Republic of Ecuador

National name: República del Ecuador

President: Alfredo Palacio (2005)

Land area: 106,888 sq mi (276,840 sq km); total area: 109, 483 sq mi (283,560 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 13,547,510 (growth rate: 1.5%); birth rate: 22.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 22.9/1000; life expectancy: 76.4; density per sq mi: 127

Capital (2003 est.): Quito 1,780,700 (metro. area), 1,443,900 (city proper)

Largest cities: Guayaquil, 2,597,600 (metro. area), 2,013,500 (city proper); Cuenca, 285,700

Monetary unit: U.S. dollar

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua, other Amerindian languages

Ethnicity/race: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Religion: Roman Catholic 95%

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $52.77 billion; per capita $3,900. Real growth rate: 3%. Inflation: 3.1%. Unemployment: 9.7% official rate; but underemployment of 47%. Arable land: 6%. Agriculture: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp. Labor force: 4.6 million (urban); agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001). Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals. Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower. Exports: $9.224 billion (2005 est.): petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp. Imports: $8.436 billion (2005 est.): vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity. Major trading partners: U.S., Panama, Peru, Italy, Colombia, China, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Mexico (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 1.549 million (2003); mobile cellular: 2,394,400 (2003). Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001). Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001). Televisions: 2.5 million (2001). Internet hosts: 3,188 (2003). Internet users: 569,700 (2003).

Transportation: Railways: total: 966 km (2004). Highways: total: 43,197 km; paved: 8,164 km; unpaved: 35,033 km (2002). Waterways: 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003). Ports and harbors: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar. Airports: 205 (2004 est.).

International disputes: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004.

 

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