g the Pacific Ocean at
the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references: South America

Area:
total area: 283,560 sq km
land area: 276,840 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada
note: includes Galapagos Islands

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

Coastline: 2,237 km

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

International disputes: three sections of the boundary with Peru
are in dispute

Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain: 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

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber

Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 3%
meadows and pastures: 17%
forest and woodland: 51%
other: 23%

Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution
natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic
activity; periodic droughts
international agreements: 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

Geographic note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in
world

People
------

Population: 11,466,291 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 2,062,468; female 1,996,679)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,403,197; female 3,489,728)
65 years and over: 5% (male 241,217; female 273,002) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 25.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 34.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.09 years