Ecuador

Ecuador

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name República del Ecuador/Republic of Ecuador Area 270,670 sq km/104,505 sq mi Capital Quito Language Spanish (official), Quechua, Jivaro, other indigenous languages Religion Roman Catholic Time difference GMT -5 Major holidays 1 January, 1, 24 May, 30 June, 24 July, 10 August, 9, 12 October, 2–3 November, 6, 25, 31 December; variable: Carnival (2 days), Good Friday, Holy Thursday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Guayaquil, Cuenca, Machala, Portoviejo, Manta, Ambato, Santo Domingo Major ports Guayaquil Physical features coastal plain rises sharply to Andes Mountains, which are divided into a series of cultivated valleys; flat, low-lying rainforest in the east; Galapagos Islands; Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano. Ecuador is crossed by the Equator, from which it derives its name Airports two international airports; six domestic airports; total passengers carried: 1.3 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 966 km/600 mi; total passenger journeys: 110,000 (1998) Roads total road network: 43,197 km/26,843 mi, of which 16.9% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 52.9 per 1,000 people (2003 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Rafael Correa from 2007 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 21 provinces Political parties Social Christian Party (PSC), right wing; Ecuadorean Roldosist Party (PRE), populist, centre left; Popular Democracy (DP), centre right; Democratic Left (ID), moderate socialist; Conservative Party (PCE), right wing; Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), far-left Death penalty abolished in 1906 Armed forces 46,500 (2006 est) Conscription military service is selective for one year Defence spend (% GDP) 2.4 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 1 (2002 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency US dollar GDP (US$) 36.2 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4.4 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 34.8 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 4,070 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3.2% (2006 est) Unemployment 10.7% (2005 est) Labour force 8.3% agriculture, 21.2% industry, 70.5% services (2005) Foreign debt (US$) 17.9 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Colombia, Panama, Germany, Peru, Venezuela, Russia, China Resources petroleum, natural gas, gold, silver, copper, zinc, antimony, iron, uranium, lead, coal Industries food processing, petroleum refining, cement, chemicals, textiles Exports petroleum and petroleum products, banana and plantain, shrimps (a major exporter), canned fish, cocoa beans and products, cut flowers. Principal market: USA 55.9% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, basic manufactures, chemicals, consumer goods. Principal source: USA 21.2% (2005) Arable land 5.7% (2006 est) Agricultural products bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, maize, barley, sugar cane; fishing (especially shrimp industry); forestry


POPULATION

Population 13,418,600 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.4% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 50 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 63 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 32%, 15–59 60%, 60+ 8% (2005 est) Ethnic groups about 55% mestizo (of Spanish-American and American Indian parentage), 25% American Indian, 10% Spanish, 10% African Life expectancy 72 (men); 78 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 26 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 10 Literacy rate 92% (men); 90% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 14.8 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.5 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.3 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 1,600 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 92 (urban); 77 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 12.9 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 47.2 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 413 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 250 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 3.9 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 4.7 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1450s The Caras people, whose kingdom had its capital at Quito, conquered by Incas of Peru. 1531 Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro landed on Ecuadorean coast, en route to Peru, where Incas were defeated. 1534 Conquered by Spanish. Quito, which had been destroyed by American Indians, was refounded by Sebastian de Belalcazar; the area became part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru, which covered much of South America, with its capital at Lima (Peru). later 16th century Spanish established large agrarian estates, owned by Europeans and worked by American Indian labourers. 1739 Became part of new Spanish Viceroyalty of Nueva Granada, which included Colombia and Venezuela, with its capital in Bogotá (Colombia). 1809 With the Spanish monarchy having been overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Creole middle class began to press for independence. 1822 Spanish Royalists defeated by Field Marshal Antonio José de Sucre, fighting for Simón Bolívar, ‘The Liberator’, at battle of Pichincha, near Quito; became part of independent Gran Colombia, which also comprised Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela. 1830 Became fully independent state, after leaving Gran Colombia. 1845–60 Political instability, with five presidents holding power, increasing tension between conservative Quito and liberal Guayaquil on the coast, and minor wars with Peru and Colombia. 1860–75 Power held by Gabriel García Moreno, an autocratic theocrat-Conservative who launched education and public-works programmes. 1895–1912 Dominated by Gen Eloy Alfaro, a radical, anticlerical Liberal from the coastal region, who reduced the power of the church. 1925–48 Great political instability; no president completed his term of office. 1941 Lost territory in Amazonia after defeat in war with Peru. 1948–55 Liberals in power. 1956 Camilo Ponce became first conservative president in 60 years. 1960 Liberals in power, with José María Velasco Ibarra as president. 1962 Military junta installed. 1968 Velasco returned as president. 1970s Ecuador emerged as significant oil producer. 1972 Coup put military back in power. 1979 New democratic constitution; Liberals in power but opposed by right- and left-wing parties. 1981 Border dispute with Peru flared up again. 1982 Deteriorating economy and austerity measures provoked strikes, demonstrations, and a state of emergency. 1988 Unpopular austerity measures introduced. 1992 PUR leader Sixto Duran Ballen elected president; PSC became largest party in congress. Ecuador withdrew from OPEC to increase oil exports. 1994 Mounting opposition to Duran's economic liberalization and privatization programme. 1998 157-year border dispute settled with Peru. 2000 After currency lost 65% of its value in 1999, President Mahuad declared state of emergency, froze all bank accounts over £100, and introduced the dollar in favour of the sucre. After bloodless coup in protest to the measures, Gustavo Noboa became president. 2001 President Noboa imposed five-day state of emergency, to deal with large-scale protests prompted by economic austerity measures. 2002 Oil production brought to a near standstill by indigenous peoples demanding that more oil revenues be channelled back into their communities. 2003 Former coup leader and leftist Lucio Gutierrez won November 2002 presidential elections. Facing corruption charges, former president Noboa went into exile in the Dominican Republic. 2004 President Gutierrez accused Supreme Court of pro-opposition bias; Congress dismissed many of court's members and appointed new court. 2005 Supreme Court's decision to drop corruption charges against two former presidents triggered massive antigovernment protests. Congress replaced President Gutierrez with Alfredo Palacio. Protests against misuse of oil revenues paralysed oil production. State of emergency declared in two provinces; protests ended after companies agreed to help pay local taxes and improve infrastructure. 2006 Proposed free trade agreement with USA set off nationwide protests. Rafael Correa won November presidential elections. 2007 Voters approved referendum in which Correa proposed formation of citizen's assembly to redraught constitution. Accused of obstructing the referendum, 57 MPs were sacked; several, accused of sedition, fled to Colombia.


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