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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 Peru to the south and to the east. The Pacific Ocean is
Ecuador’s western border. Ecuador, 256,370 square kilometers
in size, 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.
The coastal provinces (from north to south) are Esmeraldas, Manabí,
Los Ríos, Guayas, and El Oro. Highlands provinces are Imbabura,
Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Chimborazo, in the north, and
Bolívar, Cañar, Azuay and Loja, in the south. The
Amazon is comprised of the provinces (from north to south) of Sucumbíos,
Napo, Pastaza, Orellana, Morona-Santiago and Zamora-Chinchipe. Ecuador’s
22nd province the Galapagos Islands.
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Pacific
Coast
Ecuador’s coastal region (a.k.a. the western lowlands) is made
up of fertile plains, rolling hills, and sedimentary basins traversed
by a plethora of rivers that rush from the heights of the Andes
to the Pacific Ocean. All five coastal provinces, encompassing 640
kilometers of coastline between them, have attractive beaches and
plenty of hotels and resorts for tourists. Crisscrossed by an expansive
network of rivers and home to the nation’s most spectacular
beaches, the provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, and Guayas
quite impressive destinations frequented by tourists from all over
the world. Geographically speaking, much of this area is part of
the Guayas River Basin, which has at least twelve major tributaries
located primarily near the communities of Daule, Babahoyo, Macul,
Puca, Paján, and Colimes.
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The
Highlands - The Andes & the Austro
The Andes Mountain Range crosses
the country from north to south. The Occidental and the Oriental
Ranges are born from this mountain system as it divides in the province
of Loja, forming plains and valleys along the Andean Corridor. Between
the two ranges there is a plateau which reaches heights of three
thousand meters. The Highlands Regions, commonly referred to as
La Sierra, is made up of ten provinces, each of which have important
peaks such as Chimborazo, the Illinizas, Cotopaxi, Cayambe, and
Antisana.
Chimborazo: 6,310 m
Cotopaxi: 5,897 m
Cayambe: 5,790 m
Antisana: 5,758 m
Altar: 5,320 m
Illiniza: 5,248 m
Tungurahua: 5,023 m
Cotacahi: 4,944 m
The highest peaks are found in central and northern Ecuador. From
Riobamba towards the south there is a decrease in altitude and an
increase in the width of the mountain range, forming a kind of plateau
known as the Austro.
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The Amazon
Region
The Amazon Region and its five provinces can be geographically divided
into two sub regions: the High Amazon and the Amazon Lowlands. The
Highlands is comprised of the Andean foothills which slowly descend
towards the Amazon River Basin. Here, you’ll find the Napo,
Galeras, Cutucú, and Cóndor ranges. The most impressive
elevated regions of this area are in the north and include Volcano
Sumaco. The Lowlands, found further to east, are home to some of
the nation’s most beautiful and important rivers: the Putumayo,
the Napo, and the Pastaza.
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Galapagos
The Archipelago of Colón
(commonly known as the Galapagos Islands) is made up of 13 main
islands, 17 islets, and dozens of ancient rock formations ( table:
map of the islands). The volcanically formed islands, encompassing
an area of 8,000 kilometers in all, lies roughly 1,000 kilometers
off the coast of the Ecuadorian mainland. Apart from its beautiful
beaches and unique and varied ecosystems, the Galapagos Islands
are home to towering active volcanoes that reach altitudes up to
1,600 meters.
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| Introduction
| Coast | Andes
| Amazon | Galapagos
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Culture
Ecuador
Geography
