Ecuador, also officially known as the Republic of Ecuador, is a country situated in the northwest region of South America and shares its borders with countries like Colombia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean. The country also includes the Galapagos Islands located in the Pacific which is about 1000 kilometers west of the mainland. The city of Quito is the capital of Ecuador. It is the most populous city in the country and is also the second highest official capital city in the world at an elevation of 9,350 ft. from the sea level. The territories of the modern-day Ecuador were colonized by Spain in the 16th century and the territories also achieved independence in the year 1820 as a part of Gran Colombia, from which it became a sovereign state in the year 1830. The population of the country is highly diverse and its official language is Spanish. There are 13 other native languages that have been officially recognized such as Quechua and Shuar. Ecuador is a developing country and is highly dependent on commodities like agricultural products and petroleum. Ecuador is also one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world due to its endemic plants and animals, such as those found on the Galapagos Islands. And to recognize this unique ecological heritage of the country, the Ecuadorian constitution became the first in the world in the year 2008 to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature or ecosystem rights. In Antarctica, the country has set up a peaceful station for conducting scientific research as a member nation of the Antarctica Treaty; this treaty regulates international relations with regards to the continent which is the only continent in the world to not have a native human population. Ecuador is also a member of the United Nations (UN) and is also a member of many regional groups like the Rio Group, the Latin American Economic System, etc.