Ecuador's Chimborazo Summit Represents Farthest Point from Earth's Center

The summit of the Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador holds a distinct geographical title: it is the farthest point on the Earth's surface when measured from the planet's core, surpassing the conventionally recognized elevation of Mount Everest. This distinction arises from the Earth's actual shape, which is an oblate spheroid, bulging significantly at the equator due to the centrifugal forces of planetary rotation. The equatorial radius measures approximately 6,378 kilometers, considerably larger than the polar radius of about 6,357 kilometers, meaning the sea level at the equator is roughly 22 kilometers farther from the core than at the poles.

Chimborazo, an inactive stratovolcano situated in the Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes, benefits from its location just one degree south of the equator, placing its peak directly atop this equatorial bulge. Consequently, its summit extends approximately 2.1 kilometers farther from the Earth's center than the apex of Mount Everest. While Chimborazo's elevation above sea level is 6,263 meters, Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and China, is cited as the world's highest mountain above mean sea level, officially measured at 8,848.86 meters following a joint declaration in December 2020.

Geophysical data and satellite measurements confirm Chimborazo's greater distance from the planet's core, positioning it as the closest terrestrial point to the sun. Chimborazo's peak reaches a distance of 6,384.4 kilometers from the Earth's center, compared to Everest's peak at 6,382.3 kilometers. This geometric reality means that at least 26 other summits, including Huascarán in Peru, also exceed Mount Everest in distance from the core due to the same equatorial effect.

For mountaineers, Chimborazo remains a notable objective in Ecuador, with guided ascents frequently organized. The Ecuadorian government mandates that all climbers hire a certified guide for safety, a regulation implemented following accidents attributed to inexperience. Aspiring climbers must prioritize rigorous acclimatization, often spending up to 12 days preparing by ascending other peaks like Cotopaxi or Cayambe before attempting the 6,263-meter ascent. The optimal climbing windows generally occur between June and July, and January to February, with late-night starts favored to complete descents before midday conditions increase the risk of rockfalls and avalanches.