Geography UIO

Geography
Quito is located in the northern highlands of Ecuador in the Guayllabamba
river basin. The city has been built on a long plateau lying on the east flanks
of the Pichincha volcano. The valley of Guayllabamba River where Quito lies
is flanked by volcanoes, some of them snow-capped, that can be visible from
the city on a clear day. Quito is the closest capital city to the equator.

Nearby volcanoes
Quito's closest volcano is Pichincha, looming over the western side of the
city. Quito is also the only capital in the world to be directly menaced by an
active volcano. Pichincha volcano has several summits, among them Ruku
Pichincha at 4,700 metres above sea level and Wawa Pichincha at 4,794
metres. Wawa Pichincha is active and being monitored by volcanologists at
the geophysical institute of the national polytechnic university. The largest
eruption occurred in 1660 when more than 25 centimetres (10 in) of ash
covered the city. There were three minor eruptions in the 19th century. The
latest eruption was recorded on October 5, 1999, when a few puffs of smoke
and a large amount of ash were deposited on the city.

I LLUSTRATION 1. P ICHINCHA

IS AN ACTIVE STRATOVOLCANO IN THE COUNTRY OF

Q UITO WRAPS AROUND ITS EASTERN SLOPES .

E CUADOR ,

WHOSE CAPITAL

Activity in other nearby volcanoes also can affect the city. In November 2002,
after an eruption in the volcano Reventador, the city was showered with a
layer of fine ash particles to a depth of several centimeters.
The volcanoes on the Central Cordillera, east of Quito, surrounding the
Guayllabamba valley include Cotopaxi, Sincholagua, Antisana and Cayambe.
Some of the volcanoes of the Western Cordillera, to the west of the
Guayllabamba valley, as well as are Pichincha include Illiniza, Atacazo, and
Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve.

Climate
Under the Kppen climate classification, Quito has a subtropical highland
climate. Because of its elevation and its proximity to the equator, Quito has a
fairly constant cool climate. The average temperature at noon is 18.7 C with
a normal night-time low of 9.3 C (48.7 F). The annual average temperature
is 14 C. The city experiences only two seasons: dry and wet. The dry
season, June through September, 4 months, is referred to as summer; the
wet season, October through May, 8 months, is referred to as winter. Annual
precipitation, depending on location, is approximately 1,000 mm.
Due to its geographical location and elevation, Quito receives a great
amount of solar radiation, being one of the locations in the planet that
receives the most, reaching during certain times a 24 in the UV Index.

I LLUSTRATION 2. A N

UNUSUAL HAIL STORM IN

Q UITO , F EBRUARY 2015.