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The Ecuadorian Amazon Jungle covers more than 1/3 of its territory
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Travel in Ecuador
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Location:

 

The Republic of Ecuador is located in the north-western part of South America, bestriding the Equator (hence the name “Ecuador”) and is crossed by the Equatorial Line which marks Latitude 0° 0’ 0’’ of the Earth. The continental territory is bordered to the north by Colombia, to the south and east by Peru and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. The surface of mainland Ecuador covers 256,000 square kilometers, similar to the State of Colorado in the United States or the United Kingdom in Europe. The Galapagos Islands form part of the Ecuadorian territory and are located one thousand kilometers off the coast of continental Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean
 
 
/Travel in Ecuador /Traveler's Manual / General Information and climate/
General Information/Weather

Climate:

 

The climate in Ecuador is variable as the consequence of at least three interacting factors: the marine currents of the Pacific Ocean, the altitude of the Andean mountain range ranging from 1,000 to over 5,500 meters above sea level, and the particular meteorological patterns of the Amazon Basin.

 

Straddling the center of the planet, on latitude zero, means Ecuador has only two predictable climatic seasons: wet and dry, though the respective months vary depending on the geographic location within the country as described below.

 

Average air temperatures in range from 0°C in the heights of the high Andean mountains to over 30°C on the coast, Galapagos and the Amazonian plains.

 

The wet or rainy season is most pronounced between December and the end of April in the coast and Galapagos, coinciding with the area’s highest temperatures which may reach over 35°C.

 

In the Andean region, the wet or rainy season stars in October or November and runs until April or May, but temperatures are more dependant on the altitude of the respective cities and locations within the zone.  In the Amazon region, the wettest season is usually between April and November, influenced by the meteorological systems within the Amazon Basin. This period also has the highest annual temperatures (over 35°C) as well as high air humidity.

 

The “dry” season, by contrast, is usually between May and October or November in the coast, Andean region and Galapagos, accompanied by sporadic rainy spells, occasionally cloudy skies and cooler temperatures in the coast and Galapagos.  In the Andes, the mornings and early afternoons, especially between 10.00 and 16.00, are usually characterized by clear skies, unbroken sunshine and temperatures reaching up to 24° C.  By contrast, the nights and early mornings tend to have the year’s coolest temperatures.

 

In the Amazon region, the “dry” season runs from December to April with less precipitation, average temperatures between 22°C and 28°C and a tendency to clear skies and extended sunny periods.

 

In the Andean region, temperatures also vary according to altitude. Between 1,500 and 3,000 meters, the mean temperatures range from 8 to 20°C, though the thermometer may reach 30°C before slumping to between -4°C and 5°C at night.  On the eastern and western slopes of the Andes, mean temperatures descend by 4.7°C for every 1000 meters between 500 and 2,670 meters, while between 2,670 and 4,000 meters, the mean fall is 5°C. for every 1000 meters

 

In the coast, Amazon and Galapagos, annual average temperatures hover around 25°C, with a maximum of over 38°C and a minimum rarely below 14°C, even in the coolest months.