[3] The area of the canton is 1,812 square kilometres (700 sq mi).

Tulcan has the highest elevation of any city in Ecuador, 2,950 metres (9,680 ft) above sea level.

The northern limit of the canton is the border with Colombia with the most important land passage between the two countries at Rumichaca Bridge.

The canton is sub-divided into ten parishes: El Carmelo (El Pun), El Chical, Julio Andrade (Orejuela), Maldonado, Pioter, Santa Martha de Cuba, Tobar Donoso (La Bocana de Camumbi), Tufiño, Tulcán, and Urbina (Taya).

[3] Richard Carapaz, winner of the Giro d'Italia and the first Ecuadorian to win a Grand Tour of cycling was born in El Carmelo.