Ecuador

History

• Is a republic in Northwestern South America
• Includes the Galapagos Island
• Found in 1531 by Francisco Pizarro

Languages

• The predominant and official language of Ecuador is Spanish

Music

• Pasillo is an genre of indigenous latin music
• It is popular in Ecuador where it is the national genre of music
• Pasillos are played with guitar

Cuisine

• Ecuadorian cuisine is diverse
• Pork,chicken,beef and cuy(guinea pig)are popular in the mountainous regions and are served with rice ,corn and potatoes
• Others include unripe plantains and a stew made from goat

Currency

• The present currency is US dollar, it has been since 2000
• The last currency was Sucre which was the currency from 1884 to 2000

Holidays

• January 1:New Years Eve
• February 8&9:Carnival 1&2
• July 24:Simon Bolivar Day
• November 2:All Souls Day

Traditions

• Only close friends and family use first names
• On November 2, there is the celebration of the Day of the Dead, a memorial to loved ones who have gone to “the beyond.