1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
Coastline
2,237 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Nevada
Continental shelf
claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
Disputes
three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute
Environment
subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts
Land area
276,840 km2; includes Galapagos Islands
Land boundaries
2,010 km; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Land use
arable land 6%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 17%; forest and woodland 51%; other 23%; includes irrigated 2%
Natural resources
petroleum, fish, timber
Note
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
Terrain
coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)
Territorial sea
200 nm
Total area
283,560 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
28 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%, Indian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%
Infant mortality rate
42 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
2,800,000; agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)
Languages
Spanish (official); Indian languages, especially Quechua
Life expectancy at birth
67 years male, 72 years female (1992)
Literacy
86% (male 88%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun - Ecuadorian(s); adjective - Ecuadorian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
less than 15% of labor force
Population
10,933,143 (July 1992), growth rate 2.2% (1992)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%
Total fertility rate
3.5 children born/woman (1992)
Government
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
Capital
Quito
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)
Communists
Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, secretary general, 5,000 members; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist), 3,000 members; Socialist Party of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000 members (est.); National Liberation Party (PLN, Communist), less than 5,000 members (est.)
Constitution
10 August 1979
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7200; there are Ecuadorian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
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
Independence
24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Legal system
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Long-form name
Republic of Ecuador
Member of
AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National Congress
last held 17 June 1990 (next to be held 17 May 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PSC 16, ID 14, PRE 13, PSE 8, DP 7, CFP 3, PC 3, PLR 3, FADI 2, FRA 2, MPD 1
National holiday
Independence Day, 10 August (1809, independence of Quito)
President
runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president
Suffrage
universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 18% of GDP and 35% of labor force (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood; other exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; crop production - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock sector - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar
Budget
revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $375 million (1991)
Currency
sucre (plural - sucres); 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.15 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million
Electricity
2,344,000 kW capacity; 6,430 million kWh produced, 598 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,046.25 (1991), 869.54 (December 1990), 767.75 (1990), 526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988), 170.46 (1987)
Exports
$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum 47%, coffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products partners: US 60%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC countries
External debt
$12.4 billion (December 1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion, per capita $1,070; real growth rate 2.5% (1991)
Illicit drugs
minor illicit producer of coca following the successful eradication campaign of 1985-87; significant transit country, however, for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru
Imports
$1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: transport equipment, vehicles, machinery, chemicals partners: US 34%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan
Industrial production
growth rate -3.8% (1989); accounts for almost 40% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal works, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, timber
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
49% (1991)
Overview
Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven because of natural disasters (for example, a major earthquake in 1987), fluctuations in global oil prices, and government policies designed to curb inflation. The government has not taken a supportive attitude toward either domestic or foreign investment, although its agreement to enter the Andean free trade zone is an encouraging move. As 1991 ended, Ecuador received a standby IMF loan of $105 million, which will permit the country to proceed with the rescheduling of Paris Club debt.
Unemployment rate
8.0% (1990)
Communications
Airports
143 total, 142 usable; 43 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
23 major transport aircraft
Highways
28,000 km total; 3,600 km paved, 17,400 km gravel and improved earth, 7,000 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways
1,500 km
Merchant marine
46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 337,999 GRT/491,996 DWT; includes 2 passenger, 4 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 15 petroleum tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 2 bulk
Pipelines
crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km
Ports
Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Esmeraldas
Railroads
965 km total; all 1.067-meter-gauge single track
Telecommunications
domestic facilities generally adequate; 318,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 272 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 39 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 2,804,260; 1,898,401 fit for military service; 115,139 reach military age (20) annually