Ecuador

SHORT INFORMATION

Quito, the capital of Ecuador

San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains.

SHORT INFORMATION

Overview of Ecuador

Officially name: The Republic of Ecuador

Capital: Quito

Largest city: Guayaquil

Official language: Spanish

Government: Unitary presidential republic

HOLIDAYS AND TRADITIONS

New year in Ecuador

New Year in Ecuador is as much about the Old Year as the new. Effigies are made of old clothes stuffed with newspaper and adorned with a mask. These are known as the "Año Viejos" or Old Years, and are burnt at midnight on New Year's Eve. The idea is to leave any negativity or problems behind in the old year and start afresh.