Ecuador

Republic of EcuadorRepublica del Ecuador

republicIndependence 24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Ecuador as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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

Position2 00 S, 77 30 W

Area283,560 sq km

LocationWestern South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at

Populationas each edition published it

12.56 million July 1999 est. · 10.51m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.78% 1999 est. · 2.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.16 years 1999 est. · 69.61 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.63 children per woman 1999 est. · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

30.69 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$4,800 1998 est. · $1,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1% 1998 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 283,560 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 5%permanent pastures 18%forests and woodland 56%other 15% (1993 est.)irrigated 5,560 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

283,560sq km

land: 276,840 sq kmwater: 6,720 sq kmnote: includes Galapagos Islandsslightly smaller than Nevada

Coastline

2,237km

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

Highest point

6,267m

Chimborazolowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

2,010km

border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Location

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

Climate

tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Terrain

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

Natural hazards

frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts

Environment--current issues

deforestation;
soil erosion;
desertification;
water pollution;
pollution from oil production wastes

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People

15 fields

Population

12,562,496

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.78% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

22.26Death

5.06Net migration

0.55

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)72.16

69.54 · 74.9

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)90.1%

92% · 88.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 35% (male 2,250,690; female 2,172,302)
15-64 years:: 60% (male 3,745,390; female 3,833,841)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 261,090; female 299,183) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

30.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective:: Ecuadorian

Languages

Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Government

Republic; President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998); President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998)

18 fields

Legislature, 121 seats, elected 31 May 1998one dot, one seat

-DP 32PSC 27PRE 24ID 18P-NP 9FRA 5PCE 3MPD 2CFP 1

Country name

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

note: a new province, Orellana, was reported to have been formed in 1998

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:: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998);
Vice President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Jamil MAHUAD (since 10 August 1998);
Vice President Gustavo NOBOA (since 10 August 1998);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections:: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
election last held 31 May 1998;
runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results:: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote--51%

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (121 seats; 79 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 42 members are popularly elected by province--two per province--for four-year terms)

elections:: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 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 (Corte Suprema), new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

BRAVO] director] EHLERS] Gonzalez]

International organization participation

CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, 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
chancery:: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general:: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Leslie M. ALEXANDER
embassy:: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address:: APO AA 34039
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 that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms

Economy

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich | agricultural areas.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$4,800

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 2.4% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

43%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

with widespread underemployment (November 1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 12%industry 37%services 51% (1996 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

39%

32%

25%

Latin America

35%

22%

EU countries

19%

12%

Asia

11%

Exports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Electricity

fossil fuel 17.16%hydro 82.84%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

8.45 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

8.45 billion (1996)

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.

In recent years, growth has been uneven due to ill-conceived fiscal stabilization measures. The populist government of Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz proposed a major currency reform in 1996, but popular discontent with BUCARAM'S austerity measures and rampant official corruption led to his replacement by National Congress with Fabian ALARCON in February 1997.

ALARCON adopted a minimalist economic program that put off necessary reforms until August 1998 when President Jamil MAHUAD was elected. MAHAUD inherited an economy in crisis due to mismanagement, El Nino damage to key export sectors such as agriculture, and low world commodity prices in the wake of the Asian financial crisis.

MAHAUD announced a fiscal austerity package and expressed interest in an IMF agreement but faces major difficulties in promoting economic growth, including possible political objections to further reform.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$58.7 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

35% (1994 est.)

Labor force

4.2 million

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 29%, manufacturing 18%, commerce 15%, services and other activities 38% (1990)

Budget

revenues:: planned $5.1 billion not including revenue from potential privatizations
expenditures:: $5.1 billion (1999)

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

petroleum 30%, bananas 26%, shrimp 16%, cut flowers 2%, fish 1.9%

Imports

$2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities

transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, chemicals

Debt--external

$12.5 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$695.7 million (1995)

Currency

1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

sucres (S/) per US$1--7,133.1 (January 1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997), 3,189.5 (1996), 2,564.5 (1995), 2,196.7 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

586,300

(1994 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international:: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 272, FM 0, shortwave 39

Radios

Television broadcast stations

15 (including one station on the Galapagos Islands) (1997)

Televisions

940,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 23 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

chemical tanker 2liquefied gas tanker 1oil tanker 17passenger 3

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 127 914 to 1,523 m: 37

Networkskm

Highways

42,874Railways

965Waterways

1,500

Highways: paved: 5,752 km · unpaved: 37,122 km (1998 est.) · Railways: (single track) · narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge

Railways

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

Highways

total:: 42,874 km
paved:: 5,752 km
unpaved:: 37,122 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

183 (1998 est.)

Heliports

1 (1998 est.)

Military

Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada | Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea | Ecuatoriana), National Police

7 fields

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

3.4%

(1998)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

on October 26, 1998, Peru and Ecuador concluded treaties on commerce and navigation and on boundary integration, to complete a package of agreements settling the long-standing boundary dispute between them;
demarcation of the agreed-upon boundary was scheduled to begin in mid-January 1999

Illicit drugs

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Ecuador.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ecuador/1999.

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