Population Density
50.7 per sq km.

Capital
Quito.
Population: 2.1 million (2008 estimate).

Government
Democratic republic since 1978.

Language
Spanish is the official language, but Quichua (Kichwa) and other indigenous languages are common.

Religion
Christianity, with 95% Roman Catholic.

Time
Mainland: GMT - 5.
Galapagos Islands: GMT - 6.

Electricity
120 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs used are American-style (two perpendicular flat blades above a circular grounding pin) and Japanese-style (two perpendicular flat blades).

Head of State
President Rafael Correa since 2007. 

Recent History
Elected in October 2006, Ecuador's left-wing president Rafael Correa, aligned with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, has pushed through a new constitution which gives him more power. He has pursued nationalization policies, pledged to close a US military base and broken relations with the neighboring Colombia over a border incident. The two countries were on the brink of war after Colombian forces attacked a guerrilla camp on the Ecuadorean side of the border.

Telephone
Country code: 593. Public phone boxes are scarce at present, but telephone offices can be found everywhere and are cheaper. Also, cellular public phones can be used with a pre-paid card.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with one international mobile phone company. Coverage is variable.

Internet
Internet access is broadly available, especially in Quito where there are a number of Internet cafes.

Media
Under the Ecuadorian Constitution, journalists are given freedom of speech. However, the seizure of three private TV journalists and one radio journalist by the government in July 2008 prompted many concerns. Defamation in Ecuador is punishable by prison sentences of up to three years. By law, the government is given free air time on radio and TV.

Post
Airmail to Europe and the USA takes anything from a week to a month, while incoming deliveries are even less certain.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1200. Shorter hours are likely in rural areas.

Press
• Dailies include El Comercio, El Tiempo and La Hora, with regional editions.
• Hoy, El Telégrafo and El Universo, based in Guayaquil.
• There are two English-language newspapers, Inside Ecuador and Q, though both are published irregularly.
• International newspapers and magazines are available at international airports, main post offices and in some bookshops.

Radio
• Radio Sucre provides news and information, Cadena Radial Ecuatoriana (CRE) is a Guayaquil-based commercial network and Radio Nacional del Ecuador is government owned.
• Radio Centro is privately owned.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
12 Feb Amazon and Galapagos Day.
27 Feb Civicism and National Unity Day. 
10 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
24 May Battle of Pichincha.
10 Aug Independence Day.
9 Oct Guayaquil Independence Day.
2 Nov All Souls' Day.
3 Nov Cuenca Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
12 Feb Amazon and Galapagos Day.
27 Feb Civicism and National Unity Day.
2 Apr Good Friday.
1 May Labor Day.
24 May Battle of Pichincha.
10 Aug Independence Day.
9 Oct Guayaquil Independence Day.
2 Nov All Souls' Day.
3 Nov Cuenca Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

Note
Ecuador's Carnival (in March/April), the Foundation of Guayaquil (usually in October), the Foundation of Cuenca (usually in November) and the Foundation of Quito (usually in December) are not official public holidays, but are widely observed. Other holidays, in addition to the above, may be marked locally.

Contact Information:

Ministerio de Turismo (Ministry of Tourism)
Avenida Eloy Alfaro N32-300 y Carlos Tobar, 2d. Piso, Quito, Ecuador
Tel: (2) 222 8304.
Website: www.vivecuador.com

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in the UK
Flat 3B, 3 Hans Crescent, London SW1X 0LS, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 2648 or 7808 8800 (consular information, 1500-1700).
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1330, 1430-1730.

Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador in the USA
2535 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: (202) 234 7200 or 7166 (consulate).


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