Ecuador

republicIndependence 24 May 1822 (from Spain

Ecuador as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalQuito

Area283,560 km2

Populationas each edition published it

10.93 million July 1992 · 10.51m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 69.61 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.5 children per woman 1992 · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

42 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

283,560km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada

Coastline

2,237km

Continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos IslandsTerritorial sea: 200 nm

Land boundaries

2,010km

Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Disputes

three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute

Climate

tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain

coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)

Land use

arable land 6%;
permanent crops 3%;
meadows and pastures 17%;
forest and woodland 51%;
other 23%;
includes irrigated 2%

Environment

subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
deforestation;
desertification;
soil erosion;
periodic droughts

Note

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People

14 fields

Population

10,933,143

(July 1992), growth rate 2.2% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

28Death

6Net migration

Ethnic divisions

mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%Indian 25%Spanish 10%black 10%

Literacy

86%

(male 88%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun - Ecuadorian(s); adjective - Ecuadorian

Languages

Spanish (official); Indian languages, especially Quechua

Labor force

2,800,000; agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)

Government

Republic

18 fields

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

Independence

24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)

Legal system

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

National holiday

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)

Suffrage

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

Elections

National Congress:: last held 17 June 1990 (next to be held 17 May 1992);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (72 total) PSC 16, ID 14, PRE 13, PSE 8, DP 7, CFP 3, PC 3, PLR 3, FADI 2, FRA 2, MPD 1
President:: runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president

Communists

Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, secretary general, 5,000 members;
Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist), 3,000 members;
Socialist Party of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000 members (est.);
National Liberation Party (PLN, Communist), less than 5,000 members (est.)

AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO;
Chancery at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone (202) 234-7200;
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 vacant;
Embassy at Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria;
Quito (mailing address is P. O. Box 538, Quito, or APO AA 34039);
telephone [593] (2) 562-890;
FAX [593] (2) 502-052;
there is a US Consulate General in Guayaquil

Flag

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 that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

49%

(1991)

Unemployment rate

8.0%

(1990)

External debt

$12.4billion

(December 1991)

Budget

Revenues

$2.2 billionExpenditures

$2.2 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $375 million (1991)

Overview

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven because of natural disasters (for example, a major earthquake in 1987), fluctuations in global oil prices, and government policies designed to curb inflation. The government has not taken a supportive attitude toward either domestic or foreign investment, although its agreement to enter the Andean free trade zone is an encouraging move.

As 1991 ended, Ecuador received a standby IMF loan of $105 million, which will permit the country to proceed with the rescheduling of Paris Club debt.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion, per capita $1,070; real growth rate 2.5% (1991)

Exports

$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: petroleum 47%, coffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products
partners:: US 60%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC countries

Imports

$1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: transport equipment, vehicles, machinery, chemicals
partners:: US 34%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan

Industrial production

growth rate -3.8% (1989); accounts for almost 40% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

2,344,000 kW capacity; 6,430 million kWh produced, 598 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal works, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, timber

Agriculture

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 foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar

Illicit drugs

minor illicit 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

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.15 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million

Currency

sucre (plural - sucres); 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,046.25 (1991), 869.54 (December 1990), 767.75 (1990), 526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988), 170.46 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 46 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger 2cargo 4refrigerated cargo 17container 4roll-on/roll-off 1petroleum tanker 15liquefied gas 1bulk 246 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 337,999 GRT/491,996 DWT

Airports, 143 total, 142 usable

permanent-surface runways

43runway over | 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

6runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

28,000Railroads

965Inland waterways

1,500

Highways: ; 3,600 km paved, 17,400 km gravel and improved earth, 7,000 km unimproved earth · Railroads: ; all 1.067-meter-gauge single track