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Ecuador (), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( ), literally, ""Republic of the equator"") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America (with Chile) that does not have a border with Brazil. The country also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about  west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator, from which it takes its name, and has an area of . Its capital city is Quito; its largest city is Guayaquil.

History

Evidence of human cultures in Ecuador exists from c. 3500 B.C.Embassy of Ecuador in Japan Many civilizations rose throughout Ecuador, such as the Valdivia Culture and Machalilla Culture on the coast, the Quitus (near present day Quito) and the Cañari (near present day Cuenca). Each civilization developed its own distinctive architecture, pottery, and religious interests. After years of fiery resistance by the Cayambes