Introduction
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
Location
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates
2 00 S, 77 30 W
Area
total: 283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
water: 6,720 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 NM
continental shelf: 100 NM from 2,500 meter isobath
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
Irrigated land
8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Population
13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)