One of the most spectacular aspects of mainland Ecuador is the fact that there are three distinct geographic regions, all within an area about the size of the state of Colorado. Coastal beaches, the Andes mountains and the Amazon rainforest are all within a few hours drive of each other, and present vastly different geographic areas, cultures and cuisines. Though differences have been an advantage over the years, with trade between groups providing potatoes to the coastal folks and citrus fruits to the highland residents, the areas have also presented challenges in managing diversity and in insuring that each region's population is recognized and included. Below is a short synopsis of the geographic regions of Ecuador.
Coast - found in the west of Ecuador, the coast is densely populated, but also holds much of the population which lives in poverty. This are is also where many of the Afro Ecuadorians reside, as well as several distinct indigenous groups. A major city on the coast is Guayaquil.
Highlands - Running along the center of the country are the highlands, which are called so because they are part of the Andean mountain range. This area is also densely populated, and most residents are either mestizo (mixed race) or indigenous. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is in the highlands region.
Oriente - The eastern part of Ecuador is the Oriente, or the rainforest region. It is called the Oriente because it was originally thought to be the Orient, or Asia, when it was discovered. The word Amazon is in fact Greek in origin, and refers to an oriental group which the first explorers thought they had discovered. This area is hot, humid and home to many indigenous groups, as well as one of the most bio diverse areas in the world. Unfortunately, this is also where large oil reserves are found in Ecuador, including the Yasuni reserves, which for now are safe, but in the future could be exploited and cause irreparable damage to the wildlife in the area.
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