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Latin America & the Caribbean
Ecuador
The Andes form a mountaneous backbone down the middle of Ecuador. This Andean region – also known as the Sierra – is home to nearly 50% of the country's population. The Sierra’s cultural and natural diversity spans grassy highlands (paramo), cloud forests, mountain lakes, active volcanoes, thermal baths, Indian markets, colonial towns and haciendas. Its cities include the capital city of Quito, and the commercial centres of Cuenca and Ambato, whose economic activities are dominated by services such as tourism and small-scale farming.
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Read how Ecuador promoted the International Year of Mountains (2002)
