Ecuador Geography

By | November 8, 2021

Ecuador borders Colombia to the north and Peru to the east and south. the country was named after its location under the equator (Spanish: Ecuador). Quito is almost exactly below the equator, the northern limit is 2 ° north and the southern limit is 5 ° south. In the west-east direction, the state lies in the geographic graticule between 75 ° and 81 ° west longitude. The Galápagos Islands (Archipiélago de Colón), which are around 1,000 kilometers off the coast in the Pacific Ocean, have belonged to Ecuador since 1885.

According to internetsailors, the country extends from the coast of the Pacific Ocean over the particularly narrow Andean chains about 600 kilometers to the east to the Amazon lowlands. The highest mountain is the Chimborazo with 6,268 m.

The smallest of the Andean countries is divided into two large geological zones: in the west the young folds of the northern Andes, in the east the edge of the Amazon basin, which is filled with thick rock deposits. According to the landforms, three major natural areas are distinguished: the hills or lowlands on the coast (the Costa), the high mountain ranges of the Andes (the Sierra) and the lowlands in the east (the Oriente).

The up to 700 m high Costa is followed by a narrow depression immediately before the ascent to the high mountains, in which the Rio Daule flows to the Gulf of Guayaquil.

The two main chains of the Sierra running parallel to each other are still being lifted vigorously today. This is proven by the frequent earthquakes and the numerous young volcanoes in this region. In a particularly strong earthquake in 1797, more than 40,000 people died in the capital Quito. Several volcanoes in Ecuador are currently still active, including the 5,897 meter high Cotopaxi.

The Ecudorian Amazon lowland on the eastern edge of the Andes, the Oriente, is made up of dense rainforest and consists mainly of sandstone layers that form extensive tabular lands and characteristic tabular lands (mesas).

Ecuador – money

Local currency: 1 US dollar equals 100 cents. Until September 9, 2000, the Sucre was the national currency in Ecuador. After that, it was replaced by the US dollar as the only valid means of payment.

Currency abbreviation: US $, USD

Banknotes come in denominations of 1, 2 (rare), 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 US dollars, while coins are in circulation with values ​​of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents and 1 US dollar. However, Ecuador continues to mint its own coins (Centavo), which are on an equal footing with American coins (1 Centavo = 1 Cent). There are coins in circulation to the denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos.

With counterfeit banknotes becoming more common in Ecuador, banks and shops typically do not accept US $ 50 and US $ 100 bills.

Currency Exchange: Common currencies as well as Peruvian pesos and Colombian nuevos soles can be changed in banks and casas de cambio (exchange offices). The exchange courses are best in the big cities of Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca. Changing money outside of cities can be difficult. For security reasons, you shouldn’t carry too much cash with you.

Credit Cards: the major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club are accepted in better restaurants, shops and hotels. Often, however, a processing fee of between 6 and 8% is charged.

ATMs: There are ATMs in every major city where you can withdraw money with major credit cards and EC / Maestro cards. For security reasons, ATMs should only be used during bank business hours.

Travelers Checks: American Express travelers checks made out in US dollars are generally recommended. In smaller towns it can sometimes be difficult to cash travelers checks. The fee for changing is between 1 and 4%, usually higher in smaller cities than in large ones.

Exchange regulations: No restrictions for normal tourist needs.

Bank opening times: i. General Mon – Fri 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m.

Ecuador – important addresses

Ecuadorian National Tourist Board : c / o BZ.COMM!
Robert-Bosch-Str. 28, 63225 Langen
Telephone: toll-free number for Germany, Switzerland and Austria: (00800) 59 30 0593, Fax: (06103) 833 56 68
email: ecuador@bz-comm.de

Ministerio de Turismo: Eloy Alfaro N32-300 y Carlos Tobar,

2do. Piso, Quito, Pichincha, 1524 Ecuador
Telephone: (02) 222 8982, Fax: (02) 22 8982

Camara Provincial de Turismos (CAPTUR): Avenida Amazonas y Patria,

Edificio, Piso 3, EC-Quito
Telephone: (02) 223 1198 or 254 5371, Fax: (02) 250 7682
email: captur@captur.com

Embassy of Ecuador in Germany : HE Mr. Horacio Hernan Sevilla Borja, extraordinary and authorized representative Ambassador (since October 31, 2005)
Joachimstaler Straße 10-12, 10719 Berlin
Telephone: (030) 800 9695, Fax: (030) 80096 9699
email: alemania@embassy-ecuador.org
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., consular department : 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Ecuador also has a consulate general in Hamburg (phone: (040) 443135, email: Consulado-hamburgo@embajada-ecuador.org), in Frankfurt / M (phone: (069) 1332295, email: Konsulat.Frankfurt@consuldor.de) and Bremen (phone: (0421) 3092320295) honorary consulates general, as well as in Stolberg (phone: 0241 – 5693336, email: hkecuador@t-online.de) an honorary consulate.

Embassy of Ecuador in Austria : Goldschmiedgasse 10 / II / 24,

1010 Vienna
Telephone: (01) 535 3208, Fax: (01) 535 0897
email: mecaustria@chello.at
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Ecuador also has an honorary consulate general in Vienna.

Embassy of Ecuador in Switzerland: Kramgasse 54,

3011 Bern
Telephone: (031) 351 6254, Fax: (031) 351 2771
email: embecusuiza@bluewin.ch
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Consular section: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Embassy of Germany in Ecuador : Christian Berger, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
Avenida Naciones Unidas y República de El Salvador, Edificio “Citiplaza”, piso 14, Casilla 17-17-536, Quito.

Postal address: Embajada de la República Federal de Alemania, Avenida Naciones Unidas y República de El Salvador, Edificio “Citiplaza”, piso 14, Casilla 17-17-536, Quito, Ecuador.
Telephone: (02) 97 0820, Fax: (02) 97 0815
email: info@quito.diplo.de

Germany has honorary consulates in Manta (Telephone: (00593 5) 292 35 77, email: wharten@ales.com.ec), Guayaquil (Tel: (0059 34) 220 6867/68, email: consulado.aleman@grupoberlin.com) and Cuenca (Tel: (00593 7) 282 27 83, email: eklinkicht@transoceanica.com.ec).

Honorary Consulate General of the Republic of Austria in Ecuador: Gaspar de Villaroel No. E9-53,

entre Av. de los Shyris y 6 de Diciembre, Quito
Phone: (02) 246 9700, Fax: (02) 244 3276
email: przibra@interactive.net.ec
Opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Austria maintains an honorary consulate in Guayaquil. Austria does not have its own embassy in Ecuador, the competent Austrian embassy is in Bogota (see Colombia – important addresses).

Embassy of Switzerland in Ecuador : Juan Pablo Sanz y Avenida Amazonas 3617,

Edificio Xerox, Piso 2, Quito
Postal address: Casilla 17-11-4815, Quito, Ecuador
Telephone: (02) 243 4113 or (02) 24349 48/49, Fax: (02) 244 9314
email: qui.vertretung@eda.admin.ch
opening times: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Switzerland maintains an honorary consulate general in Guayaquil.

Ecuador Geography