The Andes and the Sierra
Forming a veritable north-south spine, the Andes cordillera delimits three natural regions: the Pacific coast; the Sierra, a high-altitude mountainous region; and the Oriente, more commonly known as Amazonia. In Ecuador, the cordillera is divided into two parallel chains, each comprising several volcanoes approaching or exceeding 5,000 m in height. The highest point is Chimborazo (6,263 m) in the Cordillera Occidental, but Cotopaxi (5,897 m), the world's highest active volcano, is located in the Cordillera Oriental. Chimborazo, with its position close to the equator, is the closest point on earth to the sun. The Sierra occupies around a quarter of Ecuador's territory, stretching 600 km from Tulcán on the Colombian border to the Loja region in the south. The many volcanoes (some of which are still active) have given rise to lakes and hot springs. Twenty-two of these peaks rise between 4,270 m and 6,000 m; their majestic succession was nicknamed "the Avenue of the Volcanoes" by Alexander Von Humboldt.
La Costa
The Costa (coast) is a warm, humid alluvial plain irrigated by powerful rivers. Its width varies from 30 km to 200 km over a length of 800 km. Two major rivers, the Esmeraldas (320 km) to the north and the Guayas (160 km) to the south, together with their tributaries, make this one of the country's most fertile regions (notably for banana, mango and sugarcane cultivation). Under the influence of the cold Humboldt current and the warm Panamá current, the central Costa region enjoys a temperate climate, with two distinct seasons. The region's main city is Guayaquil, an important Pacific port and the country's most populous city.
The Amazon
The eastern region, Oriente, forms a vast plain covered by natural forests and irrigated by gigantic rivers, the Napo, Zamora, Tigre, Aguarico, Yasuni and Paute, which join the Amazon. This sparsely accessible region, with its humid tropical climate, is part of the Amazon rainforest and concentrates almost all the country's oil resources. But beyond this resource with its strong environmental impact, Oriente is above all a fascinating natural reserve... and the cradle of ancestral peoples such as the Quechuas, Secoya, Siona, Shuar and Huaorani (among others).
The Galapagos
This island territory became part of Ecuador in 1832. Formerly known as the Colón archipelago, it comprises 19 islands (4 of which are inhabited) of volcanic origin and a string of islets and reefs lost in the Pacific Ocean, 965 km off the coast on the equator. Its total surface area is 8,006 km². The capital of the Galapagos province is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on the island of San Cristóbal, but the main gateway is the island of Santa Cruz. The national park (8,000 km²) and marine reserve (133,000 km²) are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The two forgotten regions
It often depends on how you look at things and how you understand them. In terms of biogeography, it's important to take into account the role and importance of the biodiversity hotspots that make up the major bio-regions of each continent. In the case of the neo-tropics (tropical countries of the New World), of which Ecuador is one, this concept is even more important due to the interaction of multiple geographical, climatic, geological and biological factors. It's not uncommon to read that Ecuador is home to 4 major regions, from east to west: the Amazon basin, the Andes, the Pacific coast and, most remarkably, the Galapagos archipelago. While these macro-ecosystems make up the country's most famous and well-known visitor areas, the two most important biodiversity hotspots are often overlooked: the Chocó and the Tumbesian region. Located at either end of the country, these fragile biotopes are probably (along with Yasuni) home to the highest levels of endemism and the greatest concentration of natural riches. Locally known as Noroccidente, Chocó is wedged between the western Andes and the Pacific coast. Its humid tropical climate is due to the constant presence of the warm Panama Current (the Niño Current). Although its 200,000 km² cover part of Panama and the entire Colombian coastline, access from the Ecuadorian capital is the best way in. Its exuberant nature is made up of a mosaic of altitudinal levels, with the highest rate of endemism in the world. A pioneering region for green tourism in South America, many of these areas are considered must-sees. From Quito, it takes just 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the Yanacocha reserve. This relic of Altoandine forest, anchored on the slopes of the active Pichincha volcano, is home to the endemic black-bellied erone, the world's smallest-ranging hummingbird. Further down, the magical cloud forests of the Tandayapa valley form a veritable wall of nature, resisting anthropogenic pressures thanks to numerous conservation and investigation projects. The winding road to the coast crosses the Mindo Valley, America's first IBA (Important Birding Area), which for over 20 years has been the Mecca of birdwatching in Ecuador. Continuing even further west, the small village of Mashpi, torn between intensive agriculture and a mining project, has succeeded in developing the country's first organic plantations of fine-flavoured cocoa. Its handmade chocolate is recognized as one of the best in the world. Geographically isolated in the far north-west, the last tropical forests of Ecuador's Chocó are the most fragile, but also the most remarkable. It is here that one of the world's largest populations of brown-headed spider monkeys(Ateles fusciceps), one of the world's 25 most endangered primate species, survives.
