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

Map references: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 283,560 sq km
land area: 276,840 sq km
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 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution
natural hazards: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts
international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands

Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

NOTE: The information regarding Ecuador on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ecuador Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ecuador Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.