2009 Edition

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 between 1819 and 1822 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. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador's last three democratically elected Presidents. In September 2008, voters approved a new constitution; Ecuador's twentieth since gaining independence. General elections, under the new constitutional framework, are expected in April 2009.

Area

total: 283,561 sq km country comparison to the world: 73 land: 276,841 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Nevada

Climate

tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Coastline

2,237 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m note: due to the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has an equatorial bulge, the highest point on the planet furthest from its center is Mount Chimborazo not Mount Everest, which is merely the highest point above sea-level

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 16.98 cu km/yr (12%/5%/82%) per capita: 1,283 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Geography - note

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Irrigated land

8,650 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Land use

arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

Natural hazards

frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Terrain

coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Total renewable water resources

432 cu km (2000)

Age structure

0-14 years: 31.1% (male 2,312,610/female 2,220,378) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 4,506,908/female 4,636,703) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 432,144/female 464,358) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

20.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Death rate

4.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Education expenditures

1% of GDP (2001) country comparison to the world: 179

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

26,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 103 male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.3 years country comparison to the world: 81 male: 72.37 years female: 78.37 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.3% female: 89.7% (2001 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)

Median age

total: 25 years male: 24.4 years female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian

Net migration rate

-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Population

14,573,101 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Population growth rate

1.497% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Urbanization

urban population: 66% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Administrative divisions

24 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, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Capital

name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

20 October 2008

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras telephone: [593] (2) 398-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200

Executive branch

chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

[593] (2) 398-5100 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

Government type

republic

Independence

24 May 1822 (from Spain)

International organization participation

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 by a simple majority resolution)

Legal system

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held 26 April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5; other 6; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties note: when a Constituent Assembly was convened to draft a new constitution, the National Congress was placed on indefinite recess and replaced by a legislative committee; the legislative committee will continue to function until a new National Assembly is elected in April 2009

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Alianza PAIS Movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]; Christian Democratic Union or UDC [Diego ORDONEZ Guerrero]; Democratic Left or ID [Andres PAEZ Benalcazar]; Ethical and Democratic Network or RED [Leon ROLDOS]; Institutional Renewal and National Action Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New Country or MUPP-NP [Jorge GUAMAN]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Ciro GUZMAN Aldaz]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Gustavo AYALA Cruz]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Marlon SANTI, 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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Agriculture - products

bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Budget

revenues: $21.09 billion expenditures: planned $21.35 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

9.14% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 34 10.72% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.71% (31 December 2008)

Current account balance

$1.194 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $1.65 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$18.11 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 74 $NA (31 December 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46 (2006) country comparison to the world: 39 43.7 (1995) note: data are for urban households

Economy - overview

Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which have accounted for more than half of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector revenues in recent years. In 1999/2000, Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly, the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. The poverty rate declined but remained high at 38% in 2006. In 2006 the government imposed a windfall revenue tax on foreign oil companies, leading to the suspension of free trade negotiations with the US. These measures led to a drop in petroleum production in 2007. President Rafael CORREA raised the specter of debt default and followed through on those threats in December 2008 by defaulting on some commercial bond obligations. He also decreed a higher windfall revenue tax on private oil companies, then renegotiated their contracts to overcome the debilitating effect of the tax. This generated economic uncertainty; private investment has dropped and economic growth has slowed.

Electricity - consumption

9.888 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - exports

38.53 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

861 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

16.75 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000

Exports

$19.15 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $14.87 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish

Exports - partners

US 45.3%, Peru 9.2%, Chile 8.1%, Panama 4.8%, Colombia 4.2% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6.7% industry: 34.3% services: 59% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $7,200 (2007 est.) $7,100 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 2.5% (2007 est.) 3.9% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$54.69 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$108 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $101.4 billion (2007 est.) $98.93 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 43.3% note: data for urban households only (2007)

Imports

$17.79 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 $13.05 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods

Imports - partners

US 19.1%, Venezuela 13.8%, Colombia 9.9%, China 8.4%, Brazil 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 2.3% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Labor force

4.64 million (urban) (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 8.3% industry: 21.2% services: 70.4% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.562 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 89 $4.266 billion (31 December 2007) $4.04 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - production

260 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - proved reserves

8.919 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Oil - consumption

178,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Oil - exports

417,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Oil - imports

54,190 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Oil - production

505,100 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Oil - proved reserves

4.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Population below poverty line

38.3% (2006)

Public debt

25.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.473 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $3.521 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$8.487 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $10.77 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$16.99 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $16.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$10.13 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $8.926 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$5.907 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $4.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$9.383 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $7.974 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

7.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 8.8% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.ec

Internet hosts

57,785 (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Internet users

1.31 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 80

Radio broadcast stations

AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: fixed-line services provided by three state-owned enterprises; plans to transfer the state-owned operators to private ownership have repeatedly failed; fixed-line density stands at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a subscribership of nearly 85 per 100 persons international: country code - 593; landing point for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable that provides links to the west coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.91 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 58

Telephones - mobile cellular

11.595 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Television broadcast stations

7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000)

Airports

420 (2009) country comparison to the world: 19

Airports - with paved runways

total: 103 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 54 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 317 914 to 1,523 m: 38 under 914 m: 279 (2009)

Heliports

2 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 37 country comparison to the world: 80 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 5 (China 1, Panama 4) (2008)

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1,374 km; refined products 1,301 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Railways

total: 965 km country comparison to the world: 90 narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 43,670 km country comparison to the world: 84 paved: 6,472 km unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)

Waterways

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2008) country comparison to the world: 54

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 3,536,602 females age 16-49: 3,559,188 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,708,470 females age 16-49: 3,165,489 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 148,010 female: 143,291 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007)

Military expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 55

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)

Disputes - international

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country

Illicit drugs

significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with much of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; 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 (2008) page last updated on November 11, 2009

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 11,526 (Colombia); note - UNHCR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2007)