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| 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. |
| People | Ecuador |
| Population: | 13,212,742 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 23 years male: 22.5 years female: 23.5 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.03% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 23.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | 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 (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 76.01 years male: 73.15 years female: 79 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 21,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 1,700 (2003 est.) |
| 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: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Ecuador |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del 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 Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president 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% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; 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]; 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 [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Confederation of Indigenous 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 participation: | CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira 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 US: | 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 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Ecuador |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 1.549 million (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 2,394,400 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: country code - 593; 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 hosts: | 3,188 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 31 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 569,700 (2003) |
| Transportation | Ecuador |
| Railways: | total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000) |
| Waterways: | 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003) |
| Pipelines: | extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo |
| Merchant marine: | total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT foreign-owned: Greece 1, Paraguay 1, Peru 1 registered in other countries: 3 (2003 est.) by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1 |
| Airports: | 205 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 62 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 143 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Ecuador |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 3,440,371 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 2,315,808 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 132,476 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $650 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.4% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | Ecuador |
| Disputes - international: | the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador |
| Illicit drugs: | 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 |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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