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Location: |
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
between Colombia and Peru |
Geographic
coordinates: |
2 00 S, 77 30 W |
Map
references: |
South America |
Area: |
total: 283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
water: 6,720 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km |
Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than Nevada |
Land
boundaries: |
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
Coastline: |
2,237 km |
Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos
Islands
territorial sea: 200 NM |
Climate: |
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;
tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands |
Terrain: |
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and
flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) |
Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
Natural
resources: |
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower |
Land
use: |
arable
land: 6%
permanent crops: 5%
other: 89% (1998 est.) |
Irrigated
land: |
8,650 sq km (1998 est.) |
Natural
hazards: |
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic
droughts |
Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution
from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the
Galapagos Islands |
Environment
- international agreements: |
party
to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography
- note: |
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
|
Population: |
13,447,494 (July 2002 est.) |
Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002
est.) |
Population
growth rate: |
1.96% (2002 est.) |
Birth
rate: |
25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Death
rate: |
5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Net
migration rate: |
-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Sex
ratio: |
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Infant
mortality rate: |
33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 71.61 years
female: 74.57 years (2002 est.)
male: 68.79 years |
Total
fertility rate: |
3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.3% (2001) |
HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
20,000 (2001 est.) |
HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
232 (2001) |
Nationality: |
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian |
Ethnic
groups: |
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish
and others 7%, black 3% |
Religions: |
Roman Catholic 95% |
Languages: |
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) |
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
|
Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador |
Government
type: |
republic |
Capital: |
Quito |
Administrative
divisions: |
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 |
Independence: |
24 May 1822 (from Spain) |
National
holiday: |
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) |
Constitution: |
10 August 1998 |
Legal
system: |
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65,
optional for other eligible voters |
Executive
branch: |
chief
of state: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000)
selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD;
Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected
by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President
NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: formerly, the president and vice president were
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no
reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff election held
12 July 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002)
head of government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since
22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President
Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January
2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted
by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: results of the last election prior to the
coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote - 51%
note: a military-indigenous coup toppled democratically-elected
President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the military quickly handed
power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on 22 January 2000; National
Congress then elected a new vice president from a slate of candidates
submitted by NOBOA; the new administration is scheduled to complete
the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire in January 2003 |
Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (123 seats; 20 members
are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms;
103 members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held 20 October
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2,
CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace,
resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the
various parties |
Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full
Supreme Court) |
Political
parties and leaders: |
Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic
Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; Ecuadorian Conservative Party
or PCE [Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO]; Independent National Movement or
MIN [Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP [Miguel LLUCO];
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] |
Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
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] |
International
organization participation: |
CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI
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 |
Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry L. PALMER
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 502-052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil |
Flag
description: |
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar
to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat
of arms
|
Economy
- overview: |
Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas.
Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas,
and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial
domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996,
but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. The
aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's
economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking
sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default
on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability
drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced
a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000.
The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster
of the government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January
2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations
with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first
standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December
2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300
million standby credit agreement. |
GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.3% (2001 est.) |
GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 25%
services: 64% (2000 est.) |
Population
below poverty line: |
70% (2001 est.) |
Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1995) |
Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
43.7 (1995) |
Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
22% (2001 est.) |
Labor
force: |
3.7 million (urban) |
Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) |
Unemployment
rate: |
14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) |
Budget: |
revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (2001 est.) |
Industries: |
petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products,
wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber |
Industrial
production growth rate: |
5.1% (2001 est.) |
Electricity
- production: |
10.395 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 25.01%
hydro: 74.99%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
Electricity
- consumption: |
9.667 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
Agriculture
- products: |
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains,
sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa
wood; fish, shrimp |
Exports: |
$4.8 billion (2001 est.) |
Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish |
Exports
- partners: |
US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3% (2000) |
Imports: |
$4.8 billion (2001 est.) |
Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer
goods |
Imports
- partners: |
US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%, Brazil 4% (2000) |
Debt
- external: |
$14 billion (2001) |
Economic
aid - recipient: |
$120 million (2001) |
Currency: |
US dollar (USD) |
Currency
code: |
USD |
Exchange
rates: |
sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0 (January 2002), 25,000.0 (2001), 24,988.4
(2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997)
note: on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new
exchange system whereby the US dollar was adopted as the main legal
tender in Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central
Bank of Ecuador started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed
rate of 25,000 sucres per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions
are denominated in US dollars |
Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1,115,272 (1999) |
Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
384,000 (1999) |
Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) |
Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) |
Radios: |
5 million (2001) |
Television
broadcast stations: |
7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001) |
Televisions: |
2.5 million (2001) |
Internet
country code: |
.ec |
Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
31 (2001) |
Internet
users: |
180,000 (2001)
|
Railways: |
total: 965 km
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.) |
Highways: |
total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,165 km
unpaved: 35,032 km (2001) |
Waterways: |
1,500 km |
Pipelines: |
crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km |
Ports
and harbors: |
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo |
Merchant
marine: |
total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 239,876 GRT/393,680 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1,
passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1 |
Airports: |
205 (2001) |
Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 61
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 19 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 |
Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 113 (2001) |
Heliports: |
1 (2001)
|
Military
branches: |
Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police |
Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military
manpower - availability: |
males
age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.) |
Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males
age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002 est.) |
Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 132,978 (2002 est.) |
Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$720 million (FY98) |
Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.4% (FY98)
|
Disputes
- international: |
none |
Illicit
drugs: |
significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and
Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
narcotics; important money-laundering hub; increased activity on the
northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
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USA / Canada
3003 Van Ness St NW Ste S-823
Washington DC 20008
Tollfree (800) 747-4540
(202) 250-6004
Fax (202) 318-0569
9am-8pm Mon-Sat EST |
Europe
Hauptstr. 131
D-70563 Stuttgart
Tel +49(700)4444-7827
Tel +49(711)856-6972
Fax +49(711)856-6971
noon-9pm Mon-Fri
|
Rio de Janeiro
Av. NS de Copacabana, 1066/907
Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro 22060
Tel +55(21)3523-0379
Tollfree from US (800)746-4599
Fax +55(21)3523-4101
10am-7pm Mon-Sat |
Flights only (Int'l + Airpasses)
Tollfree (800) 887-5686
(202) 250-6004
Fax (202) 318-0569
9am-8pm Mon-Sat EST |
Peru
Tollfree from US (888) 206-9546
+54 (1) 243 2543
Jr. Elías Aguirre 141 - Of. 313
Miraflores, Lima 18
9am - 8pm EST Mon-Fri
|
Argentina
Tollfree from US (888) 206-9253
+54 (11)5235-4549
Marcelo T. de Alvear 429 - 12º "C" • 1058 Buenos Aires • Argentina
9am - 8pm EST Mon-Fri |
UK Tollfree (0800) 011-2959 or +44 (20) 8002 9745 noon-Midnight Mon-Sat
Australia +61 (2) 8080-2783 10pm-10am Sun-Sat
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