Ecuador's Geography | Ecuador Geography
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: Territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
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: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)
Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: Deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements: Party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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
