ECUADOR

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ECUADOR
NATIONAL PROFILE
1
ECUADOR NATIONAL PROFILE
Quito, 2016.
(Important: the underlined texts are links.
Some of them could link you to online information)
ECUADOR
NATIONAL PROFILE - CONTENTS
ECUADOR
General aspects. p. 2
Regions. p. 4
Culture. p. 9
Economy p. 15
Government. p. 19
Food. p. 22
ECUADOR
NATIONAL PROFILE - CONTENTS
VASE
The foundation p. 25
Volunteer p. 33
Aplication p. 40
Projects p. 45
Contacts p. 47
Credits p. 48
ECUADOR
GENERAL ASPECTS
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ECUADOR
GENERAL ASPECTS
Capital city
Quito
Official Languages
Spanish and Quechua
Government
Unitary Presidential Constitutional
Republic
President
Rafael Correa
Currency
US- Dollar
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ECUADOR
LOCATION
Straddling the equator in western South
America, Ecuador has land in both the
Northern and the Southern hemisphere.
It borders Colombia in the north and
Peru in the South and theEast. The
Pacific Ocean is Ecuador’s western
border.
The land area totals
283.560km²,including the Galapagos
Islands. The border with Colombia is
590km. and withPeruis 1.420km. It has
coast line of 2.237km.
The “Mitad del Mundo –Center of
the world” is where the equator crosses
Ecuador at latitude 0°0°0°
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like nowhere else all in one place
ECUADOR
geographic REGIONS
Ecuador is divided in four natural regions
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ECUADOR
geographic REGIONS
PACIFIC COAST
(Tropical weather 23 to 36 °C)
This region consists of the low lying
western portion of the country
including all of the Pacific coastline.
The coastal plain extends far inland,
then rises at the foothills of the
Andes mountain range. The region
was primarily forest, but most of the
original forests have been cleared for
timber, cattle ranching and agriculture.
There are remaining forest fragments,
including tropical dry and wet forests,
that form part of one of the world’s
most biodiverse regions.
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ECUADOR
geographic REGIONS
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
(22 to 32 °C)
The Galapagos Islands consist of 13
main islands and 17 islets, and is
located about 1000 kilometers west of
the Ecuadorian coast. The Galapagos
islands are famous for their unique
species, remarkable marine life, and for
the work of Charles Darwin, whose
observations there gave rise to his
theories of natural selection as a means
for evolution.
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ECUADOR
geographic REGIONS
ANDES
(Cooland 10 to 18 °C)
This region is the central belt of
Ecuador, running from North to South
and including the Andes mountain
range and the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
The region contains several snow
capped mountain peaks, including
Chimborazo, an extinct volcano rising
6,297 meters and the farthest point
from the center of the earth, Cotopaxi,
the second highest active volcano in
the world, Pichincha, an active volcano
overlooking the capital city of Quito,
and the peaks of Cayambe, Antisana,
Tungurahua, and the Illinizas.
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ECUADOR
geographic REGIONS
AMAZON
(Tropical weather 23 to 36 °C)
The Amazon region extends from the
eastern slopes of the Andes into the
Amazon basin, including cloud forests
of the eastern slopes of the Andes and
the lowland forests, mostly tropical
moist broadleaf forests. This region
includes both the Cuyabeno Reserve
and the Yasuni National Park, the latter
designated a World Biosphere Reserve.
In spite of severe degradation due to oil
development in many areas, this region
remains among the most biodiverse on
the planet, containing large unspoiled
areas of pristine primary forests and
amazing natural beauty.
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ECUADOR
CULTURE
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ECUADOR
SOCIETY
Ecuador’s mainstream culture is defined
by Ecuador’s “mestizo” majority,
which is a mixture of European and
Amerindian influences infused with
African elements inherited from slave
ancestors.
Ecuador is a multiethnic and
multicultural country with a population
of about 15 million people.
Although Ecuador’s official language is
Spanish, 11 other indigenous languages
are spoken. The principle indigenous
language of the highlands is Quechua.
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ECUADOR
CULTURE
Family
Ecuadorians are known as family-people.
The family life plays an important role
and children normally live with their
parents until they get married. Families
often spend the weekends together.
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ECUADOR
CULTURE
Gender
Gender roles are different than in
Europe, placing an emphasis on the
woman’s role in the household, which
some people identify as a “machismo”
mentality.
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ECUADOR
CULTURE
Children
Primary education is obligatory in
Ecuador, however only about 50% of
the population continue studies in high
school. Also, many children work on
the street as vendors, shoe shiners or
performers.
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ECUADOR
RELIGION
Religion in Ecuador is an expression
of the different cultural heritages in
the Ecuadorian culture including
the Spanish colonization, the Native
Amerindian and the Afro-Ecuadorian.
