Compare Belgium (2008) - Ecuador (2006)

Compare Belgium (2008) z Ecuador (2006)

	Belgium (2008)	Ecuador (2006)

Administrative divisions	10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders* region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Limburg, Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams-Brabant (Flemish Brabant), West-Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces): Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 16.5% (male 873,130/female 836,785) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,467,044/female 3,406,030) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,969/female 1,062,268) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 33% (male 2,281,499/female 2,195,551) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 4,178,653/female 4,210,766) 65 years and over: 5% (male 319,719/female 361,322) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk	bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Airports	43 (2007)	359 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 27 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 9 (2007)	total: 98 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 15 (2007)	total: 261 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006)
Area	total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km	total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative	about the size of Maryland	slightly smaller than Nevada
Background	Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.	What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence by 1819 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have governed Ecuador since 1996.
Birth rate	10.29 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	22.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $217 billion expenditures: $217.4 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $8.822 billion expenditures: planned $8.153 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Capital	name: Brussels geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy	tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Coastline	66.5 km	2,237 km
Constitution	7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state	10 August 1998
Country name	conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie	conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador
Death rate	10.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$1.313 trillion (30 June 2007)	$18.09 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Sam FOX embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725	chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 338-4960 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta	chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC
Disputes - international	none	organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$216 million (2002)
Economy - overview	This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 85% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-07. Economic growth and foreign direct investment are expected to slow down in 2008, due to credit tightening, falling consumer and business confidence, and above average inflation. However, with the successful negotiation of the 2008 budget and devolution of power within the government, political tensions seem to be easing and could lead to an improvement in the economic outlook for 2008.	Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-third of central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly. The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January 2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO has reversed economic reforms that reduced Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises, allowing the central government greater access to oil windfalls and disbursing surplus retirement funds.
Electricity - consumption	82.99 billion kWh (2005)	10.55 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	8.024 billion kWh (2005)	65 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	14.33 billion kWh (2005)	140 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	80.84 billion kWh (2005)	11.27 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Environment - current issues	the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%	mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)	25,000 (2005), 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001)
Executive branch	chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999); note - is head of an interim government until the end of March when it is hoped a new government will be formed cabinet: Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament note: government formation talks have been prolonged, but the current interim goverment consists of French and Flemish Christian Democrats or CD&V and CDh, Liberals or Open VLD and MR, and French Socialists or PS	chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office by congress effective 20 April 2005 head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff election scheduled for 26 November 2006 (next to be held October 2010) election results: results of the 15 October 2006 election; percent of vote - Alvaro NOBOA 26.8%; Rafael CORREA 22.8%; Gilmar GUTIERREZ 17.4%; Leon ROLDOS Aguilera 14.8%; Cynthia VITERI 9.6%; note - a runoff election will be held 26 November 2006 between NOBOA and CORREA
Exports	523,400 bbl/day (2004)	387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs	petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
Exports - partners	Germany 19.7%, France 16.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 7.9%, US 6.2%, Italy 5.2% (2006)	US 51.1%, Peru 8%, Germany 4.4%, Colombia 4.3% (2005)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red note: the design was based on the flag of France	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
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1% industry: 24.4% services: 74.6% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 7% industry: 31.2% services: 61.8% (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.7% (2007 est.)	4.7% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	50 50 N, 4 00 E	2 00 S, 77 30 W
Geography - note	crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO	Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
Heliports	1 (2007)	1 (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.1% (2000)	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32% note: data for urban households only (October 2003)
Illicit drugs	growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy	significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
Imports	1.109 million bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products	vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity
Imports - partners	Netherlands 18.3%, Germany 17.3%, France 11.2%, UK 6.6%, Ireland 5.7%, US 5.4% (2006)	US 22.3%, Colombia 14.9%, Venezuela 7.8%, Brazil 6%, China 5.3% (2005)
Independence	4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)	24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2007 est.)	2.1% (2005 est.)
Industries	engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum	petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Infant mortality rate	total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.7% (2007 est.)	2.1% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC	CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	400 sq km (2003)	8,650 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a simple-majority resolution)
Labor force	5.03 million (2007 est.)	4.6 million (urban) (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001)
Land boundaries	total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km	total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Land use	arable land: 27.42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005)	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005)
Languages	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)	Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Legal system	based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; to serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 June 2007 (next to be held no later than June 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 19.4%, Open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, Groen! 3.6%, Dedecker List 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 9, Open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS 4, SP.A-Spririt 4, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, Groen! 1, Dedecker List 1, FN 1 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - CDV/N-VA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB 12%, Open VLD 11.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A-Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, Dedecker List 4%, Groen! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CDV/N-VA 30, MR 23, VB 17, Open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A-Spirit 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, Dedecker List 5, Groen! 4, FN 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly	unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSC 25, ID 16, PRE 15, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.92 years male: 75.75 years female: 82.24 years (2007 est.)	total population: 76.42 years male: 73.55 years female: 79.43 years (2006 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.)
Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands	Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Map references	Europe	South America
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors	territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Merchant marine	total: 68 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,786,089 GRT/6,074,664 DWT by type: bulk carrier 20, cargo 5, chemical tanker 2, container 9, liquefied gas 16, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 3, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 4) registered in other countries: 123 (Bahamas 15, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 1, France 6, Gibraltar 3, Greece 16, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 1, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Portugal 9, Russia 6, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 8, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 9, Vanuatu 4) (2007)	total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)
Military branches	Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Commands (2005)	Army, Navy (includes naval infantry, naval aviation, coast guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$650 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.3% (2005 est.)	2% (2005 est.)
National holiday	21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I	Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Nationality	noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian	noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian
Natural hazards	flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes	frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Natural resources	construction materials, silica sand, carbonates	petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate	1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,562 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2007)	extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CDV [Etienne SCHOUPPE]; Dedecker List [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Bart SOMERS]; Groen! [Mieke VOGELS] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Bruno VALKENIERS] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Michel BELACROIX]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties	Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; 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 [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants	Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Luis MACAS, 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]
Population	10,392,226 (July 2007 est.)	13,547,510 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	15% (2007 est.)	41% (2003)
Population growth rate	0.12% (2007 est.)	1.5% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Railways	total: 3,536 km standard gauge: 3,536 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2006)	total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Religions	Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%	Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and compulsory	18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Telephone system	general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)	general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	4.719 million (2006)	1,701,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	9.66 million (2006)	6.246 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)	7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast	coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Total fertility rate	1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.)	2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	7.6% (2007 est.)	10.7% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2005 est.)
Waterways	2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2006)	1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2005)

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