Facts: Quito, formally San Francisco de Quito

• Elevation of 9,350 feet (2,800 meters above sea level (hence the altitude made me throw up upon landing?)
• It is the highest capital city in the WORLD housing the administrative, legislative and judicial functions
• It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha
• Pichincha is an active STRATOvolcano in the Andes mountains [Strato/composite volcanos are volcanos built up of layers/stratas. Unlike shield volcanos, which are made of fluid lava, stratovolcanos have a steep profile. Example of a shield volcanos are the Hawaiin islands. Example of another stratovolcano is the Fuji mountain].
• Population a little over 2 million according to the last census (2001)
• Is the second most populous city in Ecuador, after Guayaquil, and it's the new economic capital city in Ecuador
• In 2008, the city was designated as the headquarters of the Union of South American Nations
• The Historic Center of Quito has one of the largest, least-altered and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas [I love this area!]
• The central square of Quito is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the equator
• The city itself extends to within about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) of zero latitude
• A monument and museum marking the GENERAL location of the equator is known locally as la mitad del mundo (the middle of the world), to avoid confusion, as the word ecuador is Spanish for equator [You can see photos in my prior posts of Mitad Del Mundo and also another actual monument that marks the 0'0'0' latitude].

SOURCE: Wikipedia