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.
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.
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:
6310 msnm
Cotopaxi:
5897 msnsm
Cayambe:
5790 msnsm
Antisana:
5758 msnsm
Altar:
5320 msnm
Iliniza:
5248 msnsm
Tungurahua:
5023 msnm
Cotacahi:
4.944 msnm
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.
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.
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.
Introduction to Ecuador's
Economy
Its strategic
location means that many investors and businessmen of the
21st century come to Quito. From the middle of the world the
country opens it doors to commercial and cultural exchange.
Important Cities
With a well-developed
tourist infrastructure, Ecuador’s major cities offer
lodging in the world’s best international hotel chains
and dining in some of Latin America’s finest restaurants.
Quito is the political heart of Ecuador, Guayaquil the financial
pulse and principle port, Cuenca the cultural soul, and Manta
an important seaside port city.
Production and Industry
Petroleum has
been the main source of foreign currency to the country for
the past 25 years. Oil exploration began in Ecuador on the
Santa Elena Peninsula in the first quarter of the 20th century.
However, it was not until the seventies, when exploration
was begun in the Amazon region, that oil production began,
turning Ecuador into one of the world’s most important
exporters of this natural resource. Other products of economic
importance to the country are bananas, coffee, cocoa, shrimp,
timber, tuna, and, more recently, flowers. Ecuador has a vast
array of natural riches. It has been calculated that there
are gas reserves of 300,000 million cubic feet in the Gulf
of Guayaquil. Tourism is Ecuador’s fourth most important
export in terms of income.
There are also non-traditional export products, such as
certain fruits and vegetables, which are slowly gaining
a foothold in the international market. Currently, Ecuadorian
legislation is being drafted to encourage the development
of industry by means of the Ley de Fomento Industrial. The
main purpose of the Law is to encourage international investment
in Ecuador. In addition, to large industries such timber
and textile, the Ecuadorian economy is also powered by small
industries such as the production of handicrafts, a group
of products which Ecuador produces in abundance, suiting
the needs of consumers worldwide.
CLIMATE
Due to geographic differences in altitude, longitude and latitude,
and the climatic effects of the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon,
and the Andes, the various regions and sub regions of Ecuador
have very different climates and microclimates. The Pacific
coast has a rainy season between December and May and a dry
one from June to November. The temperature oscillates between
23 and 26 degrees centigrade. The Highlands, on the other
hand, has a rainy, cold climate from November to April and
a dry one from May to October. The temperature here is between
13 and 18 degrees centigrade. In the Amazon, the climate is
rainy and humid between January and September, with temperatures
between 23 and 36 degrees centigrade, and it is dry between
October and December. The Galapagos has a temperate climate
with temperatures ranging between 22 and 32 degrees centigrade.
