Ecuador

The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are 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. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have governed Ecuador since 1996.

• frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
• floods;
• periodic droughts

• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• desertification;
• water pollution;
• pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

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

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.88 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

noun:

Ecuadorian(s)

adjective:

Ecuadorian

conventional long form:

Republic of Ecuador

conventional short form:

Ecuador

local long form:

Republica del Ecuador

local short form:

Ecuador

• 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

chief of state:

• President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
• Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
• former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office by congress effective 20 April 2005

head of government:

• President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
• Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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 (no immediate reelection);
• election last held 20 October 2002;
• runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held October 2006)

election results:

• results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president;
• percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%;
• Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%;
• note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio GUTIERREZ from office

• Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
• Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI];
• National Action Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA];
• Pachakutik Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA];
• Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua];
• 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 [Leon FEBRES CORDERO];
• Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

• Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Luis MACAS, 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]

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant)

chancery:

2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 234-7200

FAX:

[1] (202) 667-3482

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY

embassy:

Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito

mailing address:

APO AA 34039

telephone:

[593] (2) 256-2890

FAX:

[593] (2) 250-2052

consulate(s) general:

Guayaquil

• 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

lowest 10%:

2%

highest 10%:

32%

note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

revenues:

$7.9 billion

expenditures:

planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

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

general assessment:

generally elementary but being expanded

domestic:

facilities generally inadequate and unreliable

international:

country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

total:

966 km

narrow gauge:

966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

total:

43,197 km

paved:

8,164 km

unpaved:

35,033 km (2002)

• extra heavy crude 578 km;
• gas 71 km;
• oil 1,386 km;
• refined products 1,185 km (2004)

total:

31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT

by type:

chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 20

foreign-owned:

3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005)

• significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru;
• 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, especially vulnerable along the border with Colombia;
• increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents