2015 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 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador's 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters reelected President Rafael CORREA.

Area

land

276,841 sq km

note

includes Galapagos Islands

total

283,561 sq km

water

6,720 sq km

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

highest point

Chimborazo 6,267 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

note

because 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 peak 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)

per capita

716.1 cu m/yr (2005)

total

9.92 cu km/yr (13%/6%/81%)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 S, 77 30 W

Geography - note

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Irrigated land

8,534 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (2)

Colombia 708 km, Peru 1,529 km

total

2,237 km

Land use

arable land 4.7%; permanent crops 5.6%; permanent pasture 19.4%

agricultural land

29.7%

forest

38.9%

other

31.4% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf

100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

territorial sea

200 nm

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (elev. 5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (elev. 1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago

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

424.4 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

27.99% (male 2,265,935/female 2,175,864)

15-24 years

18.56% (male 1,494,206/female 1,451,152)

25-54 years

39.16% (male 3,027,989/female 3,185,924)

55-64 years

7.23% (male 563,259/female 584,730)

65 years and over

7.05% (male 533,796/female 585,541) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

18.51 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

8% (2008 est.)

total number

227,599

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.4% (2013)

Death rate

5.06 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Ecuador's high poverty and income inequality most affect indigenous, mixed race, and rural populations. The government has increased its social spending to ameliorate these problems, but critics question the efficiency and implementation of its national development plan. Nevertheless, the conditional cash transfer program, which requires participants' children to attend school and have medical check-ups, has helped improve educational attainment and healthcare among poor children. Ecuador is stalled at above replacement level fertility and the population most likely will keep growing rather than stabilize.

An estimated 2 to 3 million Ecuadorians live abroad, but increased unemployment in key receiving countries - Spain, the United States, and Italy - is slowing emigration and increasing the likelihood of returnees to Ecuador. The first large-scale emigration of Ecuadorians occurred between 1980 and 2000, when an economic crisis drove Ecuadorians from southern provinces to New York City, where they had trade contacts. A second, nationwide wave of emigration in the late 1990s was caused by another economic downturn, political instability, and a currency crisis. Spain was the logical destination because of its shared language and the wide availability of low-skilled, informal jobs at a time when increased border surveillance made illegal migration to the US difficult. Ecuador has a small but growing immigrant population and is Latin America's top recipient of refugees; 98% are neighboring Colombians fleeing violence in their country.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.4%

potential support ratio

9.6% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

55.6%

youth dependency ratio

45.1%

Drinking water source

urban: 93.4% of population

rural: 75.5% of population

total: 86.9% of population

urban: 6.6% of population

rural: 24.5% of population

total: 13.1% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2012)

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 71.9%, Montubio 7.4%, Amerindian 7%, white 6.1%, Afroecuadorian 4.3%, mulato 1.9%, black 1%, other 0.4% (2010 est.)

Health expenditures

7.5% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.41% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,600 (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

37,500 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

14.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

20.51 deaths/1,000 live births

total

17.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (Castillian) 93% (official), Quechua 4.1%, other indigenous 0.7%, foreign 2.2%

note

(Quechua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations; other indigenous languages are in official use by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit) (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.67 years (2015 est.)

male

73.6 years

total population

76.56 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.5% (2015 est.)

male

95.4%

total population

94.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2013)

Major urban areas - population

Guayaquil 2.709 million; QUITO (capital) 1.726 million (2015)

Median age

female

27.3 years (2014 est.)

male

26 years

total

26.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Ecuadorian

noun

Ecuadorian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18% (2014)

Physicians density

1.72 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

15,868,396 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.35% (2015 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 74%, Evangelical 10.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.4% (includes Mormon Buddhist, Jewish, Spiritualist, Muslim, Hindu, indigenous religions, African American religions, Pentecostal), atheist 7.9%, agnostic 0.1%

note

data represents persons at least 16 years of age from five Ecuadoran cities (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87% of population

rural: 80.7% of population

total: 84.7% of population

urban: 13% of population

rural: 19.3% of population

total: 15.3% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2012)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.95 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.91 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.25 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

15% (2011 est.)

male

9%

total

11.1%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

63.7% of total population (2015)

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

geographic coordinates

0 13 S, 78 30 W

name

Quito

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008; amended 2011 (2011)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form

Ecuador

local long form

Republica del Ecuador

local short form

Ecuador

note

the country's position on the globe, straddling the equator, accounts for its name

