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| Geography |
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Introduction
Straddling the equator in western South America, Ecuador has territories in both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres. It borders Colombia to the north and shares a border with Peru to the south and to the east. The Pacific Ocean is Ecuador’s western border. Ecuador is geographically divided into four regions (the Amazon, the Highlands, the Coast, and the Galapagos Islands) and is politically split into 22 provinces, which, in turn, are split into 205 cantons.
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Ecuador’s coastal region is composed by the providences of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Guayas and El Oro. The highlands region is composed by Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua y Chimborazo; at the south region there are located the provinces as Bolívar, Cañar, Azuay and Loja. At the Amazon Region there are Sucumbíos, Napo, Pastaza, Orellana, Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe. And The Galapagos Islands are composed by 13 main islands. |
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Pacific Coast
Ecuador’s coastal region, also known as the western lowlands, is made up of fertile plains, rolling hills and rivers that run from the Andes to the Pacific Ocean. All five coastal provinces have attractive beaches and plenty of hotels and resorts for tourists.
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The tropical beaches of Guayas, Manabí and Esmeraldas Provinces are popular with both international and local tourists. |
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The Highlands La cordillera de los
Andes atraviesa el país de sur a norte. De este sistema montañoso
nacen las cordilleras Occidental y Oriental al dividirse en la provincia
de Loja, formando hoyas y valles a lo largo del callejón
interandino. Entre las dos cordilleras se desplaza una meseta que
llega hasta los tres mil metros de altura.
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The Andes Mountain Range crosses the country from north to south. Some of the important mountain peaks in the Ecuadorian Andes are Chimborazo (Ecuador’s highest peak), the Illinizas, Cotopaxi (the world’s highest active volcano), Cayambe, and Antisana. (See table)
Chimborazo: 6310 meters above the sea level
Cotopaxi: 5897 m
Cayambe: 5790 m
Antisana: 5758 m
Altar: 5320 m
Illiniza: 5248m
Tungurahua: 5023 m
Cotacahi: 4.944 m
The mountain range widens and decreases in altitude in southern Ecuador, forming a plateau know as the Austro.
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The Amazon Region The Amazon Region can be geographically divided into two sub regions: the highlands and the lowlands. The Amazon highlands are made up of the Andean foothills which slowly descend towards the Amazon River Basin. The most impressive elevated regions of this area are in the north, including the Sumaco Volcano. |
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Further to the east, the Amazon lowlands are home to some of Ecuador’s most beautiful and important rivers: the Putumayo, the Napo and the Pastaza. |
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Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are made up of 13 main islands, 17 islets, and dozens of ancient rock formations. The volcanically formed islands lie roughly 1,000 kilometers off the coast of the Ecuadorian mainland. Apart from beautiful beaches and unique ecosystems, the Galapagos Islands are home to active volcanoes that reach altitudes up to 1,600 meters. The wildlife on the Galapagos Islands is often quite tame and approachable by humans. |
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| Source: Ecuador Turism Ministry |
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