Total area: 283,560 km2
land area: 276,840 km2; includes Galapagos Islands

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: 2,010 km total
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

Disputes: two 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% ; includes irrigated 2%

Environment: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts

Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

NOTE: The information regarding Ecuador on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ecuador Geography 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ecuador Geography 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.