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Adam E. NAMM (since 26 April 2012)

consulate(s) general

Guayaquil

embassy

Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro, Quito

FAX

[593] (2) 398-5100

mailing address

Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras

telephone

[593] (2) 398-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose Francisco BORJA Cevallos (since 18 May 2015)

consulate(s)

Boston, Dallas, Denver (CO), San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Haven (CT), New Orleans, New York, Newark (NJ), Phoenix, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 667-3482

telephone

[1] (202) 234-7200

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Jorge GLAS Espinel (since 24 May 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

President Rafael CORREA Delgado reelected president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado (Alianza PAIS Movement) 57.2%, Guillermo LASSO (CREO) 22.7%, Lucio GUTIERREZ (PSP) 6.8%, Mauricio RODAS (SUMA) 3.9%, other 9.4%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 February 2013 (next to be held in 2017)

head of government

President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Jorge GLAS Espinel (since 24 May 2013)

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; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; the yellow color represents sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth, blue the sky, sea, and rivers, and red the blood of patriots spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice

note

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 law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

National Court of Justice or Corte Nacional de Justicia (consists of 21 judges including the chief justice and organized into 5 specialized chambers); Constitutional Court or Corte Constitucional (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

justices of National Court of Justice elected by the Judiciary Council, a 9-member independent body of law professionals; judges elected for 9-year, non-renewable terms, with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the executive, legislative, and Citizen Participation branches of government; judges appointed for 9-year non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

Fiscal Tribunal; Election Dispute Settlement Courts, provincial courts (one for each province); cantonal courts

Legal system

civil law based on the Chilean civil code with modifications; traditional law in indigenous communities

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (137 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 15 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote, and 6 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies for Ecuadorians living abroad by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAIS 100, CREO 11, PSC 6, AVANZA 5, MUPP 5, PSP 5, other 5; note - defections by members of National Assembly are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties

elections

last held on 17 February 2013 (next to be held in 2017)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Leon MERA/Antonio NEUMANE

name

"Salve, Oh Patria!" (We Salute You, Our Homeland)

note

adopted 1948; Juan Leon MERA wrote the lyrics in 1865; only the chorus and second verse are sung

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red

Political parties and leaders

Alianza PAIS movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]

Avanza Party or AVANZA [Ramiro GONZALEZ]

Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guillermo LASSO]

Institutional Renewal and National Action Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]

Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Rafael ANTUNI]

Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]

Popular Democracy Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS]

Roldosist Party or PRE

Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]

Socialist Party [Fabian SOLANO]

Society United for More Action or SUMA [Mauricio RODAS]

Warrior's Spirit Movement [Jaime NEBOT]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Humberto CHOLANGO]

Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Manuel CHUGCHILAN, president]

National Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN

National Teacher's Union or UNE [Mariana PALLASCO]

Suffrage

18-65 years of age, universal and compulsory; 16-18, over 65, and other eligible voters, voluntary

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$44.7 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$39.5 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

8.17% (31 December 2011)

8.68% (31 December 2010)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.5% (31 December 2014 est.)

8.17% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$840 million (2014 est.)

-$1.29 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$21.74 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$19.23 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.5 (December 2013)

50.5 (December 2010)

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 approximately 25% of public sector revenues in recent years.

In 1999/2000, Ecuador's economy suffered from a banking crisis, with GDP contracting by 5.3% and poverty increasing significantly. In March 2000, the 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 an average of 4.3% per year, the highest five-year average in 25 years. After moderate growth in 2007, the economy reached a growth rate of 6.4% in 2008, buoyed by high global petroleum prices and increased public sector investment. President Rafael CORREA Delgado, who took office in January 2007, defaulted in December 2008 on Ecuador's sovereign debt, which, with a total face value of approximately US$3.2 billion, represented about 30% of Ecuador's public external debt. In May 2009, Ecuador bought back 91% of its "defaulted" bonds via an international reverse auction.

Economic policies under the CORREA administration - for example, an announcement in late 2009 of its intention to terminate 13 bilateral investment treaties, including one with the United States - have generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment. China has become Ecuador's largest foreign lender since Quito defaulted in 2008, allowing the government to maintain a high rate of social spending; Ecuador contracted with the Chinese government for more than $9.9 billion in forward oil sales, project financing, and budget support loans as of December 2013.

