Ecuador has a diverse population composed of people of European, Native American, and African descent. The majority are mestizos individuals of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Most of the Native Americans live in poverty in the e highlands region, where a small elite of European descent controls most of the land and wealth Ecuador was a Spanish colony until 1822 when independence forces won a decisive victory over Spain. Ecuador has had a democratically elected government since 1979, but historically the government has alternated between civilian rule and military dictatorship Most political conflicts involved squabbles among groups within the upper classes who controlled the nation’ s Wealth• Ecuador has a diverse population composed of people of European，Native American，and African descent． The majority are mestizos， individuals of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Most of the Native Americans live in poverty in the highlands region，where a small elite of European descent controls most of the land and wealth． • Ecuador was a Spanish colony until 1822 when independence forces won a decisive victory over Spain．Ecuador has had a democratically elected government since 1979，but historically the government has alternated between civilian rule and military dictatorship．Most political conflicts involved squabbles among groups within the upper classes who controlled the nation’s Wealth．