Ecuador's coastal region and the high Andean basins were inhabited by Indian tribes when the first Europeans reached the area's Pacific coast in 1526. The Inca Empire extended over the highland region to an area near Quito. The Spanish colonists established themselves in the country in 1534, and ruled for nearly three centuries. Independence was won by the armies of Simon Bolivar in 1822, and after an unsuccessful federation with Colombia and Venezuela, Ecuador became an independent nation in 1830. During the first century of its independence, Ecuador changed its constitutions 13 times.
Quito was chosen as the capital of Ecuador and Catholicism became the oficial religion of the State. In 1942, in a war with Peru, Ecuador lost a significant portion of its Amazon Basin territory. After numerous battles, peace was finally negotiated in late 1998 that has eased tensions along the border. Despite the history of intense internal rivalry and border conflicts, Ecuador has remained peaceful in recent years and is, at present, one of the safest countries to visit in South America.