Foreign investment levels in Ecuador continue to be the lowest in the region as a result of an unstable regulatory environment, weak rule of law, and the crowding-out effect of public investments. In 2014, oil output increased slightly and production is expected to remain steady in 2015, although prices will likely remain lower than in previous years. Faced with a 2013 trade deficit of $1.1 billion, Ecuador erected technical barriers to trade in December 2013, causing tensions with its largest trading partners. Ecuador also decriminalized intellectual property rights violations in February 2014. In March, 2015 Ecuador imposed tariff surcharges from 5%-45% on an estimated 32% of imports for 15 months.

Exchange rates

the US dollar became Ecuador's currency in 2001

Exports

$27.33 billion (2014 est.)

$25.69 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 44.6%, Chile 9.9%, Peru 7.5% (2013)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

29.9%

government consumption

14.1%

household consumption

60.2%

imports of goods and services

-31.6%

investment in fixed capital

27.4%

investment in inventories

0.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6%

industry

34.4%

services

59.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,200 (2014 est.)

$10,800 (2013 est.)

$10,400 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (2014 est.)

4.6% (2013 est.)

5.2% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$100.8 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$180.2 billion (2014 est.)

$173.9 billion (2013 est.)

$166.2 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

27.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

27.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

27.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

35.4%

lowest 10%

1.4%

note

data for urban households only (2012 est.)

Imports

$26.4 billion (2014 est.)

$26.33 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

industrial materials, fuels and lubricants, nondurable consumer goods

Imports - partners

US 29.2%, China 12.9%, Colombia 8.5%, Panama 6.8%, Peru 4.1% (2013)

Industrial production growth rate

4%

note

excludes oil refining (2014 est.)

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2014 est.)

2.7% (2013 est.)

Labor force

7.214 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

27.8%

industry

17.8%

services

54.4% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$5.911 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$5.779 billion (31 December 2011)

$5.263 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

25.6% (December 2013 est.)

Public debt

30% of GDP (2014 est.)

23.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.811 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$4.352 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$34.53 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$28.44 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$6.33 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$6.33 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$14.28 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$13.68 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$34.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$28.01 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$10.81 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$9.274 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

39.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

5% (2014 est.)

4.7% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

37.23 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

413,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - imports

154,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

527,200 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

8.24 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

19.38 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

12 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

56% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

42% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

238 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

5.336 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

22.85 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

517 million cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

517 million cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.003 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

255,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

28,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

135,500 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

207,300 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple TV networks and many local channels, as well as more than 300 radio stations; many TV and radio stations are privately owned; the government owns or controls 5 national TV stations and multiple radio stations; broadcast media required by law to give the government free air time to broadcast programs produced by the state (2007)

Internet country code

.ec

Internet users

percent of population

37.6% (2014 est.)

total

5.9 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line services provided by multiple telecommunications operators; fixed-line teledensity stands at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular use has surged and subscribership has reached 100 per 100 persons

general assessment

elementary fixed-line service but increasingly sophisticated mobile-cellular network

international

country code - 593; landing points for the PAN-AM and South America-1 submarine cables that provide 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) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

2.44 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

106 (2014 est.)

total

16.6 million

Television broadcast stations

7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000)

Airports

432 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

18

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

26

over 3,047 m

4

total

104

under 914 m

51 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

291 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

37

total

328

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 9, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 1

registered in other countries

4 (Panama 3, Peru 1) (2010)

total

44

Pipelines

extra heavy crude 527 km; gas 71 km; oil 2,131 km; refined products 1,526 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Guayaquil (1,405,762)

major seaport(s)

Esmeraldas, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

river port(s)

Guayaquil (Guayas)

Railways

narrow gauge

965 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

total

965 km

Roadways

paved

6,472 km

total

43,670 km

unpaved

37,198 km (2007)

Waterways

1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

3,844,918 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

3,728,906

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

3,269,535 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,834,213

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

147,143 (2010 est.)

male

152,593

Military branches

Ecuadorian Armed Forces: Ecuadorian Land Force (Fuerza Terrestre Ecuatoriana, FTE), Ecuadorian Navy (Fuerza Naval del Ecuador (FNE), includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Ecuadorian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2012)

Military expenditures

2.83% of GDP (2012)

3.2% of GDP (2011)

2.83% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective conscript military service; conscription has been suspended; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Air Force 18-22 years of age, Ecadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation (2012)

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)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

121,317 (Colombia) (2014)