Ecuador Geography

Country Name: Republic of Ecuador

Capital City: Quito

Population: 13,547,510 (July 2006)

Population Growth: 1.5% (2006 est.)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Area: 283,560 sq km

Inflation Rate: 3.4% (2006 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 10.6% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2006)

Domain extension: .ec

GEOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF ECUADOR

Location:

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

Geographic Co-ordinates:

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Area - total:

283,560 sq km

Area - total:

283,560 sq km

Area - land:

276,840 sq km

Area - water:

6,720 sq km

Land Boundaries:

2,010 km

Border Countries:

Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Terrain:

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

Elevation - highest point:

Chimborazo 6,267 m

Elevation - lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources:

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Arable Land:

5.71%

Permanent Crops:

4.81%

Other Land Use:

89.48% (2005)

Natural Hazards:

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts