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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.
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Common Name: Ecuador
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Local Official Name: Ecuador
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Abbreviated Name: Republic of Ecuador
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Official Name: Republica del Ecuador
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Official Script Name: Ecuador
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Local Common Name: Ecuador
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Former Name: Ecuador
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Alfredo PALACIO
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Government Type: republic
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Independence: 1822 May 24 (from Spain)
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Constitution: 1998 August 10
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National Holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August
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International Organization Participation: CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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
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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
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: 18 years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 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)
Legislative Branch:
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 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 Branch
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the 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)
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Party Leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; 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]
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International Disputes: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004
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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
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Location of Ecuador: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
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Continent: South America
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Land Area Total: 283,560 sq km
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Region: Southern American |
Land Area Land: 276,840 sq km
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Capitol City: Quito
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Land Area Water: 6,720 sq km
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Latitude: 002 00 S
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Border Boundary Land: 2,010 km
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Longitude: 077 30 W
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Border Boundary Coastline: 2,237 km
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Arable Land: 5.71 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 4.81 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 6,267 m
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Location: Chimborazo
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Pacific Ocean
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Largest City in Ecuador: Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Largest City Population: 2,205,000
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Threatened Species: 1,140
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Environmental Issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands
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Environmental 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
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Irrigated Land: 8,650
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Bordering Countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
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Natural Resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
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Geographical Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
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Comparative Area of Ecuador: slightly smaller than Nevada
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Ecuador's Geography: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
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General Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
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Natural Hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
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Economic Overview: Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have 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.
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GDP: $57,230,000,000 USD
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Currency: US dollar
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GDP per Capita: $4,300 USD
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Currency Code: USD
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GDP Growth Rate: 4.70 %
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Currency Exchange Rate History: 25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001)
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GDP of Agriculture: 7.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 31.20 %
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GDP of Services: 61.80 % |
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Inflation Rate: 2.10 % |
Population in Poverty: 41.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 10.70 %
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Tourism: 509,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 2.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $8,822,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 32.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $8,153,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 11,270,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 65,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 10,550,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 140,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 25.01%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 74.99%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 493,200 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 50,000,000 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 155,000 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 50,000,000 cu m
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Oil Exports: 387,000 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 4,512,000,000 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 9,769,000,000 cu m
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External Debt: $18,090,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $216,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
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Primary Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
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Industrial Growth Rate: 2.10 %
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Import Amount in USD: $8,436,000,000 USD - vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity
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Import Partners: US 22.3%, Colombia 14.9%, Venezuela 7.8%, Brazil 6%, China 5.3%
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Export Amount in USD: $9,224,000,000 USD - petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
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Export Partners: US 51.1%, Peru 8%, Germany 4.4%, Colombia 4.3%
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GINI Index: 42.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 4,600,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 456 |
Number of People with Radios: 5,000,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 7 |
Number of People with Televisions: 2,500,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 1,701,500 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 6,246,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 19,027 |
Internet Users: 616,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .ec |
Newspapers: 96 |
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Two Letter Country Code: EC |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: 593 |
Electricity Voltage: 120-127 Volts |
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Telephone Systems: 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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Highways: 7,287 km |
Railways: 966 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 3,220 km |
Waterways: 1,500 km
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Airports: 98 |
Heliports: 1
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Motor Vehicles: 48 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 20,332,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 1.70 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 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)
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Ports and Harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar
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Population: 13,547,510 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 22.29 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 46.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 4.23 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.50% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.68 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 2,281,499 |
Population Female 0-14: 2,195,551 |
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Population Male 15-64: 4,178,653 |
Population Female 15-64: 4,210,766 |
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Population Male 65+: 319,719 |
Population Female 65+: 361,322 |
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Population 0-14: 33.00% |
Literacy Rate: 92.50% |
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Population 15-64: 61.90% |
Literacy rate of Males: 94.00% |
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Population 65+: 5.00% |
Literacy rate of Females: 91.00% |
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Population that is Male: 50.00
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Population that is Female: 50.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 76.42 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 22.87 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 73.55 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 79.43 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.30%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 21,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 1,700 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: -3.11
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Nationality: ECUADORIAN
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Ethnic Groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
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Primary Language: Spanish (official), Amerindian
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Other Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
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Primary Religion: Roman Catholic
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Other Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
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Branches: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 20 years
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Manpower Available: 5,642,289 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 4,718,755 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 263,680 People per year
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Expenditures: $0 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 2.00
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Ecuador Spa and Resort Directory
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Ecuador Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Ecuador Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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