Ecuador: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Ecuador |
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Background:
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The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. |
| Geography | Ecuador |
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Location:
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Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru |
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Geographic coordinates:
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2 00 S, 77 30 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands water: 6,720 sq km land: 276,840 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Nevada |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
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Coastline:
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2,237 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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territorial sea: 200 NM
continental shelf: 100 NM from 2,500 meter isobath |
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Climate:
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tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands |
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Terrain:
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coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15% other: 89.16% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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8,650 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world |