According to the Ecuadorian National
Institute of Statistics and Census,
91.95% of the population have a
religion, of which:
80.44% Catholics
11.30% Protestants
1.29% Jehovah’s Witnesses
6.97% Other
7.94% Atheists
0.11% Agnostics
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ECUADOR
ECONOMY
ECUADOR
ECONOMY
Ecuador has varied natural ecosystems
that allow the growth of many plants,
fruits, vegetables and crops. The main
products are oil, bananas, flowers and
shrimp.
Deteriorating economic performance
in 1997- 98 culminated in a severe
economic and financial crisis in 1999.
The crisis was precipitated by a number
of external shocks, including the “El
Niño” weather phenomenon in 1997, a
sharp drop in global oil prices in 199798, and international emerging market
instabilityin1997-98.
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ECUADOR
ECONOMY
In 2000 the government announced
the adoption of the United States
dollar as the national currency. While
debatable, it has helped the country
to gain economic stability as well as
a better image for foreign investors.
Nevertheless, Ecuador now depends on
the monetary policy of the USA due to
its currency.
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ECUADOR
ECONOMY
In 2011 28,6% of the population
lived below the poverty line (less than
USD$2,47 daily); however, the situation
is improving rapidly and general poverty
has decreased significantly over the last
years, according to the National Institute
of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). But
there are still big differences between
rural and urban poverty rates as well as
between different minorities.
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ECUADOR
GOVERNMENT
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ECUADOR
GOVERNMENT
Ecuador has been a democracy since
1979. The political situation in the
late 1990s and early 2000s was very
unstable, a condition which sparked
three presidents’ ousting. However, there
has been an increase instability in the
past years, since the election of Rafael
Correa, who was officially declared
president of Ecuador on December
4, 2006 and sworn in on January 15,
2007 as the 56th president of Ecuador.
President Correa is the 9th to occupy
the post since 1996. Correa was
reelected for a second term in February
2013.
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ECUADOR
GOVERNMENT
Since Correa assumed office, his main
goal was to transform the Ecuadorian
political system through a Citizen
Revolution (“Revolución Ciudadana”).
On April 15th, 2007 Correa called for
a national referendum and 81.7% of
voter supported the establishment of a
Constitutional Assembly, whose aim was
to create a new National Constitution.
The new Constitution was approved by
more than 63% of the population.
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ECUADOR
FOOD
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ECUADOR
FOOD
Ecuador Food mainly includes a great
variety of fruits and vegetables, as there
are plenty of them. Ecuador is also
greatly recognized for its high quality
fish and Seafood and the innumerable
varieties of Andean potatoes.
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ECUADOR
DIET
The regular diet includes rice, potato,
meat as 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 also a specialty of
Ecuadorian Food.
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VASE
FOUNDATION
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VASE
GENERAL ASPECTS
Voluntariado Internacional Ecuador
“Fundación de Voluntariado para la
Ayuda Social del Ecuador” (VASE)
is a non-profit, non-governmental,
non- religious Ecuadorian organization
dedicated to provide intercultural
education and volunteer community
service. VASE is officially recognized
by the Ecuadorian Ministry of
Economic and Social Inclusion.
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VASE
LOCATION
VASE’s office is located in the heart
of Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
UNESCO declared the old town of
this city as the first site in the world of
“Cultural Heritage of Mankind” for its
rich architectural beauty, which can be
seen in its churches, convents, parks,
and streets.
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VASE
MISSION
VASE´s mission constitues over five
objectives:
• Provide volunteer service support
for the elderly, children, women,
indigenous groups, human rights
organizations, hospitals, schools, and
community centers.
• Implement intercultural education
and inspire global citizenship through
international cultural exchange
programs.
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VASE
MISSION
• Proclaim peace, solidarity, friendship,
tolerance and mutual understanding as
basic values for mankind.
• Promote understanding and
appreciation of cultural diversity.
• Create sustainable community
projects in order to promote social
and economic development of the
disadvantaged communities in Ecuador.
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VASE
SEMINARS
Orientation
You will be taken directly to the
orientation venue upon arrival to
Quito. You will have an intense,
five days orientation which covers
the following topics: volunteering,
intercultural learning, safety and
Ecuador’s culture. You will also be taken
on trips to the historic down town of
Quito and indigenous villages. After the
orientation, you will have two weeks
(30hours) of Spanish classes before
starting to work in the project.
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VASE
SEMINARS
Mid-term Meeting
VASE will take you on a retreat for four
days, during which you will evaluate
and reflect on your living and work
situation during the first months. You
will be prepared for the second half of
your stay in Ecuador.
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VASE
SEMINARS
Final Evaluation
The final evaluation will consist of
a three days retreat where all the
volunteers and VASE staff will unite
to debrief on their time in Ecuador,
reflect their experiences, and prepare for
departure to home country.
