Ecuadorians in the United Kingdom ( es, Ecuatorianos en el Reino Unido) include people of

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

ian ancestry living in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, who have been born or raised in the UK. They can be either

British citizens British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...

or non-citizen immigrants.

Demographics

Population and distribution

The 2001 Census recorded 3,035 Ecuadorian-born people living in the UK. More recent estimates of the size of the Ecuadorian population in the UK vary. In 2006, ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' newspaper put the figure at around 10,000. Several other sources estimate the population including British-born people of Ecuadorian origin to be higher.

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

representatives and community members believe it is in the range of 30,000 to 75,000, whilst the Ecuadorian

Consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of diplomatic mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth c ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

states around 70,000. Latin American author Sofia Buchuck estimates between 70,000 and 90,000. However, Ecuadorians do not feature in

Office for National Statistics The Office for National Statistics (ONS; cy, Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament. Overview The ONS is responsible for t ...

estimates for the top 60 foreign countries of birth in 2008, meaning that there are fewer than 20,000 Ecuadorian-born people resident in the UK. The overwhelming majority of Ecuadorians in the UK can be found in London, with the Ecuadorian Consulate estimating that 80 to 90 per cent live in the capital. Lambeth, Southwark, Newham and Haringey are the most populous boroughs within Greater London.

Ethnicity and religion

The majority of Ecuadorian British people are

mestizos (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...

Andean The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S l ...

origin. It is a predominantly Christian community, and is served by over 20 Latin American churches in London (with more across the UK). Comunidad Cristiana de Londres has over 5,000 largely Ecuadorian members.

Community

Culture

The cultural capital of Ecuadorians in the UK is

Elephant and Castle The Elephant and Castle is an area around a major road junction in London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark. The name also informally refers to much of Walworth and Newington, due to the proximity of the London Underground stati ...

in London where the areas main shopping centre has many Ecuadorian stalls and shops that sell Ecuadorian produce and craft work. In the same district, Ecuadorian-owned hairdressers, money transfer and community centres, clothing importers and music stores can be found. Alongside Elephant and Castle, a significant number of Ecuadorian restaurants can be found in London, most notably in Seven Sisters and on

Holloway Road Holloway Road is a road in London, in length. It is one of the main shopping streets in North London, and carries the A1 road as it passes through Holloway, in the London Borough of Islington. The road starts in Archway, near Archway Under ...

. The Carnaval del Pueblo, which is Europe's largest celebration of

Latin American culture Latin American culture is the formal or informal expression of the people of Latin America and includes both high culture (literature and high art) and popular culture (music, folk art, and dance), as well as religion and other customary practices. ...

, has a significant input from the Ecuadorian community.

Notable people

Pedro Vicente Maldonado - Died in London in 1748 and is interred in the St.James's Church, Piccadilly. Maldonado Walk in Southwark, was named after his memory.

External links

EcuaBrit a meeting point for Ecuadorian and British people

References

{{AmericansinUK British people of Latin American descent Immigration to the United Kingdom by country of origin Latin American diaspora in the United Kingdom