Travel through our timeline of major events in Ecuador's history.

3500 B.C. – 500 B.C.:
The first permanent settlements are built in the area.

1400s A.D.:
Incas from Peru invade what is now Ecuador and conquer the natives.

1526 – 1534:
The Spanish conquistadores land in northern Ecuador and overthrow the Incan empire. The area comes under Spanish control.

1822:
Ecuador achieves independence from Spain and joins Venezuela, Panama and Colombia as part of the Gran Colombia republic. In 1830, Ecuador becomes an independent country.

1835:
Charles Darwin visits the Galapagos Islands, where he studies animals and plants and develops his theories of evolution.

1925 - 1948:
The country has many political, social, and economic problems. There are 22 presidents; not one serves a complete term.

1941:
Peru takes control of Ecuador's Amazon region, and the two countries go to war. The disagreement continues through much of the 20th century.

1970s:
Ecuador begins producing oil and becomes one of the largest oil exporters in the world.

1979:
Democracy returns to Ecuador. A new constitution is adopted, and elections are held.

1996:
Ecuador wins its first Olympic medal when Cuenca-native Jefferson Perez takes the Gold in race-walking.

1998:
Ecuador and Peru sign a peace treaty, ending their border dispute.

2000:
In an effort to aid the economy, the U.S. dollar is adopted as Ecuador's official currency.

2001:
A state of emergency is declared after an oil spill off the coast of the Galapagos Islands threatens the rare species there. Read the story

2003:
Lucio Gutierrez becomes Ecuador's president and continues efforts to reform the country's political structure.