II.

Land and Resources

Ecuador is bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. It has an area of 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq mi). A highland region, the Sierra, crosses the central part of Ecuador from north to south. The Sierra consists of two parallel ranges (cordilleras) of the Andes and of upland basins, up to 65 km (40 mi) wide, that lie between the ranges. To the west of the Sierra is the Pacific coastal zone, the Costa. To the east of the Sierra is a part of the upper Amazon River basin, the Oriente or eastern jungle.

A.

Sierra

The cordilleras of the Sierra are highest in the north, where 12 peaks rise more than 4,900 m (16,000 ft) above sea level; in the south the highest peak is 4,820 m (15,800 ft). Many of the peaks are cones of volcanoes, some still active. At night, fires in the craters of these volcanoes cast a spectacular glow upon passing clouds, a glow that is reflected back on the snow-covered slopes of the peaks. The highest cones are Chimborazo (6,310 m/20,702 ft), Cotopaxi, and Cayambe. Cotopaxi (5,897 m/19,347 ft) is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Earthquakes are also a serious threat to farm villages in the highlands.

The narrow upland plateau that lies between the crests of the cordilleras is deeply mantled with lava and ash ejected from volcanoes that tower above. Mountain spurs and volcanic ridges subdivide the plateau into self-contained basins at elevations of about 2,000 to 3,000 m (about 7,000 to 10,000 ft).

Many temperate-zone crops are grown in the basins. In the highest of these, the basin of Tulcán at 2,900 mi (9,500 ft), it is too cool to grow any grain, and potatoes are the staple crop. On the lowest level, at 760 m (2,500 ft) in the basin of Ibarra, sugarcane, cotton, and other tropical crops can be grown. Little can be grown on the ridges between the basins, so that each highland community is effectively cut off from its neighbors.

B.

Costa

At the western base of the mountains is a zone of low plains and hills, about 100 km (60 mi) wide, along the Pacific Ocean. This zone—the Costa or coastal plain—extends from the border with Colombia southward to the border with Peru. The Guayas Valley lies between the Andes and a hilly area that separates the valley from the coast. Where the land in the Costa is not swampy, there is intensive cultivation of tropical crops on fertile alluvial soils. The Costa covers a little more than one-quarter of the area of Ecuador.

C.

Oriente

About half of Ecuador is in the Oriente, consisting of the eastern foothills of the Sierra and flat or rolling plains to the east of them. Much of the area is covered with tropical rain forest. The Oriente is crossed by many rivers that flow into the Amazon. Oil is found in the north. The region remains sparsely populated, with only about 4 percent of the nation’s population. The development of oil fields in the Oriente from the 1970s on increased the population of the region.

D.

Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands are a group of rocky, volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. They consist of 13 large and many small islands. Some of the volcanoes are still active. The Galápagos archipelago was incorporated into Ecuador in 1830 and became a province in 1973. In 1991 the government ended a ban on migration from the Ecuadorian mainland, and people have since moved to the islands.

E.

Climate

Although Ecuador lies on the equator, the country has a wide range of climates because of the varying elevations. The Costa has a tropical humid climate, with daily temperatures of 21°C to 29°C (about 70°F to 85°F). Yearly rainfall exceeds 2,500 mm (100 in) in the Costa north and west of Guayaquil and in the Oriente. Both sections support dense tropical rain forests, separated in places by swamp grasslands bordering sluggish rivers.

At Guayaquil, the temperature averages 25°C (79°F), and 1,000 mm (39 in) of rain falls annually, mostly from January to May. The rest of the year is very dry. Tall savanna grasses dotted with palms cover the land, and the brackish waters of coastal lagoons support dense thickets of mangrove trees and brush. In the Costa south of Guayaquil the climate is semiarid or arid. Thorn thickets, scattered clumps of low deciduous trees, and brush give way to giant cacti and other desert plants. Only 75 mm (3 in) of rain is recorded annually at the Peruvian border.

The climate on the Sierra is determined by elevation and by the degree of exposure of slopes to rain-bearing winds. For every 300-m (1,000-ft) rise in elevation, temperatures drop about 2°C (3°F). The Andean plateau basins are generally cool. Quito, which is some 2,850 m (9,350 ft) above sea level, has an average annual temperature of 13°C (55°F). Nighttime temperatures at Quito frequently fall 17°C (30°F) from the daytime high. From September to May daily showers brought by winds from the Oriente deposit most of the city’s yearly rainfall of 1,120 mm (44 in).

F.

Natural Resources

Ecuador’s main mineral wealth is in petroleum. Other mineral resources of the country include gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. Forests cover 38.3 percent of the country.

G.

Plants and Animals

Along the northern part of the Ecuador coast, and within the inner portion of the southern coast, tropical jungles abound. In some places the jungles extend up the slopes of the Andes as wet, mossy forests. Dense forests cover both flanks of the Cordilleras, as well as the Oriente, up to about 3,050 m (about 10,000 ft). At higher elevations, paramo grass predominates.

The animal life of Ecuador is varied. Large mammals include the bear, jaguar, and wildcat, and among the smaller mammals are the weasel, otter, and skunk. Reptiles, including the lizard, snake, and crocodile, thrive on the slopes of the Andes and along the coastal lowlands. Birds are the most varied group, and many North American birds migrate to Ecuador during the northern winter. The Galápagos Islands, with many unusual native animals, serve as a wildlife sanctuary.