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VOLUNTEER
33
VOLUNTEER
PROFILE
Age
Volunteers must be older than 18
Character
You must be enthusiastic and
motivated to work with people
that need your assistance. You
must be flexible, honest, patient,
communicative, compassionate,
proactive, show solidarity and
empathy with under privileged
people.
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ACCOMMODATION
OPTIONS
You could be hosted in one of the
following ways
Living in a family
Host families are different, so be
prepared to adapt to a variety of
circumstances, such as number of
people in the house, income level, etc.
Living in the project
There are some projects that require the
volunteers to live on site.
Accommodation will be sent to you
about 1 month before coming to
Ecuador.
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MONEY
INFORMATION
MANDATORY EXPENSES
Volunteers have to pay $ 4 for their
passport registration. In addition,
volunteers will spend around $50 USD
on a cell phone.
POCKET MONEY
Volunteers will be given pocket money
monthly to cover basic expenses.
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MONEY
INFORMATION
ITEM
Hamburger Combo
Bus ride
Coca-Cola (1l)
Letter to Europe
Bottle of Water (1l)
Cinema Ticket
Beer
Hour of Internet
Newspaper
Shampoo
Entrance to a dance
club
USD
5.50
0.25
1.50
2.00
0.70
5.50
1.50
0.70
1.00
5.50
Free - 15.00
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TRANSPORTATION
The projects are all close to your living
arrangements, however, in most cases
you will need to ride the bus to your
project. You will be given transportation
money from VASE for this purpose.
The projects are all close to your living
arrangements, however, in most cases
you will need to ride the bus to your
project. You will be given transportation
money from VASE for this purpose.
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TRANSPORTATION
Taxis are fairly cheap in Ecuador ($1.50
USD for a short ride of approximately
2km).
To cover longer distances (for example
to Guayaquil or Cuenca), you should
use a well-known bus company. These
buses run several times a day.
Ecuadorian transportation system is
generally good, but crowded. Taxis run
24 hours, and buses run from 05:00 am
until 10:00 pm.
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APPLICATION
PROCESS
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VISA
INFORMATION
You should generally start the visa
process at least 3 weeks before your
departure, since the process can take
from 1-10 working days. It is your
responsibility to contact the nearest
consulate and ask for any specific
requirements that they might have.
0-90 Days: Nationals from US, Canada
and most European countries do not
need visas for stays less than 90 days.
Your passport will be stamped with a
tourist visa (T-III) upon arrival.
If you are planning to stay more that 90
days in Ecuador, you will be required
to have a 12-VII Visa for Volunteers.
For the application you will need the
following documents.
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VISA
FOR VOLUNTEERS
ITEM
FORMAT
A passport which is valid for at least 6
Physical
months after your planned return to
home country.
Completed application form with
Physical - Online
photo.
Two letters or certificates issued by
Physical
the host organization in Ecuador
describing the tasks and duration of
the volunteer service.
Physical
A copy of the document that
states the name and address of the
legal representative of the host
organization.
Physical
A copy of the Official Registry,
RUOSC and Statutes of the host
organization.
Police Record.
Physical
Activities timetable
Physical
Fees: Application $30, Visa: $150
Physical
ITEM SOURCE
Volunteer
Ecuadorian consulate
VASE
VASE
VASE
Volunteer
VASE
Volunteer
VASE
REQUIREMENTS
To complete your application you have
to send the following documents, in
digital format, to VASE:
Passport
Completed ICYE application form
Health certificate
Motivation letter
Projects of your interest
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PACKING LIST
RECOMMENDATION
ITEM
Passport.
All your pre-departure papers.
Small gifts from your country to give to people
in your project, host family, and friends.
Clothes for layering (consider that Quito can
experience four ¨seasons¨ in one day).
Electronic adaptor (Ecuador uses 110V, 60Hz;
plugs have two flat prongs).
Debit card.
Credit card in case of an emergency (i.e. to
leave as a guarantee at a hospital).
Rain jacket and umbrella.
Flash-light.
Towel, bathing suit and sandals.
Soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and
plenty of sunscreen -it’s expensive here-.
Any medication that you take regularly
(enough to last your entire stay).
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PROJECTS
VOLUNTEER WORK
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PROJECTS
VOLUNTEER WORK
VASE volunteers support a variety of
projects in areas such as: education,
disabled people, elderly, gender, health,
and environment. All the projects
available can be found in the
VASE work profile.
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for more information contact with us
Principal
María Belén Mora
(593) 999 201000
Incoming Coordinator
Renato Noriega Baldeón
(593) 99 270 2119
Outgoing Coordinator
Pamela Villagómez
(593) 987282254
Office
Quito, Ecuador.
Antonio Navarro N32-247 y Pablo Arturo Suárez.
