Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru

2 00 S, 77 30 W

South America

total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands

slightly smaller than Nevada

total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

2,237 km

continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and
Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 nm

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 56%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

5,560 sq km (1993 est.)

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
periodic droughts

deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world