1.
[syn: Ecuador, Republic of Ecuador]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Ecuador
n 1: a republic in northwestern South America; became
independent from Spain in 1822; the landscape is dominated
by the Andes [syn: Ecuador, Republic of Ecuador]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Ecuador
Introduction Ecuador
--------------------
Background: 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. A border war with Peru
that flared in 1995 was resolved in
1999.
Geography Ecuador
-----------------
Location: Western South America, bordering the
Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
water: 6,720 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km,
Peru 1,420 km
Coastline: 2,237 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: claims
continental shelf between mainland
and Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 NM
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
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15%
other: 89.16% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides,
volcanic activity; floods; periodic
droughts
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification; water pollution;
pollution from oil production wastes
in ecologically sensitive areas of
the Galapagos Islands
Environment - international party to: Antarctic-Environmental
agreements: Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements
Geography - note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active
volcano in world
People Ecuador
--------------
Population: 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764;
female 2,337,095)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495;
female 4,090,957)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male
276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.96% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.61 years
female: 74.57 years (2002 est.)
male: 68.79 years
Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 20,000 (2001 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 232 (2001)
Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white)
65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and
others 7%, black 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%
Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian
languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 90.1%
male: 92%
female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
Government Ecuador
------------------
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: Quito
Administrative divisions: 22 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, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day (independence of
Quito), 10 August (1809)
Constitution: 10 August 1998
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal,
compulsory for literate persons ages
18-65, optional for other eligible
voters
Executive branch: chief of state: President Gustavo
NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January
2000) selected president following
coup that deposed President Jamil
MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO
Rubianes (since 28 January 2000)
elected by National Congress from a
slate of candidates submitted by
President NOBOA; note - the
president is both the chief of state
and head of government
elections: formerly, the president
and vice president were elected on
the same ticket by popular vote for
four-year term (no reelection);
election last held 31 May 1998;
runoff election held 12 July 1998
(next to be held 20 October 2002)
head of government: President
Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22
January 2000) selected president
following coup that deposed
President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice
President Pedro PINTO Rubianes
(since 28 January 2000) elected by
National Congress from a slate of
candidates submitted by President
NOBOA; note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
president
election results: results of the
last election prior to the coup
were: Jamil MAHUAD elected
president; percent of vote - 51%
note: a military-indigenous coup
toppled democratically-elected
President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January
2000; the military quickly handed
power over to Vice President Gustavo
NOBOA on 22 January 2000; National
Congress then elected a new vice
president from a slate of candidates
submitted by NOBOA; the new
administration is scheduled to
complete the remainder of MAHAUD's
term, due to expire in January 2003
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or
Congreso Nacional (123 seats; 20
members are popularly elected at-
large nationally to serve four-year
terms; 103 members are popularly
elected by province to serve four-
year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998
(next to be held 20 October 2002)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - DP 32,
PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA
5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note -
defections by members of National
Congress are commonplace, resulting
in frequent changes in the numbers
of seats held by the various parties
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new
justices are elected by the full
Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or
CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic
Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos];
Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE
[Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO];
Independent National Movement or MIN
[Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New
Country or P-NP [Miguel LLUCO];
Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan
Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic
Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN
Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or
FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director];
Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala
BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social
Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL
CIOPPO]
Political pressure groups and Confederation of Indigenous
leaders: Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
[Leonidas IZA, 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]; Popular Front or FP
[Luis VILLACIS]
International organization CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
participation: IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne
A-BAKI
consulate(s) general: Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark,
Philadelphia, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry L.
PALMER
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y
Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 502-052
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
Economy Ecuador
---------------
Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial oil
resources and rich agricultural
areas. Because the country exports
primary products such as oil,
bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in
world market prices can have a
substantial domestic impact. Ecuador
joined the World Trade Organization
in 1996, but has failed to comply
with many of its accession
commitments. The aftermath of El
Nino and depressed oil market of
1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into
a free-fall in 1999. The beginning
of 1999 saw the banking sector
collapse, which helped precipitate
an unprecedented default on external
loans later that year. Continued
economic instability drove a 70%
depreciation of the currency
throughout 1999, which forced a
desperate government to "dollarize"
the currency regime in 2000. The
move stabilized the currency, but
did not stave off the ouster of the
government. Gustavo NOBOA, who
assumed the presidency in January
2000, has managed to pass
substantial economic reforms and
mend relations with international
financial institutions. Ecuador
completed its first standby
agreement since 1986 when the IMF
Board approved a 10 December 2001
disbursement of $96 million, the
final installment of a $300 million
standby credit agreement.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.6
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11%
industry: 25%
services: 64% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.2%
percentage share: highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini 43.7 (1995)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.7 million (urban)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 25%,
services 45% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 14%; note - widespread
underemployment (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: planned $5.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001 est.)
Industries: petroleum, food processing,
textiles, metal work, paper
products, wood products, chemicals,
plastics, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 10.395 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.01%
hydro: 74.99%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 9.667 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice,
potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep,
pigs, beef, pork, dairy products;
balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Exports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee,
cocoa, cut flowers, fish
Exports - partners: US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia
5%, Italy 3% (2000)
Imports: $4.8 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals,
raw materials, fuels; consumer goods
Imports - partners: US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%,
Venezuela 8%, Brazil 4% (2000)
Debt - external: $14 billion (2001)
Economic aid - recipient: $120 million (2001)
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0
(January 2002), 25,000.0 (2001),
24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999),
5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997)
note: on 13 March 2000, the National
Congress approved a new exchange
system whereby the US dollar was
adopted as the main legal tender in
Ecuador for all purposes; on 20
March 2000, the Central Bank of
Ecuador started to exchange sucres
for US dollars at a fixed rate of
25,000 sucres per US dollar; since
30 April 2000, all transactions are
denominated in US dollars
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Ecuador
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,115,272 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 384,000 (1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: generally
elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally
inadequate and unreliable
international: satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Radios: 5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 2.5 million (2001)
Internet country code: .ec
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (2001)
Internet users: 180,000 (2001)
Transportation Ecuador
----------------------
Railways: total: 965 km
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge
(2000 est.)
Highways: total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,165 km
unpaved: 35,032 km (2001)
Waterways: 1,500 km
Pipelines: crude oil 800 km; petroleum products
1,358 km
Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad,
Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo
Merchant marine: total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 239,876 GRT/393,680 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002
est.)
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical
tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger
3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized
tanker 1
Airports: 205 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 61
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 19 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 113 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Ecuador
----------------
Military branches: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air
Force, National Police
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 132,978 (2002 est.)
age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $720 million (FY98)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3.4% (FY98)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Ecuador
----------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: significant transit country for
cocaine originating in Colombia and
Peru; importer of precursor
chemicals used in production of
illicit narcotics; important money-
laundering hub; increased activity
on the northern frontier by
trafficking groups and Colombian
insurgents