Ecuador
Americas Β· Capital: Quito
How it is run: Ecuador is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Ecuador is home to 18.3 million people in South America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
18.3 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
276,841 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 66 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
11th most people in Americas
13th largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
United States dollar ($)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
77.6 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$7,125
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
63.4% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
23.9% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+593
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ec
π§ People here are called
Ecuadorean
π·οΈ Name at home
Ecuador
Also written: Republic of Ecuador, RepΓΊblica del Ecuador.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Ecuador touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Ecuador
French
Γquateur
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ₯ΩΩΨ§Ψ―ΩΨ±
Chinese
εηε€ε°
Japanese
γ¨γ―γ’γγ«
Russian
ΠΠΊΠ²Π°Π΄ΠΎΡ
Portuguese
Equador
German
Ecuador
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 18.7Γ as many people as Ecuador.
- Ecuador covers roughly 2,637 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Ecuador lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 9,145 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Ecuador lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Ecuador
ποΈ Capital
Quito
π Region
Americas Β· South America
π€ Country code
EC
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Ecuador π
π§ Where on the map
2.0Β° S, 77.5Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-5 β when it is noon in London it is about 07:00 in Quito.
- Ecuador is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Ecuador sits in South America, in the southern and western half of the globe.
- Ecuador lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Ecuador is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Ecuador is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Ecuador has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Ecuador can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Ecuador spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Ecuador?
Quito
Which money do people spend in Ecuador?
United States dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Ecuador?
2 β Colombia, Peru.
Roughly how many people live in Ecuador?
18.3 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.