Capital: Quito
Area: 256,370 km²
Population: 13 millions
Languages: Spanish, Quichua
Religion: Catholic
Historic Overview
Economic Overview
1534: Foundation of Quito by the Spanish 1822: Independance from Spain 1830: Independance from Gran
Colombia,
by Simon Bolivar 1995: War with Peru 1999: Economical Crisis 2000: Dollarization
Currency: US Dollar (since 2000)
Main Exportations: Oil, bananas, shrimp
Economical crisis in 1999 caused by many factors. El Niño weather phenomenon in 1997, a sharp drop in global oil prices in 1997-98, and international emerging market instability caused an annual year-on-year inflation 52.2% and a devaluation of the national currency of 65%.
