Ecuador is a country that stretches along the equator on the west coast of South America. Its diverse landscapes encompass the Amazon jungle, the Andean highlands and the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands. On the slopes of the Andes, at an elevation of 2,850 m, Quito, its capital, is famous for its long-preserved Spanish colonial center, with decorated XVI and XVII – century palaces and religious sites, such as the ornate Church of the Society of Jesus.