Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
Government Ecuador
Country name: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: 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 Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: formerly, the president and vice president were elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) head of government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results: results of the last election prior to the coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote - 51% note: a military-indigenous coup toppled democratically-elected President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the military quickly handed power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on 22 January 2000; National Congress then elected a new vice president from a slate of candidates submitted by NOBOA; the new administration is scheduled to complete the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire in January 2003
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (123 seats; 20 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 103 members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; 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];
Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE [Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO]; Independent
National Movement or MIN [Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP
[Miguel LLUCO]; 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]
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, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI consulate(s) general: 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Larry L. PALMER embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 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
Economy Ecuador
Economy - overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million standby credit agreement.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 25% services: 64% (2000 est.)
Population
