Ecuador (2002) | Pakistan (2001) | |
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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 | 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957) 65 years and over: 4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
40.47% (male 30,131,400; female 28,391,891) 15-64 years: 55.42% (male 40,977,543; female 39,164,663) 65 years and over: 4.11% (male 2,918,872; female 3,032,270) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp | cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs |
Airports | 205 (2001) | 117 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 61
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2002) |
total:
82 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 113 (2002) |
total:
35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
total:
803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Nevada | slightly less than twice the size of California |
Background | The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). 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. | The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. |
Birth rate | 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 31.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$8.9 billion expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | Quito | Islamabad |
Climate | tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands | mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north |
Coastline | 2,237 km | 1,046 km |
Constitution | 10 August 1998 | 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador |
conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Pakistani rupee (PKR) |
Death rate | 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $14 billion (2001) (2001) | $38 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador William B. MILAM embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Maleeha LODHI chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6200 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
Disputes - international | none | status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage) |
Economic aid - recipient | $120 million (2001) (2001) | $2 billion (FY99/00) |
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. | Pakistan is a poor, heavily populated country, suffering from internal political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic outlook continues to be marred by its weak foreign exchange position, which relies on international creditors for hard currency inflows. The MUSHARRAF government will face an estimated $21 billion in foreign debt coming due in 2000-03, despite having rescheduled nearly $2 billion in debt with Paris Club members. Foreign loans and grants provide approximately 25% of government revenue, but debt service obligations total nearly 50% of government expenditure. Although Pakistan successfully negotiated a $600 million IMF Stand-By Arrangement, future loan installments will be jeopardized if Pakistan misses critical IMF benchmarks on revenue collection and the fiscal deficit. MUSHARRAF has complied largely with IMF recommendations to raise petroleum prices, widen the tax net, privatize public sector assets, and improve the balance of trade. However, Pakistan's economic prospects remain uncertain; too little has changed despite the new administration's intentions. Foreign exchange reserves hover at roughly $1 billion, GDP growth hinges on crop performance, the import bill has been hammered by high oil prices, and both foreign and domestic investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.667 billion kWh (2000) | 57.732 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 10.395 billion kWh (2000) | 62.078 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 25%
hydro: 75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
63.38% hydro: 36.51% nuclear: 0.11% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands | water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% | Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) |
Exchange rates | sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0 (January 2002), 25,000.0 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997)
note: on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new exchange system whereby the US dollar was adopted as the main legal tender in Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central Bank of Ecuador started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed rate of 25,000 sucres per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions are denominated in US dollars |
Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 59.152 (January 2001), 52.814 (2000), 49.118 (1999), 44.943 (1998), 40.918 (1997), 35.909 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7% |
note:
following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; exercising the powers of the head of the government, he appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body; President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR remains the ceremonial chief of state; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December 1997) head of government: Chief Executive Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 12 October 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief executive elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA); note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF in the military takeover of 12 October 1999; in May 2000, the Supreme Court validated the October 1999 coup and set a three-year limit in office for Chief Executive MUSHARRAF election results: Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of Parliament and provincial vote - NA%; results are for the last election for prime minister prior to the military takeover of 12 October 1999 - Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
Exports | $4.8 billion (2001 est.) | $8.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish | textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, other agricultural products |
Exports - partners | US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3% (2000) | US 24%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 6% (FY99/00) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
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 | green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $282 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 25% services: 64% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
25.4% industry: 24.9% services: 49.7% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.3% (2001 est.) | 4.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 2 00 S, 77 30 W | 30 00 N, 70 00 E |
Geography - note | Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world | controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | 8 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,165 km unpaved: 35,032 km (2001) |
total:
247,811 km paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,559 km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34% (1995) (1995) |
lowest 10%:
4.1% highest 10%: 27.7% (1996) |
Illicit drugs | significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; dollarization may raise the volume of money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents | key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Balochistan Province |
Imports | $4.8 billion (2001 est.) | $9.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods | machinery, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour |
Imports - partners | US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%, Brazil 4% (2000) | Saudi Arabia 8%, UAE 8%, US 6%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4% (FY99/00) |
Independence | 24 May 1822 (from Spain) | 14 August 1947 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5.1% (2001 est.) | 3.8% (1999 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber | textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp |
Infant mortality rate | 33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 80.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 22% (2001 est.) | 5.2% (2000 est.) |
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 | AsDB, C (suspended), CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 31 (2001) | 30 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 8,650 sq km (1998 est.) | 171,100 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court) | Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court |
Labor force | 3.7 million (urban) | 40 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) | agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
total:
6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km |
Land use | arable land: 5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15% other: 89.16% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
27% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 5% other: 61% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) | Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8% |
Legal system | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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 |
note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999; bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly (217 seats - 10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA); National Assembly - last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA); note - no timetable has yet been given for elections following the military takeover election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10; note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dismissed Parliament 15 October 1999 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.61 years
male: 68.79 years female: 74.57 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
61.45 years male: 60.61 years female: 62.32 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 55.3% female: 29% (1998) |
Location | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north |
Map references | South America | Asia |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 239,876 GRT/393,680 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.) |
total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 240,605 GRT/367,040 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police | Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $720 million (FY98) | $2.435 billion (FY99/00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.4% (FY98) | 3.9% (FY99/00) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
35,770,928 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
21,897,366 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | 17 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 132,978 (2002 est.) | males:
1,657,723 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) | Republic Day, 23 March (1956) |
Nationality | noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian |
noun:
Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani |
Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts | frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower | land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone |
Net migration rate | -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km | crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987) |
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] | note:
Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999, however, political parties have been allowed to operate; Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. HAYEE Baluch]; Baluch National Party or BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI [Abdul Sattar Khan NIAZI]; Millat Party [Farooq LEGHARI]; Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which includes Jamaat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED], Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ], Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP [Allama Sajid NAQVI], and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah Ahmad NOORANI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed AFZAL Khan]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J [Hamid Nasir CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN] note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently |
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] | military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential |
Population | 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.) | 144,616,639 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 70% (2001 est.) | 40% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.96% (2002 est.) | 2.11% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo | Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) | AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998) |
Radios | 5 million (2001) | 13.5 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 965 km
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.) |
total:
8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km double track) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.) (2000) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters | 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims |
Telephone system | general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,115,272 (1999) | 2.861 million (March 1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 384,000 (1999) | 158,000 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001) | 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) | flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west |
Total fertility rate | 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.41 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) | 6% (FY99/00 est.) |
Waterways | 1,500 km | none |