from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Ecuador
Introduction
Background: What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca
Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became
a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part
of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The
territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada
(Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their
independence by 1819 and formed a federation known as
Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the
traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic
of the Equator." 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. Although Ecuador marked 25 years
of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been
marred by political instability. Seven presidents have
governed Ecuador since 1996.
Geography
Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at
the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic 2 00 S, 77 30 W
coordinates:
Map South America
references:
Area: total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - slightly smaller than Nevada
comparative:
Land total: 2,010 km
boundaries: border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime territorial sea: 200 nm
claims: continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
resources:
Land use: arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 4.81%
other: 89.48% (2005)
Irrigated 8,650 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
hazards: floods; periodic droughts
Environment - deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
current pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in
issues: ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and
Galapagos Islands
Environment - party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
international Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
note:
People
Population: 13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551)
15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766)
65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 23.6 years
male: 23.1 years
female: 24 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.5% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: 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: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 76.42 years
expectancy at male: 73.55 years
birth: female: 79.43 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.3% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 21,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 1,700 (2003 est.)
deaths:
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%, other 5%
Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially
Quechua)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 94%
female: 91% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Quito
geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,
divisions: 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 Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August
holiday: (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 chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20
branch: April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO
Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government; former
President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office by
congress effective 20 April 2005
head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20
April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO
Aguilar (since 5 May 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: the president and vice president are elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term
(may not serve consecutive terms); election last held
15 October 2006 with a runoff election scheduled for 26
November 2006 (next to be held October 2010)
election results: results of the 15 October 2006
election; percent of vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael
CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ 17.4%; Leon ROLDOS
Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - a runoff
election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA
and CORREA
Legislative unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100
branch: seats; members are popularly elected by province to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held
October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - PSC 25, ID 16, PRE 15, 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
Judicial Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the
branch: Constitution, new justices are elected by the full
Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress
successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resolution)
Political Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes
parties and BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI];
leaders: 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
[Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]
Political Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or
pressure CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social
groups and Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of
leaders: Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco
MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous
Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
CRUZ, president]
International CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
organization ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
participation: Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS
representation Chiriboga
in the US: chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City
(New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, San Francisco, Washington, DC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL
representation embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
from the US: mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil
Flag three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width),
description: 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
Economy - Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have
overview: accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and
one-third of central government budget 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 -
January 2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from
higher world petroleum prices. However, the government
under Alfredo PALACIO has reversed economic reforms
that reduced Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price
swings and financial crises, allowing the central
government greater access to oil windfalls and
disbursing surplus retirement funds.
GDP $57.23 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $30.7 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 4.7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $4,300 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 7%
composition by industry: 31.2%
sector: services: 61.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 4.6 million (urban) (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 8%
by occupation: industry: 24%
services: 68% (2001)
Unemployment 10.7% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2005
rate: est.)
Population 41% (2003)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2%
income or highest 10%: 32%
consumption by note: data for urban households only (October 2003)
percentage
share:
Distribution 42
of family note: data are for urban households (2003)
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 2.1% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 22.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $8.822 billion
expenditures: planned $8.153 billion; including capital
expenditures of $1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 40.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc
products: (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs,
beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products,
chemicals
Industrial 2.1% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 11.27 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 81%
production by hydro: 19%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 10.55 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 65 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 140 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 155,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 4.512 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 50 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 50 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 9.769 billion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $-566 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $9.224 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
commodities:
Exports - US 51.1%, Peru 8%, Germany 4.4%, Colombia 4.3% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $8.436 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications
commodities: equipment, electricity
Imports - US 22.3%, Colombia 14.9%, Venezuela 7.8%, Brazil 6%,
partners: China 5.3% (2005)
Reserves of $2.148 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $18.09 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $216 million (2002)
recipient:
Currency US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange 25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000
rates: (2002), 25,000 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,701,500 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 6.246 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: generally elementary but being
system: expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and
unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 5 million (2001)
Television 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 2.5 million (2001)
Internet .ec
country code:
Internet 19,027 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 31 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 616,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 359 (2006)
Airports - total: 98
with paved over 3,047 m: 3
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Airports - total: 261
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 33
runways: under 914 m: 228 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km;
refined products 1,185 km (2006)
Railways: total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 43,197 km
paved: 7,287 km
unpaved: 35,910 km (2003)
Waterways: 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)
Merchant total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339
marine: DWT
by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger
7, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)
Ports and Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto
terminals: Bolivar
Military
Military Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation,
branches: coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)
Military 20 years of age for conscript military service;
service age 12-month service obligation (2004)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 20-49: 2,792,770
available for females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 20-49: 2,338,428
for military females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 133,922
reaching females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $650 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia
international: penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused
over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 8,270 (Colombia) (2005)
internally
displaced
persons:
Illicit drugs: 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; increased activity on the northern frontier by
trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents