Lesson 3/44 min
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile
Four Andean countries
| Country | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Ecuador | The name means “equator”, after the equator; the Galápagos Islands, linked with Charles Darwin, father of evolutionary theory; highest peak Chimborazo; capital Quito |
| Peru | The heartland of the Inca civilisation; Machu Picchu is in Peru; highest peak Huascarán; capital Lima |
| Bolivia | Named after Simón Bolívar; once part of the Inca empire; highest peak Sajama; called the “roof of the world” for its Andean height; landlocked; two capitals (La Paz and Sucre) |
| Chile | The world's narrowest country; the largest copper producer; the world's southernmost town Puerto Williams; the Atacama Desert is in Chile; dictator Augusto Pinochet; first woman president Michelle Bachelet |
More facts
- La Paz lies at about 3,640 m, the world's highest administrative capital. In Bolivia La Paz is the seat of government and Sucre the constitutional capital.
- Lake Titicaca lies on the Peru–Bolivia border; it is among the highest navigable lakes in the world.
- The world's biggest copper mine is in Chile.
- The presidents now are José Antonio Kast in Chile (sworn in 11 March 2026), Keiko Fujimori in Peru (28 July 2026), Rodrigo Paz in Bolivia and Daniel Noboa in Ecuador (per news reports).
Watch out: The book places Aconcagua (South America's highest peak) in Chile; it is in Argentina, near the Chilean border. The book puts Titicaca “in Bolivia”; the lake is shared by Peru and Bolivia. The book names Ecuador's legislature the “Chamber of Representatives”; this could not be verified and is left out.
Check yourself
Which country is the world's largest copper producer?
At a glance
- 1
Ecuador = “equator”; the Galápagos Islands (Darwin); capital Quito.
- 2
Peru has Machu Picchu; its highest peak is Huascarán.
- 3
Bolivia is landlocked with two capitals; La Paz is at about 3,640 m.
- 4
Chile is the world's narrowest country and top copper producer; first woman president Michelle Bachelet.
- 5
Aconcagua is in Argentina; in 2026 Kast took office in Chile and Fujimori in Peru.