Ecuador

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Area

Total area: 283,560 sq km
Land area: 276,840 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada

Note: Includes Galapagos Islands

Land Boundaries

Total 2,010 km, 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

International Disputes

Three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute

Climate

Tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain

Coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural Resources

Petroleum
Fish
Timber

Land Use

Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 3%
Meadows and pastures: 17%
Forest and woodland: 51%
Other: 23%

Irrigated Land

5,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts
International agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

PEOPLE

Population

11,466,291 (July 1996 est.)
10,890,950 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

35% (male 2,062,468; female 1,996,679) (July 1996 est.)
36% (male 1,990,036; female 1,928,977) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

60% (male 3,403,197; female 3,489,728) (July 1996 est.)
60% (male 3,230,082; female 3,281,575) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

5% (male 241,217; female 273,002) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 215,418; female 244,862) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.96% (1996 est.)
1.95% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

25.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
25.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.55 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 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: 0.88 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

34.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
37.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 71.09 years (1996 est.); 70.35 years (1995 est.)
Male: 68.49 years (1996 est.); 67.83 years (1995 est.)
Female: 73.82 years (1996 est.); 72.99 years (1995 est.) (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.89 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.97 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Ecuadorian(s)
Adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic Divisions

Mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%
Indian 25%
Spanish 10%
Black 10%

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Languages

Spanish (official), Indian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Total population: 90.1%
Male: 92%
Female: 88.2%

Labor Force

2.8 million

By occupation:

Agriculture 35%
Manufacturing 21%
Commerce 16%
Services and other activities 28% (1982)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
Conventional short form: Ecuador
Local long form: Republica del Ecuador
Local short form: Ecuador

Digraph

Type

Republic

Capital

Quito

Administrative Divisions

21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 10 August (1809) (independence of Quito)

Constitution

10 August 1979

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 and head of government: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN Cordovez (since 10 August 1992); Vice President Eduardo PENA Trivino (since 18 October 1995); president and vice president were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president (next election was held 19 May 1996; no presidential candidate received more than 50% of the vote; a runoff election between BUCARAM and NEBOT will be held on 7 July 1996); note - former Vice President DAHIK resigned 11 October 1995 and left the country to escape arrest on corruption charges; National Congress chose PENA as his successor in accordance with the constitution
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Elections last held 19 May 1996; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (82 total) PSC 27, PRE 21, DP 10, Pachakutik Movement 7, ID 5, PLRE 3, MPD 2, APRE 2, CFP 1, independent and other 4

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected by the Chamber of Representatives

Political Parties and Leaders

Center-Right Parties

Republican Unity Party (PUR); Social Christian Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president; Ecuadorian Conservative Party (PCE), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN (two parties merged in 1995)

Center-Left Parties

Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos, Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leaders; Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo PAZ, leader; Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA, leader; Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario, director

Populist parties

Roldosist Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director; Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO Nazur, leader; Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS Passos, leader

Far-Left Parties

Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose CASTELLO, leader; Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS, leader; Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director

Communists

Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist)

Member of

AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

National Anthem

Flag

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 that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

ECONOMY

Overview

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven in recent years because of fluctuations in prices for Ecuador's primary exports - oil and bananas - as well as because of government policies designed to curb inflation. President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN launched a series of macroeconomic reforms when he came into office in August 1992, which included raising domestic fuel prices and utility rates, eliminating most subsidies, and bringing the government budget into balance. These measures helped to reduce inflation from 55% in 1992 to 25% in 1995. DURAN-BALLEN has a much more favorable attitude toward foreign investment than his predecessor and has supported several laws designed to encourage foreign investment. Ecuador has implemented free or complementary trade agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as joined the World Trade Organization. Growth slowed to 2.3% in 1995 due in part to high domestic interest rates and shortages of electric power.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $44.6 billion (1995 est.); $41.1 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

2.3% (1995 est.)
3.9% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$4,100 (1995 est.)
$3,840 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

25% (1995)
25% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

7.1% (1994)

Budget

Revenues: $3.3 billion (1996 est.); $2.76 billion (1994)
Expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.); $2.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1994)

Exports

$4 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

Commodities:

Petroleum 39%
Bananas 17%
Shrimp 16%
Cocoa 3%
Coffee 6%

Partners:

U.S. 42%
Latin America 29%
Caribbean
EU countries 17%

Imports

$3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

Commodities:

Transport equipment
Consumer goods
Vehicles
Machinery
Chemicals

Partners:

U.S. 28%
EU 17%
Latin America 31%
Caribbean
Japan

External Debt

$12.6 billion (1995 est.)
$13.2 billion (yearend 1993 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 6.4% (1993); accounts for almost 35% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

Capacity: 2,230,000 kW
Production: 6.9 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 612 kWh (1993)

Industries

Petroleum
Food processing
Textiles
Metal work
Paper products
Wood products
Chemicals
Plastics
Fishing
Lumber

Agriculture

Accounts for 13% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood; other agricultural exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; other crops - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock products - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar

Illicit Drugs

Significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; minor illicit producer of coca; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub

Economic Aid

Recipient: ODA, $153 million (1993); U.S. commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-91), $2.39 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million

Currency

1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange Rates

Sucres (S/) per US$1 - 2914.8 (31 December 1995), 2,564.5 (1995), 2,196.7 (1994), 1,919.1 (1993), 1,534.0 (1992), 1,046.25 (1991), 767.78 (1990), 526.35 (1989)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Total: 965 km (single track)
Narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways

Total: 43,709 km
Paved: 5,245 km
Unpaved: 38,464 km

Inland Waterways

1,500 km

Pipelines

Crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant Marine

Total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 114,701 GRT/171,240 DWT
Ships by type: container 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 12, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Airports

Total: 188
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 2
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 13
With paved runways under 914 m: 121
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 32 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

586,000 telephones (1994 est.); domestic facilities generally inadequate and unreliable

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 272, FM 0, shortwave 39
Radios: NA

Television

Broadcast stations: 33
Televisions: 940,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 2,968,361; males fit for military service 2,006,509; males reach military age (20) annually 121,241 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $386 million, 2.1% of GDP (1995)

History
World Atlas

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