Ecuador

Ecuador is a country straddling the equator on South America’s west coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses the Amazon jungle, Andean highlands, and the wildlife-rich Galápagos Islands. In the Andean foothills at an elevation of 2,850 miles, the capital city Quito is known for its largely intact Spanish colonial center, with richly decorated 16th- and 17th-century palaces and religious sites, including the ornate Compañía de Jesús Church.