Ecuador #263273

The Republic of Ecuador owes its name to the fact that the equator traverses its territory at a very short distance from its capital and divides the country into two sections north and south of the line. Numerous islands belong to the Republic, some of them being situated either close to the coast or at comparatively short distances, while others, like the Galapagos Archipelago, are 600 miles, if not more, from the continent. The Constitution of Ecuador describes the territory of the Republic as consisting of the Provinces which formed what was called in olden times the Presidencia de Quito and the Archipelago of Galapagos. The limits of this vast territory, which lies between Colombia on the north, Brazil on the east, Peru on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west, have never been surveyed, nor even determined. Article 2. Of the Constitution contains a provision also that the boundaries shall be established by treaties. The governments of Ecuador and Peru reached an agreement in 1888 by which all questions in regard to their frontier were submitted to the decision of the Queen Regent of Spain. Her Majesty consented to assume the responsibility, but her consent was given upon the express understanding that her Government would not undertake to consider the matter until after two cases of similar character, one between Colombia and Venezuela and the other between Costa Rica and Colombia, also submitted to her for adjustment.