Map of Ecuador | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 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.


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

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S 77 30 W

Map reference: South America

Area
Total: 283,561 km²
Rank: 73
Land: 276,841 km²
Water: 6,720 km²
Note: includes Galapagos Islands
Comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries
Total: 2010 km
Border countries: (2) Colombia 590 km; Peru 1420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath

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

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Extremes 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

Natural resources: petroleum fish timber hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 5.71%
Permanent crops: 4.81%
Other: 89.48% (2005)

Irrigated land: 8,650 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 432 km³ (2000)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts

Geography
Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world


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Population: 14,573,101 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 64
Growth rate: 1.497% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 88
Below poverty line: 38.3% (2006)

Nationality
Noun: Ecuadorian
Adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65% Amerindian 25% Spanish and others 7% black 3%

Languages: Spanish (official) Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Religions: Roman Catholic 95% other 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 31.1%
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.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 25 years
Male: 24.4 years
Female: 25.6 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.497% (2009 est.)
Rank: 88

Birth rate: 20.77 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 94

Death rate: 4.99 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 191

Net migration rate: -0.81 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 119

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 66% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/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.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 20.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 103
Male: 24.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 17.24 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.3 years
Rank: 81
Male: 72.37 years
Female: 78.37 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 93

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 86
People living with hivaids: 26,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 73
Deaths: 1400 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 68

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)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 1% of GDP (2001)
Rank: 179

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91%
Male: 92.3%
Female: 89.7% (2001 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
Conventional short form: Ecuador
Local long form: Republica del Ecuador
Local short form: Ecuador

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Quito
Geographic coordinates: 0 13 S 78 30 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington DC during Standard Time)

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito) 10 August (1809)

Constitution: 20 October 2008

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado ; Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007)
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 and can be re-elected for another consecutive term; election last held 26 April 2009 (next to be held 2013)
Election results: President Rafael CORREA Delgado reelected president; percent of vote - Rafael CORREA Delgado 51.7%; Lucio GUTIERREZ 28%; Alvaro NOBOA 11.6%; other 8.7%; note - official results pending

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

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)

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]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga
In the us chancery: 2,535 15th Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-7,200
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-3,482
In the us consulate general: Chicago Houston Los Angeles Miami New Orleans New York Newark (New Jersey) San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Heather HODGES
From the us embassy: Avenida Avigiras E12-170 y Avenida Eloy Alfaro Quito
From the us mailing address: Avenida Guayacanes N52-205 y Avenida Avigiras
From the us telephone: [593] (2) 398-5,000
From the us fax: [593] (2) 398-5,100
From the us consulate 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 65
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 46

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 123
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.7%
Industry: 34.3%
Services: 59% (2008 est.)

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

Industries: petroleum food processing textiles wood products chemicals

Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2008 est.)
Rank: 44

Labor force: 4.64 million (urban) (2008 est.)
Rank: 79
By occupation agriculture: 8.3%
By occupation industry: 21.2%
By occupation services: 70.4% (2005)

Unemployment rate: 8.8% (2007 est.)
Rank: 92

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 38.3% (2006)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.2%
Highest 10: 43.3%
Note: data for urban households only (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 43.7 (1995)
Rank: 39
Note: data are for urban households

Budget
Revenues: $21.09 billion
Expenditures: planned $21.35 billion (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 25.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
Rank: 82

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.3% (2007 est.)
Rank: 128

Central bank discount rate: 10.72% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 34

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.71% (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $8.926 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 71

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 89

Current account balance: $1.65 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 45

Exports: $14.87 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 74
Commodities: petroleum bananas cut flowers shrimp cacao coffee hemp wood fish
Partners: US 45.3% Peru 9.2% Chile 8.1% Panama 4.8% Colombia 4.2% (2008)

Imports: $13.05 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 74
Commodities: industrial materials fuels and lubricants nondurable consumer goods
Partners: US 19.1% Venezuela 13.8% Colombia 9.9% China 8.4% Brazil 4.8% Japan 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.521 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 82

Debt external: $NA (31 December 2007)
Rank: 74

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $16.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 65

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $10.77 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 48

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000


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Electricity
Production: 16.75 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 9.888 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 85
Exports: 38.53 million kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 861 million kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 260 million m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 73
Consumption: 260 million m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 99
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 187
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 88
Proven reserves: 8.919 billion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 80

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.91 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 58
Mobile cellular: 11.595 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 52

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)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ec
Hosts: 57,785 (2009)
Hosts rank: 80
Users: 1.31 million (2008)
Users rank: 80

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 55

Military and security forces

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

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 420 (2009)
Rank: 19
With paved runways total: 103
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 18
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 25
With paved runways under 914 m: 54 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 317
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 38
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 279 (2009)

Heliports: 2 (2009)

Pipelines: extra heavy crude 435 km; gas 5 km; oil 1374 km; refined products 1301 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 965 km
Rank: 90
Narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 43,670 km
Rank: 84
Paved: 6,472 km
Unpaved: 37,198 km (2006)

Waterways: 1500 km (most inaccessible) (2008)
Rank: 54

Merchant marine
Total: 37
Rank: 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)

Ports and terminals: Esmeraldas Guayaquil Manta Puerto Bolivar


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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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 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)

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 b