SPAMfighter information about
Ecuador
| The data on this page is obtained from The World Factbook. |
 Communications information
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| SPAMfighters: | 9,053 |
| Internet users: | 616,000 (2005) |
| Internet hosts: | 19,027 (2006) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 31 (2001) |
| Internet country code: | .ec |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 1,701,500 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 6.246 million (2005) |
| 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) |
 Geographical information
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| Location: | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru |
| Geographic coordinates: | 2 00 S, 77 30 W |
| Map references: | South America |
| Area: |
total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Nevada |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
| Coastline: | 2,237 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath |
| Climate: | tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands |
| Terrain: | coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower |
| Land use: |
arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 8,650 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands |
| Environment - international agreements: |
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 |
| Geography - note: | Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world |
 People information
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| Population: | 13,547,510 (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766) 65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 23.6 years male: 23.1 years female: 24 years (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.5% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 76.42 years male: 73.55 years female: 79.43 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.68 children born/woman (2006 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%, other 5% |
| 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.) |
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Governmental information
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| Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: |
name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 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) 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 (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff election scheduled for 26 November 2006 (next to be held October 2010) election results: results of the 15 October 2006 election; percent of vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ 17.4%; Leon ROLDOS Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - a runoff election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA and CORREA |
| 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 October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSC 25, ID 16, PRE 15, 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 (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a simple-majority resolution) |
| Political parties and leaders: | 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | 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] |
| International organization participation: | CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga 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, San Francisco, Washington, DC |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL 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 |
 Economical information
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| Economy - overview: | Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country´s export earnings and one-third of central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices driving Ecuador´s economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly. The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption of the United States dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January 2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO has reversed economic reforms that reduced Ecuador´s vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises, allowing the central government greater access to oil windfalls and disbursing surplus retirement funds. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $57.23 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $30.7 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.7% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $4,300 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 7% industry: 31.2% services: 61.8% (2005 est.) |
| Labor force: | 4.6 million (urban) (2005 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001) |
| Unemployment rate: | 10.7% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 41% (2003) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32% note: data for urban households only (October 2003) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.1% (2005 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $8.822 billion expenditures: planned $8.153 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp |
| Industries: | petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 2.1% (2005 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 11.27 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 10.55 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports: | 65 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports: | 140 million kWh (2003) |
| Oil - production: | 493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 155,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
| Natural gas - production: | 50 million cu m (2003 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 50 million cu m (2003 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $-566 million (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | $9.224 billion (2005 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp |
| Exports - partners: | US 51.1%, Peru 8%, Germany 4.4%, Colombia 4.3% (2005) |
| Imports: | $8.436 billion (2005 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity |
| Imports - partners: | US 22.3%, Colombia 14.9%, Venezuela 7.8%, Brazil 6%, China 5.3% (2005) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.148 billion (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $18.09 billion (2005 est.) |
| Currency (code): | US dollar (USD) |
| Currency code: | USD |
| Exchange rates: | 25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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Transportations information
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| Airports: | 359 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 98 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 43 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 261 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2006) |
| Pipelines: | extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2006) |
| Railways: |
total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) |
| Roadways: |
total: 43,197 km paved: 7,287 km unpaved: 35,910 km (2003) |
| Waterways: | 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005) |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006) |
| Ports and terminals: | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar |
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Military information
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| Military branches: | Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 20-49: 2,792,770 females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 20-49: 2,338,428 females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 133,922 females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $650 million (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2% (2005 est.) |
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Information about transnational issues
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| Disputes - international: | organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador´s shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004 |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 8,270 (Colombia) (2005) |
| 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; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents |
