Ecuador

Republic of EcuadorRepublica del Ecuador

republicIndependence 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Ecuador as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 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 sq km

LocationWestern South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the

Populationas each edition published it

10.89 million July 1995 est. · 10.51m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.95% 1995 est. · 2.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.35 years 1995 est. · 69.61 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.97 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

37.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,840 1994 est. · $1,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.9% 1994 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 283,560 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 3%meadows and pastures 17%forest and woodland 51%other 23%irrigated 5,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

283,560sq km

land area: 276,840 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Nevadanote: includes Galapagos Islands

Coastline

2,237km

continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islandsterritorial sea: 200 nm

Land boundaries

2,010km

total · Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Location

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

International 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)

Environment

current issues:: deforestation;
soil erosion;
desertification;
water pollution
natural hazards:: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Tropical Timber 94

Note

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People

15 fields

Population

10,890,950

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.95% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

25.08Death

5.55Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.35

67.83 · 72.99

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy87%

90% · 84%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

2.8million

by occupation: agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 36% (female 1,928,977; male 1,990,036)
15-64 years:: 60% (female 3,281,575; male 3,230,082)
65 years and over:: 4% (female 244,862; male 215,418) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

37.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective:: Ecuadorian

Languages

Spanish (official), Indian languages (especially Quechua)

Government

Republic

23 fields

Legislature, 77 seatsone dot, one seat

PSC 25PRE 11MPD 8ID 7DP 7PCE 7PUR 2CFP 2APRE 2PSE 1FRA 1PLRE 1LN 1independents 2

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form:: Ecuador
local long form:: Republica del Ecuador
local short form:: Ecuador

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

National holiday

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

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 and head of government:: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN Cordovez (since 10 August 1992);
Vice President Alberto DAHIK Garzoni (since 10 August 1992);
election runoff election held 5 July 1992 (next to be held NA 1996);
results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the president

National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

elections last held 1 May 1994 (next to be held 1 May 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (77 total) PSC 25, PRE 11, MPD 8, ID 7, DP 7, PCE 7, PUR 2, CFP 2, APRE 2, PSE 1, FRA 1, PLRE 1, LN 1, independents 2

Center-Right parties

Social Christian Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president;
Republican Unity Party (PUR), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN, leader;
Ecuadorian Conservative Party (PCE), Vice President Alberto DAHIK, president

Center-Left parties

Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos, Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leaders;
Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo PAZ, leader;
Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA, leader;
Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario, director

populist parties:: Roldista Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director;
Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO Nazur, leader;
Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS Passos, leader

Far-Left parties

Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose CASTELLO, leader;
Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS, leader;
Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman;
Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director

Communists

Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist)

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Edgar TERAN Teran
chancery:: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:: [1] (202) 234-7200
consulate(s) general:: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s):: Newark

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Peter F. ROMERO
embassy:: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address:: APO AA 34039-3420
telephone:: [593] (2) 562-890, 561-624, 561-749

FAX

[593] (2) 502-052; consulate(s) general: 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.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$3,840

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

3.9%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 6.4% (1993); accounts for almost 35% of GDP, including petroleum

Inflation, consumer prices

25%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

7.1%

(1994)

Budget

Revenues

$2.76 billionExpenditures

$2.76 billion (1994)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 2,230,000 kW

Electricity production

6.9 billionElectricity consumption per capita

612 (1993)

Overview

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven in recent years because of fluctuations in prices for Ecuador's primary exports - oil and bananas - as well as because of government policies designed to curb inflation. President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN launched a series of macroeconomic reforms when he came into office in August 1992 which included raising domestic fuel prices and utility rates, eliminating most subsidies, and bringing the government budget into balance.

These measures helped to reduce inflation from 55% in 1992 to 25% in 1994. DURAN-BALLEN has a much more favorable attitude toward foreign investment than his predecessor and has supported several laws designed to encourage foreign investment. Ecuador has implemented free or complementary trade agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as applied for World Trade Organization membership.

Ecuador signed a standby agreement with the IMF and rescheduled its $7.6 billion commercial debt in 1994 thereby regaining access to multilateral lending. Growth in 1994 speeded up to 3.9%, based on increased exports of bananas and non-traditional products, while international reserves increased to a record $1.6 billion.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $41.1 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: petroleum 39%, bananas 17%, shrimp 16%, cocoa 3%, coffee 6%
partners:: US 42%, Latin America 29%, Caribbean, EU countries 17%

Imports

$3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, chemicals
partners:: US 28%, EU 17%, Latin America 31%, Caribbean, Japan

External debt

$13.2 billion (yearend 1993 est.)

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber

Agriculture

accounts for 14% of GDP (including fishing and forestry);
leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood;
other agricultural exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp;
other crops - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane;
livestock products - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products;
net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar

Illicit drugs

significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru;
minor illicit producer of coca;
importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics;
important money-laundering hub

Economic aid

recipient:: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-91), $2.39 billion;
Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million

Currency

1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,198.1 (December 1994), 2,196.7 (1994), 1,919.1 (1993), 1,534.0 (1992), 1,046.25 (1991), 767.8 (1990), 767.78 (1990), 526.35 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 175 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

107

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

43,709Railroads

965Inland waterways

1,500

Highways: paved: 5,245 km · unpaved: 38,464 km · Railroads: (single track) · narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 965 km (single track)
narrow gauge:: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways

total:: 43,709 km
paved:: 5,245 km
unpaved:: 38,464 km

Pipelines

crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports

Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo

Merchant marine

total:: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 222,822 GRT/326,447 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 2, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 10