Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Ecuador: Quito — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Ecuador is Quito. Ecuador sits in South America, has a population of 18,001,000, and uses the USD. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Quito
  • Continent: South America
  • Population: ~18,001,000
  • Area: 283,561 km²
  • Population density: 63.5 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: USD
  • ISO code: EC

How big is Ecuador?

By population, Ecuador ranks 67th in the world, holding roughly 0.23% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 73rd.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Ecuador has 63.5 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within South America, Ecuador is the 7th most populous country of 12.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Ecuador in population are Guatemala (17,843,908) and Chad (17,723,315).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Burkina Faso (272,967 km²) and New Zealand (268,021 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.

The USD is not unique to Ecuador — it is also used by El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, and 2 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.

How to remember Ecuador

Ecuador means 'Equator' in Spanish, and Quito is the capital city closest to the equator, which runs through the north of its metropolitan area. Quito is also very high, about 2,850 m up in the Andes. Colombia's flag has the same stripes, so look for Ecuador's coat of arms.

The flag of Ecuador: yellow, blue and red

🇪🇨 The flag is three horizontal stripes of yellow (twice as wide), blue and red, with the coat of arms in the centre. Yellow stands for sunshine, grain and mineral wealth, blue for the sky, sea and rivers, and red for the blood of patriots who fought for freedom and justice.

Region and neighbours

Ecuador is a country on the northwest coast of South America, on the Pacific Ocean, crossed by the equator and the Andes mountains. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Colombia and Peru.

Three facts about Ecuador

  1. The Galápagos Islands, about 1,000 km out in the Pacific, belong to Ecuador.
  2. The top of Mount Chimborazo (6,268 m), Ecuador's highest mountain, is the point on Earth farthest from the centre of the planet.
  3. In 2008 Ecuador became the first country to recognise the rights of nature in its constitution.

Sources: Wikipedia: Ecuador, Wikipedia: Flag of Ecuador, Wikipedia: Quito, Wikipedia: Chimborazo, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Ecuador

Ecuador capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Ecuador 🇪🇨?

    • Quito
    • Caracas
    • Santiago
    • Montevideo
    Show answer

    Quito

  2. What is the capital of Chile 🇨🇱?

    • Caracas
    • Asunción
    • Santiago
    • Paramaribo
    Show answer

    Santiago

  3. What is the capital of Bolivia 🇧🇴?

    • Bogotá
    • Santiago
    • Asunción
    • Sucre
    Show answer

    Sucre

  4. What is the capital of Venezuela 🇻🇪?

    • Caracas
    • Brasília
    • Montevideo
    • Asunción
    Show answer

    Caracas

  5. What is the capital of Peru 🇵🇪?

    • Lima
    • Bogotá
    • Santiago
    • Caracas
    Show answer

    Lima

Ecuador in South America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — South America is the block Ecuador belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Ecuador.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Ecuador?

The capital of Ecuador is Quito.

What is the population of Ecuador?

About 18,001,000, making it the 67th most populous country in the world.

How big is Ecuador?

283,561 square kilometres, ranking 73rd by land area, at a density of 63.5 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Ecuador use?

The USD, shared with 6 other countries.

What are the colours of the Ecuador flag?

The flag of Ecuador is three horizontal stripes of yellow (twice as wide), blue and red, with the coat of arms in the centre. Yellow stands for sunshine, grain and mineral wealth, blue for the sky, sea and rivers, and red for the blood of patriots who fought for freedom and justice.

Which countries border Ecuador?

Ecuador shares land borders with Colombia and Peru.

How can I remember the capital of Ecuador?

Ecuador means 'Equator' in Spanish, and Quito is the capital city closest to the equator, which runs through the north of its metropolitan area. Quito is also very high, about 2,850 m up in the Andes. Colombia's flag has the same stripes, so look for Ecuador's coat of arms.

More capitals to learn

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