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Background:
|
 The
"Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the
others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942,
Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its
neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was
resolved in 1999. |
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Location:
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Western South
America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between
Colombia and Peru |
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Map references:
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South
America |
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Area:
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total:
283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
water: 6,720 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Nevada |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
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Coastline:
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2,237 km |
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Climate:
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tropical along
coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical
in Amazonian jungle lowlands |
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Terrain:
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coastal plain (costa),
inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling
eastern jungle (oriente) |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, fish,
timber, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15%
other: 89.16% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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8,650 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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frequent
earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic
droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from
oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the
Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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Cotopaxi in Andes
is highest active volcano in world |
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Population:
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13,212,742 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356)
15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 23
years
male: 22.5 years
female: 23.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.03% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.18
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.26 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-8.58 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
24.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 76.01 years
male: 73.15 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.3% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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20,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,700 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo (mixed
Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others
7%, black 3% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
95% |
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Languages:
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Spanish
(official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 94%
female: 91% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Quito |
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Administrative divisions:
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22
provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago,
Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua,
Zamora-Chinchipe |
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Independence:
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24
May 1822 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) |
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Constitution:
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10
August 1998 |
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Legal system:
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based
on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
18-65, optional for other eligible voters |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: the president and vice president are elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no
reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff
election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October
2006)
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15
January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15
January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: results of the 24 November 2002
runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent
of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are
popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held
NA October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik
Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note -
defections by members of National Congress are commonplace,
resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by
the various parties |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full
Supreme Court) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Concentration
of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left
or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; National Action Institutional
Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Movement [Gilberto
TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ
Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES];
Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director];
Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director];
Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist
Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Confederation
of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Leonidas IZA,
president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.
Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National
Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or
FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP
[Luis VILLACIS] |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San
Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil |
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Economy - overview:
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Ecuador has
substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40%
of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public
sector revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in
world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In
the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis,
with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum
prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real
GDP contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening
significantly. The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador
defaulted on its external debt later that year. The currency
depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and, on the brink of
hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it would
dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from
office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed
to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took
over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series
of structural reforms that also provided the framework for the
adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization
stabilized the economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis
levels in the years that followed. Under the administration of
Lucio GUTIERREZ, who took office in January 2003, Ecuador
benefited from higher world petroleum prices, but the
government has made little progress on fiscal reforms and
reforms of state-owned enterprises necessary to reduce
Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and
financial crises. The government is using oil revenues to pay
off Ecuador's massive foreign debt and has secured a new
standby agreement with the IMF. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $45.46 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $3,300 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
11%
industry: 33%
services: 56% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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65% (2003 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.1% (yearend
2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.8 million
(urban) (2002) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 30%,
industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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9.8%; note -
underemployment of 47% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$6.3 billion
expenditures: planned $5.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $1.6 billion (2002) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, food
processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5% (2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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75.23 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
81%
hydro: 19%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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69.96 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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421,200 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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129,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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160 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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160 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, coffee,
cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane;
cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood;
fish, shrimp |
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Exports:
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$6.073 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum,
bananas, cut flowers, shrimp |
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Exports - partners:
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US 40.3%,
Colombia 5.8%, Germany 5.4%, South Korea 5.3%, Italy 4.6%
(2002) |
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Imports:
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$6.22 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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consumer goods,
industrial raw materials, capital goods |
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Imports - partners:
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US 26.8%,
Colombia 13.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7%, Japan 5.7%, Chile
4.2% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$14.4 billion
(2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$120 million
(2001) |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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USD |
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Exchange rates:
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Ecuador formally
adopted the US dollar as legal tender in March 2000 |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,426,200 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,560,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and
unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 392, FM 35,
shortwave 29 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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7 (plus 14
repeaters) (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.ec |
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Internet hosts:
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2,648 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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537,900 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 966
km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km
unpaved: 35,033 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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1,500 km |
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Pipelines:
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gas 71 km; oil
1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Esmeraldas,
Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 34
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Paraguay 1, Peru 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1,
passenger 5, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1 |
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Airports:
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205 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 61
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 18 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 113 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy
(including Marines), Air Force, National Police |
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Military manpower - military age:
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20 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 3,440,371 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 2,315,808 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
132,476 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$650 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.4% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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the continuing
civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee
crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador |
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Illicit drugs:
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significant
transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru;
importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug
traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak
anti-money-laundering regime, especially vulnerable along the
border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern
frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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