In a relatively small territory, Ecuador presents a cross-section of Latin-American social and cultural diversity. Indigenous populations cohabit – though not in a situation of equality – with the descendants of the Spaniards who conquered the land in the 15^th century, and those of the African slaves who were imported into the country to work on the European-owned plantations. The history of the population in this region of Southern America has distant origins, running back to the age of legend. The first historical documentation dates to the 11^th century, and it is familiar knowledge that in 1450, the country was conquered by the Incas, who controlled it up until the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores in 1532. The Spanish conquest marked the destruction of many Pre-Columbian cities: the inhabitants of the capital, Quito, conquered in 1534, preferred to destroy it rather than let it fall intact into European hands. It is one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial architecture. Ecuador is a mosaic of cultures, and it has had a rather difficult colonial history; it achieved independence in 1822, and constitutional sovereignty in 1830. From that date on, the country was torn by numerous internal conflicts and the aggravation of dramatic social inequality, with consequent tensions between sectors of society and different political trends. During the course of the 20^th century, the years of military domination exceeded those of civil government, and still today, the corruption of the political classes represents one of the most obvious sources of the country's political instability. Traditionally an agricultural country, Ecuador underwent a radical transformation of its economy from the 1960s on, following the discovery of oil and the growth of local industry. On one hand, economic development has brought with it improvements in infrastructure and education (today, over 90% of the population knows how to read and write), while on the other hand, the income deriving from crude oil has benefited only a tiny minority of the population. Today, over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, and this, together with a dramatic inflation rate, unemployment, and the incapability and corruption of the political classes, has exacerbated the country's political instability.