| 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
|
| Maritime claims: |
continental shelf:
claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
territorial sea:
200 NM
|
| 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:
6%
permanent crops:
5%
permanent pastures:
18%
forests and woodland:
56%
other:
15% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
5,560 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts
|
| Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, 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
|
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