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Snow-capped Cotopaxi Volcano rises above the vast grassy páramo in Ecuador’s central Andes, framed by low-lying clouds and volcanic slopes.
Andes of Ecuador

The Andes of Ecuador are a dramatic and geologically active segment of the greater Andean mountain chain, characterized by a dense concentration of high peaks and volcanoes. Ecuador’s section of the Andes is divided into two parallel ranges—the Western and Eastern Cordilleras—separated by a long inter-Andean valley. The country contains more than 30 mountains that rise above 15,000 feet, including some of the highest volcanoes in the world. Among them are Chimborazo, Ecuador’s tallest peak at 20,549 feet, and Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth. Ecuador has 27 potentially active volcanoes, of which 8 to 10 are considered currently active, making it one of the most volcanically active countries in South America.

What sets the Ecuadorian Andes apart from other Andean regions is their extreme elevation over a relatively compact area, the presence of both glaciated peaks and dense páramo ecosystems, and the volcanic origin of many summits. Unlike the Andes in countries like Bolivia or Argentina, Ecuador's highlands are much narrower and feature frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to their location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Ecuador is also unique in that many of its towering peaks lie close to the equator, creating striking contrasts between tropical climate zones and snow-capped summits.

A striking green peak towers above a mosaic of cultivated plots in the highlands of Cotopaxi Province, with winding roads and distant ridgelines under a bright sky
A broad open landscape of the Andean páramo stretches toward the base of Cotopaxi Volcano, which is partially covered in snow under a deep blue sky
Jagged rocky mountains dominate the skyline above a patchwork of farmland and rural homes in the Andean region of Cotopaxi Province
Cotopaxi Volcano towers over a patchwork of agricultural land and rolling hills in Ecuador’s high-altitude páramo, seen from a distant vantage
Steep, terraced slopes rise across the Cotopaxi highlands under a clear blue sky, with rural fields and scattered trees stretching through the valley

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