Ecuador civics quiz: questions and answers
All 15 general civics quiz questions about Ecuador with answers and explanations, grouped by topic. This is a learning quiz, not an official exam. Select a question to see the answer.
Government and law 5 questions
The 2008 Constitution, the National Assembly, the five functions of the State and Ecuador's languages.
Practise only: Government and law →
What is the capital of Ecuador?
Quito
Quito, high in the Andes, is the capital. Guayaquil is the largest city and main port.
In which year was Ecuador’s current Constitution approved?
2008
The current Constitution was drafted in Montecristi and approved by referendum in 2008.
What is the name of Ecuador’s legislature?
The National Assembly
Since the 2008 Constitution, legislative power has been held by the single-chamber National Assembly.
How many functions (branches) of the State does Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution establish?
Five
The Constitution sets up five functions: executive, legislative, judicial, electoral, and transparency and social control.
Besides Spanish, which languages are official languages of intercultural relations in Ecuador?
Kichwa and Shuar
The Constitution makes Spanish the official language, with Kichwa and Shuar as official languages of intercultural relations.
History 5 questions
The First Cry of Independence in 1809, the Battle of Pichincha, Gran Colombia and the Liberal Revolution.
What happened in Quito on 10 August 1809?
The First Cry of Independence
On 10 August 1809 Quito patriots set up a governing junta, remembered as the First Cry of Independence.
Which battle of 24 May 1822 freed Quito from Spanish rule?
The Battle of Pichincha
Forces led by Antonio José de Sucre won the Battle of Pichincha on the slopes of the volcano above Quito.
Which union did Ecuador leave in 1830 to become a separate state?
Gran Colombia
After independence the territory joined Gran Colombia, and in 1830 Ecuador became a separate republic.
Who led Ecuador’s Liberal Revolution of 1895?
Eloy Alfaro
Eloy Alfaro led the Liberal Revolution of 1895, which brought secular education and built the railway linking Guayaquil and Quito.
Which currency did Ecuador officially adopt in 2000?
The US dollar
Ecuador replaced the sucre with the US dollar in 2000, and the dollar is still its official currency.
Geography, culture and symbols 5 questions
The Galápagos Islands, the equator, Chimborazo, the toquilla straw hat and the national flag.
Practise only: Geography, culture and symbols →
Which Ecuadorian islands inspired Charles Darwin’s ideas on evolution?
The Galápagos Islands
Darwin visited the Galápagos in 1835. The islands were among the first places added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978.
Where does Ecuador’s name come from?
The equator, which crosses the country
Ecuador is Spanish for equator. The line passes just north of Quito, where the Mitad del Mundo monument stands.
What is the highest mountain in Ecuador?
Chimborazo
Chimborazo is Ecuador's highest peak. Because of the Earth's bulge at the equator, its summit is the point farthest from the Earth's centre.
What colours are on the flag of Ecuador?
Yellow, blue and red
The flag has horizontal yellow, blue and red stripes, with the yellow stripe twice as wide, and the coat of arms in the centre.
Which traditional Ecuadorian craft, often wrongly called the Panama hat, is on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list?
Weaving the toquilla straw hat
The weaving of the toquilla straw hat was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2012.
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Take a timed mock exam in the real Ecuador Civics format.