Geography of Ecuador

The Galápagos are located 1,000 kilometres (621 mi) west of the Ecuadorian coast. They are noted for their association with Charles Darwin, whose observation of animals here during the voyage of the Beagle led to his formation of the theory of natural selection as a means of evolution. The islands have witnessed a large number of tourists and travelers over recent years. Special species that could be found here include blue footed boobies, iguanas and many more. Internal flight services from Ecuador to Galápagos are also available for tourists making it more convenient for guests from outside.

Panoramic of Black Turtle Cove, Island of Santa Cruz, Galapagos.

School of scalloped hammerheads, Wolf Island, Galápagos Islands

Another school of scalloped hammerheads at Wolf Island, Galapagos

Sulfur laguna on the site of AguaBlanca, Machalilla National Park, Ecuador

Galápagos tortoise on Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)

Fresh water swimming in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos on the Island of Santa Cruz.

The western coastal area of Ecuador borders the Pacific Ocean to the west, encompasses a broad coastal plain, and then rises to the foothills of the Andes Mountains to the east. It is estimated that 98% of the native forest of coastal Ecuador has been eliminated in favor of cattle ranching and other agricultural production, including banana, cacao and coffee plantations. The forest fragments that still survive are primarily found along the coastal mountain ranges of Mache-Chindul, Jama-Coaque, and Chongon-Colonche, and include tropical dry forest, tropical wet forest, tropical moist evergreen forest, premontane cloud forest, and mangrove forest. Collectively known as the Pacific Equatorial Forest, these forest remnants are considered the most endangered tropical forest in the world, and are part of the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot.[3] Guayaquil, located on the southern part of the coast is the biggest city in the country. On the north coast of Ecuador the port of Balao in Esmeraldas is used for oil export and the port of Manta was formerly used by the United States Air Force as a control point for narcotics traffic control until 2009.

A recent remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 635 km² of tidal flats in Ecuador, making it the 41st ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.[4]

Mount Imbabura (Ecuador) from south-east

The central belt of Ecuador that includes the Andes Mountains, with volcanoes and mountain peaks that sport year-round snow on the equator. Many areas of the Sierra are deforested to make way for agriculture and a number of cut-flower growing operations. At a certain altitude, cloud forests may be found.

The northern Ecuadorian Andes are divided into three parallel cordilleras which run in what is similar to an S-shape from north to south: the western, central (Cordillerra Real) and eastern (Cordillera Occidental) cordilleras. The cordilleras were formed earlier in the Cenozoic era (the current geological era), as the Nazca Plate has subducted underneath the South American Plate and has raised the mountain range. In the south, the cordilleras are not well defined.

Quito, the capital city, is located in a high mountain valley on the foothills of the Pichincha (volcano). The town of Baños de Agua Santa features hot springs swimming pools on the foothills of the Tungurahua in the Central Cordillera. The road from Baños to Puyo has long been known for its narrowness, curves and sheer drops (only one lane in some places, on one area, actually cut into the side of a cliff so that the cliff roofs over it). The most important east–west road across the Andes is the road from Quito to Lago Agrio, which is paved for most of its length yet is heavily traveled by tractor-trailers—and the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline serves as the guardrail for long stretches of this road.

Sangay

Tungurahua

Quilotoa

Cotopaxi

Illiniza

Antisana

Pichincha

Reventador

Cayambe

Chimborazo

Major volcanoes in Ecuador

The volcano Chimborazo from the Northwest

• Chimborazo (6,267 metres (20,561 ft)) inactive volcano, the furthest point from the Earth's center.
• Cotopaxi (5,897 metres (19,347 ft)) is the tallest active volcano in the world.
• Illiniza (5,248 metres (17,218 ft))
• Tungurahua (5,023 metres (16,480 ft)) It is an active volcano in eruption since 1998 near Baños-Tunguragua
• Pichincha (4,784 metres (15,696 ft)) volcano overlooking Quito

Partial, incomplete table of volcanoes in the north of the Ecuadorian Andes, from north to south:

Much of the Oriente is tropical moist broadleaf forest (Spanish: la selva), on the east slopes of the Andes Mountains and descending into the Amazon Basin, with strikingly different upland rainforest with steep, rugged ridges and cascading streams (can be seen around Puyo) and lowland rainforest. The oil fields are located in the Amazon basin, headquartered at Lago Agrio; some of the rainforest has been seriously damaged in this region and environmental degradation is severe, with catastrophic oil pollution in some areas. Some 38% of Ecuador's land is forested,[5] and despite a 1.5% annual deforestation rate remains one of the most biodiverse locations on the planet. The Oriente is also home to a large number of Ecuador's indigenous groups, notably the lowland Quechua, Siona, Secoya, Huaorani, and Cofán.

Imbabura Volcano photographed in black and white.

Temperatures in the Sierra do not vary greatly on a seasonal basis; the hottest month averages 16 °C (60.8 °F) and the coolest month, 13 °C (55.4 °F) in the upper elevations. Diurnal temperatures, however, vary dramatically, from cold mornings to hot afternoons. The almost vertical sun and the rarefied air in the higher Sierra region allow the land to warm quickly during the day and lose heat quickly at night. Mornings typically are bright and sunny, whereas afternoons often are cloudy and rainy. In general, rainfall amounts are highest on exposed locations at lower altitudes. Rain can also vary on a local basis. Sheltered valleys normally receive 500 millimeters (19.7 in) per year, whereas annual rainfall is 1,500 millimeters (59.1 in) in Quito and can reach 2,500 millimeters (98.4 in) on exposed slopes that catch rain-bearing winds. On a seasonal basis, the driest months are June through September.

The climate in the Sierra is divided into levels based on altitude. The tropical level—400 to 1,800 meters (1,312 to 5,906 ft)—has temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 °C (68.0 to 77.0 °F) and heavy precipitation. The subtropical level—1,800 to 2,500 meters (5,906 to 8,202 ft)—has temperatures from 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F) and moderate precipitation. The temperate level—≤2,500 to 3,200 meters (8,202 to 10,499 ft)≥- -has a year-round temperature in the range of 10 to 15 °C (50 to 59 °F) and an annual rainfall of 1,000 millimeters (39.4 in). The temperate level experiences rainstorms, hailstorms, and fog. Winter, or the rainy season, lasts from January through June, and the dry season or summer from July through December. Most rain falls in April. There also is a short rainy period in early October caused by moisture penetrating the Sierra from the Oriente. Quito and most other populated areas in the Sierra are located at this temperate level. The cold level extends from the temperate zone to 4,650 meters (15,256 ft). Here, average temperatures are 3 to 9 °C (37.4 to 48.2 °F), and the precipitation often appears in the form of rain, hail, and thick fog. Above 4,650 meters (15,256 ft) is the frozen level, where peaks are constantly capped with snow and ice, and temperatures range from below 0 to 3 °C (32.0 to 37.4 °F). Precipitation frequently is in the form of snow, fog, and rain.

The eastern lowlands in the Oriente experience abundant rainfall, especially in the Andean Piedmont, sometimes exceeding 5,000 millimeters (196.9 in) per year. Temperatures average 25 °C (77 °F) in the western parts of this region. The jungle-covered plains of the Eastern lowlands register high levels of rainfall and temperatures surpassing 28 °C (82.4 °F).

Being located on the equator, the Galápagos Islands would have an equatorial climate were it not for the modifying effects of the Peruvian Current. Instead, climate on the islands follows a pattern more like that of the Sierra than the Costa. At sea level, the land is desertlike with temperatures of 21 °C (69.8 °F). The eight summer months experience no precipitation, whereas the winter months of January through April have some fog and drizzle. Above sea level to an altitude of 450 meters (1,476 ft), the islands have a mixture of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. In general, temperatures are around 17 °C (62.6 °F). There is constant fog and drizzle in the summer and rain in the winter. The cold level above 450 meters (1,476 ft) has temperatures below 14 °C (57.2 °F). It is cool along the tropical coast.

8,534 km² (2003)

424.4 km³ (2011)

• total: 9.92 km³/yr (13%/6%/81%)
• per capita: 716.1 m³/yr (2005)