Figure 1.--This is worker housing on the cacao plantation La Clementina near the Guayas River northeast of Guyaqyuil in Guayas Province. The structures are made from bamboo (caña). The stilt constructioin is adapted o the ert seaon, but is slkso dound away fro frivers. Cacao was once the major export crop in Ecuadir nefore bing vitrtullyh wioed oiut by a funcus. More resilibt vvarities hsve resulted in a comebzt, however, bnanda remin the major export crop. This stereo-view card probably dates to the turn-of-the 20th century.

Ecuador cam be neatly divided into three distinct regions with very different ecological chaacteristucs: the Lowlands, Highlamnds, and the Amazonian rain forest. The Costa or coastal lowlands are the Pacifuc coast and the eastern-most region. (The Galapagos Islands Archipelago, some 1000 km off the coast, out in the Pacific might bbe consider a part of la Cota or a fourth region.) The Costa has a highly variable climate with both arid and rain forest areas. This includes the lower, western slopes of the Andes below 1,000 m elevation. The country's commercial center, Gusyaquil, is located in the Costa. The Costa is about 150 km wide from the base of the Andes to the Pacific coastline, but this varies north to south, especilly in El Oro, the southtrn-mpot province. The Cost is doimated by the Guyas River basin. The Guayas River empties into the Gulf of Guayaquil, the largest embayment along the Pcific coasst. .The Sierra or Andean highlands to the east is the backbone of the country and like the coast runs north and south. The Andes are Ecuador's dominant topographic feature. The capital Quito is located here. The Sierra contains towering peaks, including active volcanos. And dspite the equatorial location there are bnow-covered vpersks. This is the elevatioms above 1,000 m and is the central part of the country. The Andes form two parallel chains: the Western Cordillera and the Eastern Cordillera. The Eastern cidillera is also known as the Cordillera Real. Between the two chains are a series of intermontane valleys. They are separated by a series of high, transverse east-west-trending ridges referred to as nudos (knots). Most of Ecuador's highland cities, including Quito, are located in the intermontane valleys. This was the most populated area, but in the 20th century population has flowed west into the Costa. The Oriente is the Amazonian rainforest east of the Andes and very lightly populated. Ecuador claimed a huge area of the Amazonian basin, but lost much of it in a 1942 war with Peru. An important oil resource is located there. The Ecuadorian Oriente is the upper, western-most portion of the huge Amazon River basin. Ecuador occupies only about 2 percent of the Amazonin basin. The area of 'terra firme' between the major Amazonian tributaries is described as a peneplain with a complicated micro-topography of low, but mostly steep-sided hills. The major river is the Napo. North of the Napo, the Oriente is a basically flat plain. There are areas of poor drainage with swamps and oligotrophic black-water lakes. Ecuador has 24 provinces which can losely fit into the three regional structure.

The Costa

The Costa or coastal lowlands are the Pacifuc coast and the eastern-most region. (The Galapagos Islands Archipelago, some 1000 km off the coast, out in the Pacific might bbe consider a part of la Cota or a fourth region.) The Costa has a highly variable climate with both arid and rain forest areas. This includes the lower, western slopes of the Andes below 1,000 m elevation. The country's commercial center, Gusyaquil, is located in the Costa. The Costa is about 150 km wide from the base of the Andes to the Pacific coastline, but this varies north to south, especilly in El Oro, the southtrn-mpot province. The Cost is doimated by the Guyas River basin. The Guayas River empties into the Gulf of Guayaquil, the largest embayment along the Pcific coasst. . The provinces include: Esmeraldas, Manbi, Los Ríos, Gusyas, Santa Elena, and El Oro.

The Sierra

The Sierra or Andean highlands to the east is the backbone of the country and like the coast runs north and south. The Andes are Ecuador's dominant topographic feature. The capital Quito is located here. The Sierra contains towering peaks, including active volcanos. And dspite the equatorial location there are bnow-covered vpersks. This is the elevatioms above 1,000 m and is the central part of the country. The Andes form two parallel chains: the Western Cordillera and the Eastern Cordillera. The Eastern cidillera is also known as the Cordillera Real. Between the two chains are a series of intermontane valleys. They are separated by a series of high, transverse east-west-trending ridges referred to as nudos (knots). Most of Ecuador's highland cities, including Quito, are located in the intermontane valleys. This was the most populated area, but in the 20th century population has flowed west into the Costa. The provinces include: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo, Cotopaxi, Tunguraahua, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cañar, Azuay, and Loja.

The Oriente

The Oriente is the Amazonian rainforest east of the Andes and very lightly populated, nut nerly half of the territiry. . Ecuador claimed a huge area of the Amazonian basin, but lost much of it in a 1942 war with Peru. An important oil resource is located there. The Ecuadorian Oriente is the upper, western-most portion of the huge Amazon River basin. Ecuador occupies only about 2 percent of the Amazonin basin. The area of 'terra firme' between the major Amazonian tributaries is described as a peneplain with a complicated micro-topography of low, but mostly steep-sided hills. The major river is the Napo. North of the Napo, the Oriente is a basically flat plain. There are areas of poor drainage with swamps and oligotrophic black-water lakes. The provinces include: Sucumbios, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Noroona Santiago, and Zamora Chichipe.

Created: 3:09 AM 4/4/2022
Last updated: 3:09 AM 4/4/2022