Geography & environment — Ecuador
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Ecuador: South America
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
South America
- Geographic Coordinates
2 00 S, 77 30 W
- Total Area
109,483 Square Miles 283,561 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
106,888 Square Miles 276,841 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
2,595 Square Miles 6,720 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
1,249 Miles 2,010 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
- Coastline
1,390 Miles 2,237 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
- Highest Point
6,267 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Chimborazo 6,267 m
- Lowest Point Location
Pacific Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
- Irrigated Land
3,295 Square Miles 8,534 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Ecuador has two time zones, including the Galapagos Islands (UTC-6)
Climate
- Climate
Because of variations in altitude, Ecuador has a variety of climates. The lowlands are generally hot and humid. Temperatures on the coast are moderated by the Humboldt Current to a range of 65°F to 90°F. Temperatures in the Sierra are generally cool, ranging from 35°F to 75°F. Due to the altitude and thin air, temperature in direct sunlight can reach 85°F at midday. In the evenings it can range from pleasantly cool to very chilly. The tallest mountains are always snowcapped, but it never snows in the inhabited altitudes, although it hails occasionally. During the Sierra dry season, from June through September, gusty winds are common. In Quito the temperature pattern rarely changes from day to day or month to month. Mornings are cool and crisp, and midday is agreeably warm, unless skies are overcast. Fog and mist may occur in the mornings or evenings as low-lying clouds spill over the sides of the valley. Since Quito is such a short distance from the Equator, sunrise and sunset vary only slightly from 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Average annual rainfall in Quito is 50 inches, with 43 inches falling from October through May, and 7 inches from June through September. Relative humidity averages 75%. Occasional tremors are registered in the area; these may or may not be perceptible to residents. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are infrequent but do remain a possibility.
- Terrain
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
- Location
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
- Total Area
109,483 Square Miles 283,561 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Environment
- 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