Ecuador is located in the north western portion of South America, on the Equator which divides the world into two hemispheres. To the north it bounds with Colombia, to the South and East with Peru, and to the West with the Pacific Ocean. Ecuador has four geographical regions where its 22 provinces are located. On the coast, land of beautiful beaches, fertile plains, valleys, sedimentary basins and small elevations, the provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Guayas and El Oro are located. In the uplands, the Andes mountain range crosses the country from north to south, forming a mountain system shaped by the Western and the Eastern cordilleras, which in turn dip into an array of valleys and river basins. Impressive volcanoes and pinnacles tower throughout the region. This is where Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Bolívar, Cañar, Azuay and Loja are located. In the Amazon region, a lush and green expanse of hills that run into the eastern section of the Andes and drop to the plains of the Amazon River, Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo, Pastaza, Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe are situated. And in the island region, almost 1,000 km (625 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, you’ll find the Galapagos Islands. These Islands have been named a Natural Heritage of Humanity due to its unique and beautiful ecosystem of volcanic origin, made up of 13 main islands, 17 islets and ancient rocks. The country’s total area is 256,370 square kilometers (160,231 square miles).