Short facts about the geography of Ecuador

Location:

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:

South America

Area:

total:  283,560 sq km land:  276,840 sq km water:  6,720 sq km note:  includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries:

total:  2,010 km border countries:  Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline:

2,237 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea:  200 NM

Climate:

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  6% permanent crops:  5% permanent pastures:  18% forests and woodland:  56% other:  15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

5,560 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Source: World Factbook