10 unique things about Ecuador 1:06
(CNN Spanish) --
Did you know that Ecuador is one of the countries with the most diversity of birds and amphibians?
And that he has a rare Guinness World Record for human rights training?
On the occasion of Ecuador's Bicentennial, we review 10 things that make this Latin American country unique.
1. They are literally in the "middle" of the planet
The line of Ecuador, which divides the planet into the southern and northern hemispheres, crosses the country that also has a recognized tourist attraction called "Middle of the World City".
2. It is one of the best countries for expats
Ecuador, along with Taiwan, Mexico, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Vietnam, is one of the best destinations for expatriates, according to the 2021 count of the Internations organization.
The category in which it ranks best is personal finance.
About three out of four expatriates, according to the organization, are satisfied with their financial situation and more than 90% say that their income is enough or more than enough to cover their expenses.
3. They are among the first countries in beach cleaning
Ecuador has participated since 2010 in the International Beach Cleaning Day promoted by the Ocean Conservancy organization and celebrated every September.
advertising
In 2020, for example, more than 34,500 people participated in the activity, according to the organization's report, collecting more than 118 tons of garbage.
They traveled almost 1,000 kilometers during the day.
Their commitment to this activity has earned them recognition from the Ocean Conservancy.
4. They have Vilcabamba, one of the few places in the world where people are long-lived with their faculties intact
Vilacamba, which comes from a Quechua word meaning "Sacred Valley", is a valley located 40 km.
away from the city of Loja, which is known as the "Island of longevity", according to the Municipality of Loja.
"A high percentage of its population reaches longevity, with its vital faculties intact and it is not uncommon to find an elderly centenarian doing agricultural tasks like any farmer of 40 or 50 years," says the municipality.
The authorities affirm that this good health is attributed to the water of the rivers that are in the surroundings of the valley, "capable of eliminating cholesterol and curing rheumatism."
5. They are among the most affectionate in the world
The World Happiness Record, which analyzes which countries are the happiest and least happy in the world, has highlighted Ecuador for another of its qualities: it is a very emotional country.
6. It is one of the largest cocoa exporters in the world
In 2021, cocoa exports amounted to US$950 million, according to the National Association of Cocoa and Industrialized Exporters of Ecuador.
Globally, the top cocoa exporters in 2020 were Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ecuador, Cameroon and Nigeria, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
7. They have one of the best beaches in the world: Bahía Tortuga, in the Galapagos Islands
Trip Advisor renews its list of the best beaches year after year and the Latin American ones usually stand out.
Tortuga Bay, in the Galapagos Islands, came to position itself among the best.
Galapagos is an archipelago located about 1,000 kilometers west of the Ecuadorian coast in the western Pacific and was the first site declared a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978.
See the only marine lizard in the world 0:39
8. They hold a Guinness World Record for Human Rights training
Ecuador broke the record in 2018 for "the largest class in the world on issues of 'Human Rights, Doctrine and Prevention of Gender Violence,'" according to the National Police.
More than 1,700 people were trained in this instance as part of a continuous training program that has been carried out since 2010.
9. Ecuador is one of the most diverse countries in amphibians
Ecuador has about 580 species of amphibians, according to the Ministry of the Environment, of which about 240 are endemic.
How does it compare to some of its neighbors?
It has three times more amphibian species per square km than Colombia, according to the authorities, and 21 times more than Brazil.
"61% of Ecuador's amphibians (324 species) are present in the montane forest, inter-Andean scrub and paramo regions," they explain.
10. And also one of the most diverse in birds
Ecuador ranked third in the world in 2017 in terms of the number of birds observed, according to the ministry, which reported 1,259 species within the framework of the so-called Global Big Day.
10 unique things about your country