Ecuador

Ecuador: Vibrant Culture, Established Expat Communities, And Cheap Living Surrounded By Beautiful Nature

Ecuador is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on the planet, boasting the Amazon Rain Forest, the Galapagos Islands, hundreds of miles of coastline, and the bucolic Andean central valleys.

Thanks to this geographic diversity, Ecuador enjoys environmental “megadiversity,” meaning it’s home to an inordinate percentage of the planet’s plant and wildlife species.

About the size of Nevada, Ecuador has a population of over 15 million people, most of whom are an ethnic mixture of Spanish and Native American.

Formerly a part of the northern Inca Empire, Ecuador was conquered by Spain in 1533. During this time, it gained independence in 1822 to become part of Gran Colombia, where it remained until total liberation in 1830.

Today, Ecuador incorporates its indigenous heritage with its colonial past, creating a vibrant culture felt strongly throughout the country.

Ecuador experienced an oil boom from 2005 to 2014, resulting in ambitious infrastructure projects and multibillion-dollar initiatives to improve health and education and reduce crime and poverty.

This initiative transformed a once-struggling country into one of Latin America’s highest-ranking countries for standard of living.

Expats have caught on to this country’s incredible natural beauty and high quality of life, with thousands of North Americans and Canadians already calling Ecuador home.