MONGABAY.COM
Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development (more)
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
|
|
Ecuador
Index
Size: Approximately 280,000 square kilometers.
Topography: Divided into three continental regions--the
Costa, Sierra, and Oriente--and one insular region--the Galápagos
Islands. Costa, located between Pacific Ocean and Andes Mountains,
consists of coastal lowlands and mountains. Sierra composed of two
major chains of Andes Mountains--Cordillera Occidental (Western
Chain) and Cordillera Oriental (Eastern Chain)--and intermontane
basin or plateau between the two chains. Cordillera Occidental
contains Ecuador's highest peak, 6,267-meter Mount Chimborazo.
Oriente consists of Andean piedmont and eastern lowlands. Galápagos
are islands of varied size located 1,000 kilometers west of
Ecuadorian coast.
Climate: Tropical climate throughout Costa, although
variations in temperature and rainfall result from proximity to
warm or cool ocean currents. Sierra climate ranges from tropical to
frozen, depending on altitude; notable rainfall variations also
occur. Tropical climate and abundant rainfall prevail in Oriente.
Galápagos climate varies from tropical and desert-like at sea level
to cold and wet at highest point.
Data as of 1989
|
|
