Named for the equator, which passes through it, the Republic of Ecuador sits on the western coast of South America. One of the smallest countries of the continent, Ecuador nevertheless features Andean summits, tropical forests and savannas, snow-edged volcanoes, and glacial lakes. About 600 miles to the west lie Ecuador's renowned Galapagos Islands, home to more than 5,000 species of plants and animals. About half of Ecuador's 14 million inhabitants live in the country's fertile, coastal lowlands, which produce major exports of cocoa and bananas. The other half reside in the Andean highlands, many around the capital city of Quito. Since the early 1970s, with the discovery of oil fields in regions east of the Andes, Ecuador has counted petroleum as its chief export. Each lavishly illustrated book in the "South America Today" series teaches about the geography, history, economy, and culture of each nation. Each volume is indexed, and contains a bibliography featuring books and Web sources for further information.