Welcome to Ecuador, a small tropical nation on the coast of South America, nestled between Colombia and Peru and gazing out onto the Pacific Ocean. Roughly the size of the US state of Nevada and warm almost all year, Ecuador is home to sprawling natural beauty, including the picturesque Andes Mountains and the famous Galapagos Islands. Here English is spoken mostly as a foreign language; however, the percentage of Ecuadorians studying and learning English is growing steadily higher every year. Used for trade, commerce, tourism, and more, English is becoming a necessary skill around the world, and in Ecuador this is no exception.
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Religion |
Demographics |
The predominant religion in Ecuador is Roman Catholicism, similar to most countries in Central and South America, and practiced by about 80 percent of the people. The religion was introduced during the conquering of Ecuador by the Spanish in 1533, who brought their language and beliefs to the nation. Just as Spanish lingered in the Ecuadorian culture, so did Catholicism, becoming the official religion of Ecuador in 1869. Only those who identified as Roman Catholic were able to become citizens of Ecuador until their establishment of freedom of religion in 1899.
The second most popular religion is Protestantism, which came to Ecuador with Protestant missionaries during the late 18th century. It became more prevalent once religious freedom was allowed and now makes up for about 11 percent of the population. |
According to the Ecuador National Census of July 2017, the current population of Ecuador is about 16,290,913. Close to half of the population is concentrated at the base of the Andes Mountains, though many also live in coastal cities. The rural areas of Ecuador are poverty-stricken, especially in indigenous populations. However, the quality of life seems to be on the rise; education reform and improved healthcare have increased the lifespan of Ecuadorians, who live, on average, to be about 77.
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Nathalie Dinsdale
Winter 2018 |