Although more remote and less accessible, the Tumbesian region is just as changing, rich and enchanting as the Chocó. Sandwiched between southern Ecuador and northern Peru, it is made up of a great diversity of biotopes. Bathed by the cold Humboldt current, it is a transition zone between the adjacent rainforests of the north and the arid landscapes of the Sechura desert in neighbouring Peru. These semi-deciduous landscapes, drier and more subject to seasonality, covered with deciduous vegetation (as opposed to the perennial forests of the north), are easily accessible from the cities of Guayaquil, Cuenca, Loja or Machala. From the Santa Elena peninsula and its large colonies of pelagic birds to the surprising petrified forests of Puyango, there's no shortage of opportunities to visit. Not forgetting the dense mangroves and riparian ecosystems of Churutes (home to the black howler monkey), the coastal semi-dry forests crowned with kapok and false carob trees, the areas of scrub, agaves and terrestrial bromeliads of the Catamayo valley and the low-lying rainforests of the Piñas valley and their endemic avifauna and herpetofauna! The Tumbesian region thus offers an astonishing natural kaleidoscope.
In recent years, these fragile yet rich ecosystems have become must-sees for naturalists and photographers, as they are home to unique species and excellent observation opportunities. The various tourist accommodation offers developed on site offer unique alternatives and help redistribute the flow of tourists in a more equitable way across the national territory. (by Xavier Amigo of the Ecuador Experience agency).
The awakening of the giants
Of all the active volcanoes in Ecuador, Tungurahua is one of the most threatening (along with Reventador, nicknamed the "Destroyer", and Sangay volcano, which are also in permanent activity). Located in the Cordillera Real, 135 km from the capital and just 10 km from the town of Baños, the volcano rises to 5,016 m above sea level. This behemoth, whose name means "Gorge of Fire", regularly erupts, generating large clouds of ash and gas up to 8 km high. The volcano has been erupting since October 1999, resuming eruptive activity in May 2010, and will continue to do so in 2023, with recurrent gas and ash emissions. In 2017, the Tungurahua volcano erupted once again, spewing a large column of ash 4 km high. Since then, the population has remained as attentive as ever to geographical and biological alerts.
Another temperamental volcano, Reventador, is also located in the Cordillera Real and rises to 3,562m. It last erupted in November 2022, expelling gas and ash more than 1,000 m above its crater. However, as Reventador is located in an unpopulated area, its eruptions pose no threat to the population. It is still very active and remains under constant surveillance. In June 2015, two volcanoes were the talk of the town. Cotopaxi (located nearly 60 km from Quito) showed signs of an imminent eruption, after 75 years of dormancy and 138 years since the last eruption, which claimed thousands of lives! In August 2015, Cotopaxi erupted, dumping an avalanche of ash on nearby villages. The populations at risk were displaced. Cotopaxi, which rises to an altitude of almost 6,000 m, is the world's most dangerous volcano. In early 2017, a plume of steam was observed above the volcano, further alarming the surrounding population. In June 2015, the Wolf volcano on the Galapagos island of Isabela (the largest in the archipelago) awoke after 33 years of inactivity. The eruption generated lava effusions and a profusion of smoke in the air over a distance of more than 10 km.
Sangay has been erupting again since 2019. These volcanoes bear witness to the region's geological activity, which has contributed and continues to contribute to shaping its fabulous landscapes.
When the earth shakes
Earthquakes are a reality not to be forgotten when visiting the country. A reality that is often reflected in the sometimes collapsed buildings that can be found here and there in the country. The country's last major earthquake took place in 2016. It was exactly 6.58pm on April 16, 2016, when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the town of Muisne. The quake was so powerful that it affected the coastal zone, and more specifically the provinces of Manabí and Esmeraldas. The toll was heavy: 668 dead, 8 missing, 6,274 injured and 29,067 homeless. The main earthquake experienced 713 aftershocks. Pedernales, the worst-hit town with a population of 40,000, was completely destroyed! In April 2023, the earth shook 70 km from Guayaquil, hit by a 6.8-magnitude quake that killed 4 people and caused extensive damage in the region. In Ecuador, earthquakes are part of everyday life and come as no surprise to anyone except visitors.
