Chimborazo

Chimborazo is an inactive stratovolcano in central Ecuador and the province’s namesake peak, standing among the country’s highest mountains. Its summit is famous in geodesy for being the point on Earth farthest from the planet’s center because of the equatorial bulge.

Mountaineers visit for high-altitude climbs that involve glacier travel and crevasse navigation; routes are glaciated and require technical equipment and acclimatisation. The mountain is a landmark in Ecuadorian mountaineering and draws both technical climbers and visitors who view the peak from nearby towns and vantage points.

Chimborazo formed through volcanic activity during the region’s Andean orogeny and has been shaped by glaciation; it has not been historically active in recent centuries. Human use ranges from indigenous highland grazing historically to modern climbing and scientific interest.

The volcano rises in Chimborazo Province in the central highlands of Ecuador, dominating the surrounding paramo landscape and lying within driving distance of regional towns such as Riobamba; it is a prominent feature of the central Andean skyline.

• Geodetic significance: The summit is notable in geodesy because, due to the Earth's equatorial bulge, its summit point is the farthest point from the Earth's center, despite not being the highest above sea level.
• Climbing notes: Climbing Chimborazo requires high-altitude glacier experience and permits; weather is highly variable and the mountain is typically attempted with guide support and acclimatisation days.