Statistical information Ecuador 1990

Ecuador in the World
top of pageBackground: The 'Republic of the Equator' was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942 Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 2,010 km total; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200 m
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland
Terrain: coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, fish, timber
Land use: 6% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 17% meadows and pastures; 51% forest and woodland; 23% other; includes 2% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world geoad2
top of pagePopulation: 10,506,668 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)
Nationality: noun--Ecuadorian(s; adjective--Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups: 55% mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish), 25% Indian, 10% Spanish, 10% black
Languages: Spanish (official; Indian languages, especially Quechua
Religions: 95% Roman Catholic
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 30 births/1000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1990)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 61 deaths/1000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1990)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 85% (1981)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
Government 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)
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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988; Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)
Legislative branch: Ecuadorean Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Ecuadorean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), Ecuadorean Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: Andean Pact, ECOSOC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPEC, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at 2,535 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20,009; telephone (202) 234-7,200; there are Ecuadorian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego; US--Ambassador-designate Paul C. LAMBERT; Embassy at Avenida Patria 120, on the corner of Avenida 12 de Octubre, Quito (mailing address is P. O. Box 538, Quito, or APO Miami 34,039; telephone p593o (2) 562-890; there is a US Consulate General in 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Ecuador continues to recover from a 1986 drop in international oil prices and a major earthquake in 1987 that interrupted oil exports for six months and forced Ecuador to suspend foreign debt payments. In 1988-89 oil exports recovered--accounting for nearly half of Ecuador's total export revenues--and Quito resumed full interest payments on its official debt, and partial payments on its commercial debt. The Borja administration has pursued austere economic policies that have helped reduce inflation and restore international reserves. Ecuador was granted an IMF standby agreement worth $135 million in 1989, and Quito will seek to reschedule its foreign commercial debt in 1990.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: 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 foodgrain, dairy products, and sugar
Industries: food processing, textiles, chemicals, fishing, timber, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1988)
Labor force:
2,800,000; 35% agriculture, 21% manufacturing, 16% commerce, 28%
services and other activities (1982)
Unemployment rate: 14.3% (1988)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $601 million (1988 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: petroleum 47%, coffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products
Partners: US 58%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC countries
Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: transport equipment, vehicles, machinery, chemical, petroleum
Partners: US 28%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $10.9 billion (1989)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1--526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988), 170.46 (1987), 122.78 (1986), 69.56 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 1,953,000 kW capacity; 5,725 million kWh produced, 560 kWh per capita (1989)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: 1% of GDP, or $100 million (1988 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 179 total, 178 usable; 43 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil, 800 km; refined products, 1,358 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 1,500 km
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 340,446 GRT/492,670 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 7 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 2 container, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 16 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 1 bulk
Ports and terminalsEcuador - Transnational issues 1990
top of pageDisputes international: two sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: relatively small 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