5. Ecuador
Total – 57
Ecuador ranks 5th on our list of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world. On the western side of the South American continent, you’ll find Ecuador, a country that borders Columbia, Peru, and the beautiful Ocean. The nation is home to beautiful plants, over 16,000 species to be exact.
Ecuador is also home to some 1,600 bird species, including 38 more that are endemic to the Galapagos Islands. There are another 369 species of mammals here, 394 amphibian species and 415 species of reptiles. There are 74 protected areas across Ecuador’s territory, covering 20% of the terrestrial area and 13% of the marine area.
The Galapagos Islands, which are part of Ecuador, are particularly famous since the animals found here helped Charles Darwin start his theory of evolution by natural selection, one that is now studied across the world and held as true. The Islands are a World Heritage Site as recognized by UNESCO, a biosphere reserve, while 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) of ocean surrounding the islands form a marine reserve, the second largest in the world.
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