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This document provides information about Ecuador, including: 1) The flag of Ecuador represents the colors of the South American revolutionist Francisco Miranda - red symbolizes courage, yellow represents federation, and blue symbolizes independence from Spain. 2) Key national symbols of Ecuador include the national flower (red rose), national tree (cinchona), national animal (quina), and national mountain (Andes). 3) Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency. The value of the Ecuadorian currency relative to the US dollar peaked in 2006 at a rate of 25,000 local currency units per US dollar.
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- 1. Map of Ecuador Flag of Ecuador (The of significance colors & emblem) The Red, green and blue are the colors of Francisco Miranda, the South American revolutionist and adventurer. The yellow is the color of the federation, red is said to indicate courage.
- 2. Blue symbolizes independence from Spain. The center of arms is topped with a condor. National Symbols National Red Rose National Tree (Cinchora) (Lycast Skinneri) ( Quina)
- 3. National Animal-Quina National Mountain-Andian Condor National River- Chimborazo National Instrument- Rondador Ecuador Government System Ecuador had four successive democratic elections from 1948 to 1960, but the country did not experience relative political stability under democratic rule again until the 1980s. Seven years of military dictatorship ended with the presidential inauguration of Jaime Roldós Aguilera on August 10, 1979. After Roldós died in an airplane crash on May 24, 1981, Vice President Osvaldo Hurtado Larrea assumed the presidency. The completion of the Hurtado/Roldós administration and the constitutional and orderly transfer of power--the first such transfer in twenty-four years--to conservative León Febres Cordero Ribadeneyra (1984-88) in August 1984 seemed to affirm the
- 4. restoration of democracy in Ecuador. Nevertheless, as Roldós himself had cautioned shortly before taking office, the nation had only a formalistic and ritualistic democratic tradition. Ecuadorian Culture This page is mainly about the Ecuadorian culture. Culture is an important thing to the country of Ecuador. The culture of Ecuador is also connected to religion. In this page you will learn about the clothing Ecuadorians wear, food, music, dances, festivals and other more interesting cultural facts. Traditions In Ecuador people can greet you with their smile or just by saying "hi" in spanish. Some ecuadorian can greet you by saying hi but not in spanish but in Quechua, their native language. Some Andean people who live in the mountain regions still speak the Quechua language. Through out history, women were the ones who had to stay at home while their husbands went to work. Women had to stay at home to do the chores and take care of the children and serve their husbands. Today, that has changed in Ecuador. In Ecuador it is reversed. The woman now go to work and most men stay at home to take care of their children.
- 5. Ecuadorians know were the people come from because of the way they are dressed. Many ecuadorians dress differently according to the place or region they live. Some festivals or holidays are celebrated differently in Ecuador. During the Christmas time in Ecuador the Novenas or house tours begin the holiday season and it starts nine days before Christmas. Ecuadorians visit different homes looking at the nativity scenes and decorations. Children at this time place their list of presents into an old shoe waiting for Papa Noel (Santa Claus) to come and visit. Everyone get together with their family to celebrate Christmas. A special cookie is made and is eaten as a specil treat. New Year's is also celebrated in Ecuador but in a different way than in other countries. The ecuadorian tradition is that in the New Year, they make dummy that is stuffed with old clothing and then is burned to celebrate the ending of the old year and the coming of the New Year. Ecuadorians also dress themselves as clowns to recieve the coming of the New Year in a happy and enjoyable way. Customs Most Ecuadorans place great emphasis on the family, including fictive kinship, which is established by the choice of godparents at baptism. Apart from baptism, important occasions in the life cycle include the quinceañera (the 15th birthday of girls), marriage, and funerals. Many Ecuadorans make pilgrimages or dedicate themselves to the service of a particular saint. During the year, numerous religious and secular festivals provide opportunities for parades, special food, and music and dance. Food Ecuador Food mainly includes a great variety of fruits and vegetables, as there are plenty of them. Ecuador is greatly recognized for its exotic fruits, high quality fish
