NATURAL RESOURCES OF ECUADOR
Nature Reserves: protected areas that are important for wildlife, flora or
fauna.
Megadiverse: owner of the largest number of plants and animals. The UN
has identified 17 countries in the world that have this category. Ecuador is one of them.
. Ecology: It is the science of the study of ecosystems.
Ecological balance: a state of dynamic equilibrium of nature.
Tourism: touring activity or practice, especially for pleasure
A DIVERSE AND PRIVILEGED GEOGRAPHY
Our country has great natural resources located in its soil, vegetation, and
fauna, mineral and energetic resources. Its geography is extremely diverse and rich. Its territory is located on the equator line and has large extensions of tropical
vegetation on the coast, as well as green and extensive Amazonian plains. The tropical regions are complemented by the presence of the Andes mountains, which
extends from the north to the south.
The Andean mountain chain forms a diversity of valleys and different types of
soils, ecological floors and microclimates, from the cold ice cream of the perpetual snows of the volcanoes and moors, crossing the interandean plains, to the plain of
the coasts and beaches. This climate has a high rainfall and a uniform temperature, suitable for permanent agricultural production and frequent tourism.
FOREST AND ECOTURISM
Ecuador has great forest resources, especially primary forests. Some are
protected and have been declared "national parks" or "nature reserves". Forests are threatened by indiscriminate logging and illegal marketing. They must be preserved
to protect the future of the people. The country is attractive for tourism because in relatively small territory there is a great diversity of landscapes that can be traveled
in a short time. This does not happen in other countries where you need to travel long distances, in a very long time, to visit different places. From the high Andean
volcanoes, you can quickly descend to the tropical forests, to the lagoons, rivers and beaches. The Galapagos Islands are one of the great tourist attractions of worldwide
reach. Tourism is a good source of income for the country, but it cannot be developed in irresponsible way.
MINING AND OIL
Ecuador's mining resources are very valuable. The country has large
mineral reserves located above all in the southern region of the Andes mountain range. Although the production of these minerals is still reduced, the artisanal
exploitation of gold is highlighted in the provinces of El Oro, Azuay and Zamora Chinchipe. In this region deposits of copper, silver, iron and other metals have been
detected. Oil is another of Ecuador's great natural resources. Oil exploitation provides the State with the most important revenues of the economy. However,
some of the oil wells are located in protected areas and their exploitation would jeopardize the delicate ecological equilibrium.
WATER AS A FUTURE AND VITAL RESOURCE
Water is an increasingly valued resource in the world. It is strategic for the
future of each country. Lack of it is a source of conflict and dispute. The planet registers a large population and growing, which is increasingly dependent on water,
whose sources are not widened in the same proportion. Ecuador has large reservoirs of water in its many rivers, lagoons and wetlands. This is a resource, that
will preserve the future of the Ecuadorian population. However, it must be managed in a planned, technical and equitable way. The water resources are used for
agricultural irrigation, provision of potable water and the generation of hydropower, which provides energy to cities, meet the needs of households and mobilize the
machinery of Companies. Our country can also use wind-generated energy (wind energy), solar energy and geothermal energy.