What is the capital of Ecuador?
Quito sits in a high Andean valley on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, at about 2,850 metres, one of the highest capital cities in the world.
Quito is the capital and seat of government of Ecuador, a role it has held since 1830. Ecuador itself has an estimated population of 18,289,896 (2025).
Quito is not the largest city in Ecuador. That is Guayaquil, which makes Ecuador one of the countries whose capital is not their biggest city.
Quito at a glance
| City population | 1,763,275 (2022) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 2,800,000 (estimate) |
| Country | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
| Founded | 1534 |
| Capital since | 1830 |
| Largest city in Ecuador | Guayaquil |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (ECT) |
| Currency | United States dollar (USD) |
About Quito
Quito was refounded on its present site on 6 December 1534 on the ruins of an Inca city; its historic centre was one of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites, listed in 1978.
Quito has been the capital of Ecuador since 1830, Quito has been Ecuador's capital since the republic was founded in 1830, having earlier been a major Spanish colonial city.
Quito is Ecuador's second-largest city; the Pacific port of Guayaquil has a larger population.
It stands almost on the equator, from which Ecuador takes its name.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Quito.
Frequently asked questions
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Ecuador on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.