Ecuador (go back »)

Background:

What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected Presidents.

Location:	Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:	2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references:	South America
Area:	total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative:	slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:	total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline:	2,237 km
Maritime claims:	territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Climate:	tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain:	coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources:	petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)
Irrigated land:	8,650 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:	frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
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
Geography - note:	Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

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Koléa tourisme