Ecuador (2003) | Ecuador (2002) | |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 34.9% (male 2,430,303; female 2,351,166)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 4,116,289; female 4,198,667) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 284,082; female 329,727) (2003 est.) |
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.) |
Airports | 205 (2002) | 205 (2001) |
Birth rate | 24.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Death rate | 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $14.4 billion (2002) | $14 billion (2001) (2001) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Raul GANGOTENA Rivadeneira
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 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 |
Economic aid - recipient | $120 million (2001) | $120 million (2001) (2001) |
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 (WTrO) 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. In February 2003, newly installed president Lucio GUTIERREZ faced a budget gap and massive foreign debt. He has pledged to use oil revenues to pay off debt and is seeking additional IMF support. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 69.96 billion kWh (2001) | 9.667 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 75.23 billion kWh (2001) | 10.395 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 25%
hydro: 75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Exchange rates | sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.57 (1998) | 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 |
Exports | NA (2001) | $4.8 billion (2001 est.) |
Exports - partners | US 39%, Colombia 5.6%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5%, Italy 4.4% (2002) | US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3% (2000) |
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 | 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 | purchasing power parity - $42.65 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 33% services: 56% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 25% services: 64% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.4% (2002 est.) | 4.3% (2001 est.) |
Highways | total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000) |
total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,165 km unpaved: 35,032 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34% (1995) (1995) |
Imports | NA (2001) | $4.8 billion (2001 est.) |
Imports - partners | US 28.6%, