PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Ecuador

Geography
Area: 276,840 sq. km; about the size of Colorado.
Cities: Capital--Quito (pop. 1.6 million). Other major cities--Guayaquil (2.4 million).
Terrain: Jungle east of the Andes, a rich agricultural coastal plain west of the Andes, high-elevation valleys through the mountainous center of the country and an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Climate: Varied, mild year-round in the mountain valleys; hot and humid in coastal and Amazonian jungle lowlands.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Ecuadorian(s).
Population (July 2005 est.): 13,363,593
Annual population growth rate (July 2005 est.): 1.24%.
Ethnic groups: Indigenous 25%, mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 65%, Caucasian and others 7%, African 3%.
Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic (95%), but religious freedom recognized.
Languages: Spanish (official), indigenous languages, especially Quichua, the Ecuadorian dialect of Quechua.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-14, but enforcement varies. Attendance (through 6th grade)--76% urban, 33% rural. Literacy--92%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--23.66/1,000. Life expectancy--76.21 yrs.

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: May 24, 1822 (from Spain).
Constitution: August 10, 1998.
Branches: Executive--President and 15 cabinet ministers. Legislative--unicameral Congress. Judicial--Supreme Court, Provincial Courts, and ordinary civil and criminal judges.
Administrative subdivisions: 22 provinces.
Major political parties: Over a dozen political parties; none predominates.
Suffrage: Obligatory for literate citizens 18-65 yrs. of age; optional for other eligible voters; active duty military personnel and police may not vote.

Economy
GDP: (2006 est.) $40.9 billion; (2005) $36.5 billion; (2004) $32.6 billion; (2003) $28.6 billion; (2002) $24.9 billion.
Real annual growth rate: 1996, 2.4%; 1997, 4.1%; 1998, 2.1%; 1999, -6.3%; 2000, 2.8%; 2001, 5.3%; 2002, 4.3%; 2003, 3.6%; 2004, 7.9%; 2005, 4.7%; 2006 est., 4.3%.
Per capita GDP: (2006 est.) $3,050; (2005) $2,761; (2004) $2,505; (2003) $2,230.
Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, shrimp, timber, gold.
Agriculture, including seafood (6.1% of GDP in 2006): Products--bananas, seafood, flowers, coffee, cacao, sugar, tropical fruits, palm oil, palm hearts, rice, corn, and livestock.
Industry (8.6% of GDP in 2006; oil and mining--24.3% in 2006): Types--petroleum extraction, food processing, wood products, textiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Other major contributors to GDP: Commercial trade (wholesale and retail)--11.4% (2006); transportation and communications--7.5% (2006); construction--7.9% (2006).
Trade: Exports--$7.7 billion (2004); $10.1 billion (2005); $12.4 billion (2006). Types--petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cut flowers cacao, hemp, wood, fish. Major markets (2006)--U.S. 54%, Latin America 24%, European Union (EU) 12%, and Asia 4%. Imports--$7. 5 billion (2004); $9.5 billion (2005); $11.2 billion (2006). Types--industrial materials, nondurable consumer goods, agricultural products. Major suppliers (2006)--Latin America 39%, U.S. 23%, Asia 19%, and EU 9%.
Currency: U.S. dollar.