- 6. and Seafood and the innumerable varieties of Andean potatoes. All over the country, you will find a wide frequency of national and regional dishes, which include lemon marinated shrimp, toasted corn and patties stuffed with minced spicy meat. Ecuadorian Food is for all, be with a low or a high budget. Those with a low budget can opt for the combo meals or set meals and can still enjoy the wide variety of taste. Normally lunch and dinner with soup, meat in main course and dessert come up to 1 $. There are choices for vegetarians as well. There is a wide range of breads, pastries, savory snacks and cheese or meat filled patties. Potato and cheese pancakes known as llapingachos are delicacies. The regular diet includes rice, potato, meat as in beef and chicken, and pork in Sierra. One of the most important sauce in Ecuadorian Cuisine is aji which is a hot sauce. Most homes and restaurants in Ecuador have their own versions of this sauce. Soups are again a specialty of Ecuadorian Food. Locro Soup though sounds a little weird with the ingredients like cheese, avocado and potato is actually quite delicious. Food of Ecuador on a daily basis includes seco de pollo, which is stewed chicken with rice and avocado slices. The spices of Ecuador are extraordinary which make the Ecuador Food mouth watering. Educational System Primary Education
- 7. The constitution stipulates that all children attend school for 9 years and that this be free. Although the primary school enrolment rate exceeds 95%, 25% of children will have dropped out by the end of the 5th grade. Information is scanty, however there are believed to be approximately 1,088 primary schools where an average of 1.5 teachers per school educate an average of 63 pupils through 6 grades. Secondary Education There are 35 secondary schools in Ecuador. Grades 7 – 9 are free. Thereafter parents must pay school fees if they would like their children to study further. When this happens students have a choice of attending classes in for example computer skills, maths, science or social studies. Vocational Education Information on vocational training is scant too, and in many cases on- job training is little more than sitting next to nellie. A number of international aid programs are in place the help the government improve the situation. Inevitably it is the rural poor that are the most disadvantaged. Tertiary Education The primary university is Universidad San Francisco de Quito in the city of that name. While highly regarded locally it scores poorly in international rankings. It was founded in 1988 as a non-profit organization to plug a gap in the country’s education system. There were originally just 3 colleges (business, applied sciences, communications and culture). Over the years a fuller spread has been added.
- 8. October 12 Columbus Day* Also known as "Día de la Raza" (Day of the Race), Columbus Day celebrates the day in 1492 on which Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colón) first set foot on American soil in what is now known as the Dominican Republic. November 2 All Soul's Day (a.k.a. "Day of the Dead")* On All Soul's Day, families visit cemeteries to dance, drink, eat, and leave flowers and other offerings for deceased friends and relatives in a convivial ceremony designed to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on. December 6 Founder's Day, Quito - Fiestas de Quito The air in Quito takes on a more festive spirit throughout the first week of December as Quiteños take in bullfights, parades, and street dances, and ride around Quito atop Chivas (open-air party buses complete with live music and drinks). Also known as "Fiestas de Quito", this week is the opening act to a month-long gala for many July 25 Founder's Day, Guayaquil For two days, Guayaquil enjoys its biggest celebration of the year. The ciity shuts down for two days to celebrate Simón Bolívar's birthday and the foundation of Ecuador's most populous city. May 24 Battle of Pichincha* Military and civilian parades mark the day in 1822 when the country's most important battle in the war for independence from Spain was fought.
- 9. Imports Importing goods into Ecuador from the United States or Europe can be a time-consuming, costly and frustrating process. However, with the guidance of good lawyers and reputable companies, many—but certainly not all—of these annoyances can be alleviated. Start the process way ahead of time and don't count on goods arriving according to a strict schedule. Many things can go wrong along the way. Guidelines are constantly changing and a lot depends on which particular customs officials you are dealing with at any given time. The first real step entails figuring out what type of visa entitles importation of goods. This is very important, as getting the wrong type of visa will cost you extra money, time and overall hassle. Keep in mind that you cannot import goods into Ecuador with a student visa. Then there are other visas like the investment visa—which requires a $25,000 minimum in the bank to keep it valid—that do allow importation, but are not recommended for doing so. Once you get have secured a visa at your local Ecuador consulate, the next big—and very important—step is finding a reputable importer. Take the time to do thorough research and make sure the company is aware of the specific provisions for importing into Ecuador. Many claim they know them, yet few have any real experience with Ecuador importation, and the requirements for Ecuador are very different than they are for other countries. The extra splurge on a reliable importer may be worth it because it is bound to save you money and cut down on inconvenience down the road. The importer will usually handle export documents, but at an extra cost. You will also need to set up an agent in advance to supervise customs at the port in Guayaquil, and to transport your items to Quito. It is also possible to pick the stuff up yourself in Guayaquil instead. INSA (URL: www.insa.com.ec) is a reputable company with English- speaking employees. One of the most important measures you will need to take is creating your Menaje de Casa, or an official, extremely detailed list of each
- 10. item you are importing. The list must be translated into Spanish, and you need to include descriptions of, serial and model numbers of, and values of each thing in your shipping container. After this has been completed, you will need to get a Certificado de Menaje de Casa de Extanjeros at your nearest Ecuadorian consulate. You will have to get the signature on your Menaje de Casa notarized and then will need to get a letter written at the consulate that says you A than a year, which will then have to be notarized by someone in the consulate building. Once notarized, the letter will have to have an apostilleafixed at the state or provincial capital building and then will need to be taken back to the consulate another time. Approval of the Menaje de Casa costs about $100. Make sure to make lots of copies of all these documents (and that goes for all documents throughout the entire process). Also, take your passport with you everywhere because you will most likely be asked for it each step of the way. Costs are highly dependent on the importer you use, but keep in mind that you are charged per shipping container, not per pound, so empty space is wasted space. However, make sure that all items in the container, which will then be reflected on your Menaje de Casa, total less than $4,000 or else you will be subject to much higher taxes. On a value of slightly under $4,000, you can expect to pay about $700 in taxes, or about a fifth of the total value. Importing one shipping container from New York City to Guayaquil will cost around $3,000, and then an additional $1,300 or so for customs clearance and transport from Guayaquil to Quito. The entire process from start to finish can take close to a year, or even longer. Sometimes you will need to wait a few months for a boat to even come in the direction of Guayaquil before you will be able to send your belongings. Other times, your shipping container may sit inexplicably in customs for weeks or months. Therefore, don't plan for anything to arrive on time. Also, don't be surprised if items are missing, as there have been many reports of stolen goods. This is where hiring a reputable agent should payoff, as it should oversee the wellbeing of your goods and reduce the chances of this happening. Finally, importing, like many other things in Ecuador is all about who you know. Therefore, if you can hook up with someone who imports
- 11. regularly through business or otherwise, putting your stuff with theirs is a significantly better and cheaper option. Exports Ecuador Exports are an essential component of national wealth. Ecuador produces many products in addition to oil, bananas and flowers. Primary Exports • Petroleum • Tourism • Fishing products (tunas, lobsters, shrimps, etc) • Milk products (milk, eggs to incubate, powder milk) • Flowers (roses, natural flowers, others) • Agricultural, fruits and vegetables • Onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, cucumbers, asparagus, yucca • Banana, macho bananas, pineapples, mangos, lemons, melons, watermelon • Coffee, black tea, ginger, corn, rice. Money Ecuador’s official currency is the US dollar. If you’re not traveling from the USA, consider bringing a small supply of US dollars with you on your trip in case you have trouble exchanging currency from your home country. Western Unions are in most big cities. Exchange The value for Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) in Ecuador was 25,000.00 as of 2006. As the graph below shows, over the past 46 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 25,000.00 in 2006 and a minimum value of 15.00 in 1960. Definition: Official exchange rate refers to the exchange rate determined by national authorities or to the rate determined in the
- 12. legally sanctioned exchange market. It is calculated as an annual average based on monthly averages (local currency units relative to the U.S. dollar). Source: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics.