Ecuador: Geography

The World Factbook 1993: Ecuador Geography

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

Area: total area: 283,560 km2 land area: 276,840 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada

note: includes Galapagos Islands

Land boundaries: total 2,010 km, 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

International disputes: three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute

Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain: coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 17% forest and woodland: 51% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 5,500 km2 (1989 est.)

Environment: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts

Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world