(593-2) 222 7828
E-Mail
[email protected]
Website
www.volunteervase.org
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CREDITS
PHOTOGRAPHS
48
CREDITS
PHOTOGRAPHS
Page 4
•Ecuador Galapagos Kicker Rock
Page 5
•Scène sortie d’un tableau de Géricault by JeanCover page.
François Renaud
•Neck of the moon by Simon Matzinger
Page 6
Contents I
•Magnificent Frigate Bird by Andy Morffew
•Abigail and friends by Arileu
•Peak Darwin’s Arch, Galapagos by Dag
•Blue-footed booby on Santa Cruz Island
•Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), Galápagos
by John Solaro
Islands, Ecuador by Derek KeatsGalápagos
•Huacos. La Mamá negra by Jose Pereira
Page 7
Contents II
•Alpaca at Hacienda El Porvenir, near Cotopaxi,
•Yasuni-Tortue-larme by Arne Hendriks
•Ecuador by Dallas Krentzel
•Ecuador, Cuenca - Vendedora al mercado by
•The Objective by Pete
Maurizio Costanzo
•Vue opposée sur la laguna Mojanda by Jean•Cielo de Quito by Ximena
François Renaud
Page 1
Page 8
•Ecuador, Quilotoa by Daran Kandasamy
•White-fronted spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth),
Page 2
Amazon, Ecuador by Dallas Krentzel
•Galapagos land iguana by Simon Matzinger
•Comunidad kichwa Añangu en el Parque Nacional
•Cotopaxi by Ángel M. Felicísimo
•El florecimiento de los guayacanes by Ministerio de Yasuní by Cancillería del Ecuador
•Yasuni-Tortue-larme by Arne Hendriks
turismo del Ecuador
Page 9
Page 3
•Woman Waiting in San Pablo, Ecuador by Marcio
•World Map by Freepik.com
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Ramalho
by Antonia Neubauer
The credits are displayed in order of appearence
from left to rigth.
CREDITS
Page 10
•Comparsas Mama Negra, Latacunga, Ecuador by
jose pereira
Page 11
•Ecuador, Cuenca - Mango y durazno by Maurizio
Costanzo
Page 12
•Índigena de Ecuador by Carlos Tobón Franco
Page 13
•Ecuador, Cuenca - 2009. Parque Calderon by Maurizio Costanzo
•Ecuador, Amazonia by Maurizio Costanzo
•Ecuador, Cuenca - Pase del niño by Maurizio Costanzo
Page 14
•Ecuador, Cuenca - Parque Calderon by Maurizio
Costanzo.
•Cucurucho Penitente by Exedu
•Virgen del Panecillo by Carlos Adampol Galindo
Page 15
•Supervisors by David Brossard
Page 16
•Mercado de Ambato Ecuador by Jose Pereira
Page 17
•Five dollars by Scott
PHOTOGRAPHS
Page 18
•Zaruma by Rinaldo Wurglitsch
Page 19
•Rafael Correa, noche cultural en Pujilí by
Cancillería del Ecuador
Page 20
•Democracia by Christian Jiménez
Page 21
•Informe a la Nación del Presidente de la República
by Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador
Page 22
•Flor en la oscuridad by Andresmbernal
Page 23
•Still Life by Angelbattle Bros
Page 24
•Soup by Jeffreyw
•Rice by T-mizo
•Seafood Galore by Christian Kadluba
Page 25
•Hands by Ahyakal
Page 26
•VASE´s brand
Page 27
•Plaza de la Independencia by John Solaro
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CREDITS
•Quito couryard by Theodore Scott
•Iglesia de La Compania de Jesus at dawn by Rein
Ketelaars
Page 28
•Jump into a new experience by VASE
Page 29
•Volunteer in Ecuador by Katharina S.
Page 30
•VASE’s incoming camp by Raúl Noriega
Page 31
• VASE’s midterm camp by Raúl Noriega
Page 32
•VASE’s final camp by Raúl Noriega
Page 33
•Dreams of Travel by Martinak15
Page 34
•Heart photowall by Kamilla Oliveira
Page 35
•Volunteers with host family by VASE
Page 36
•Mix of Money by Pictures of Money
Page 37
•Coca Cola nature morte by Gerry Lauzon
•Beer by DeusXFlorida
•Here’s another shot of Hamburger by Chichacha
PHOTOGRAPHS
Page 38
•Andes Quito Explorer by Agencia de Noticias
Page 39
•Bus 62 by Photocapy
Page 40
•Palermo Airport by Davide D’Amico
Page 41
•Travel by Fdecomite
Page 43
•Travel by Moyan Brenn
Page 44
•Backpack by Blake Bolinger
Page 45
•Abigail and friends by Arileu
Page 46
•Crossing the Plaza by Latin America For Less
Page 48
•Mangrove forest on Isabela Island in the Galapagos
Islands by John Solaro
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