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Communications

Airports [time series]

143 total, 142 usable; 43 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 23 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

23 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

28,000 km total; 3,600 km paved, 17,400 km gravel and improved earth, 7,000 km unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

1,500 km

Merchant marine [time series]

46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 337,999 GRT/491,996 DWT; includes 2 passenger, 4 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 15 petroleum tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 2 bulk

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km

Ports [time series]

Guayaquil, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, Esmeraldas

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

965 km total; all 1.067-meter-gauge single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

domestic facilities generally adequate; 318,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 272 AM, no FM, 33 TV, 39 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 2,804,260; 1,898,401 fit for military service; 115,139 reach military age (20) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 18% of GDP and 35% of labor force (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood; other exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; crop production - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock sector - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains, dairy products, and sugar

Budget [time series]

revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $375 million (1991)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

sucre (plural - sucres); 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.15 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million

Electricity [time series]

2,344,000 kW capacity; 6,430 million kWh produced, 598 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,046.25 (1991), 869.54 (December 1990), 767.75 (1990), 526.35 (1989), 301.61 (1988), 170.46 (1987)

Exports [time series]

$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum 47%, coffee, bananas, cocoa products, shrimp, fish products partners: US 60%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC countries

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$12.4 billion (December 1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion, per capita $1,070; real growth rate 2.5% (1991)

Illicit drugs [time series]

minor illicit producer of coca following the successful eradication campaign of 1985-87; significant transit country, however, for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru

Imports [time series]

$1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: transport equipment, vehicles, machinery, chemicals partners: US 34%, Latin America, Caribbean, EC, Japan

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -3.8% (1989); accounts for almost 40% of GDP, including petroleum

Industries [time series]

petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal works, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, timber

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

49% (1991)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven because of natural disasters (for example, a major earthquake in 1987), fluctuations in global oil prices, and government policies designed to curb inflation. The government has not taken a supportive attitude toward either domestic or foreign investment, although its agreement to enter the Andean free trade zone is an encouraging move. As 1991 ended, Ecuador received a standby IMF loan of $105 million, which will permit the country to proceed with the rescheduling of Paris Club debt.

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.0% (1990)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical along coast becoming cooler inland

Coastline [time series]

2,237 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Nevada

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; periodic droughts

Area (Land area) [time series]

276,840 km2; includes Galapagos Islands

Land boundaries [time series]

2,010 km; Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 6%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 17%; forest and woodland 51%; other 23%; includes irrigated 2%

Maritime claims [time series]

Continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands Territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, fish, timber

Note [time series]

Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Terrain [time series]

coastal plain (Costa), inter-Andean central highlands (Sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (Oriente)

Area (Total area) [time series]

283,560 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Quito

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-Moscow), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, secretary general, 5,000 members; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist), 3,000 members; Socialist Party of Ecuador (PSE, pro-Cuba), 5,000 members (est.); National Liberation Party (PLN, Communist), less than 5,000 members (est.)

Constitution [time series]

10 August 1979

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Jaime MONCAYO; Chancery at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7200; there are Ecuadorian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, and a Consulate in San Diego US: Ambassador vacant; Embassy at Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria; Quito (mailing address is P. O. Box 538, Quito, or APO AA 34039); telephone [593] (2) 562-890; FAX [593] (2) 502-052; there is a US Consulate General in Guayaquil

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

National Congress: last held 17 June 1990 (next to be held 17 May 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) PSC 16, ID 14, PRE 13, PSE 8, DP 7, CFP 3, PC 3, PLR 3, FADI 2, FRA 2, MPD 1 President: runoff election held 5 July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

24 May 1822 (from Spain; Battle of Pichincha)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos (since 10 August 1988); Vice President Luis PARODI Valverde (since 10 August 1988)

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Ecuador

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18; compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

28 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

42 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

2,800,000; agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)

Languages [time series]

Spanish (official); Indian languages, especially Quechua

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

67 years male, 72 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

86% (male 88%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Ecuadorian(s); adjective - Ecuadorian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

less than 15% of labor force

Population [time series]

10,933,143 (July 1992), growth rate 2.2% (1992)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 95%

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.5 children born/woman (1992)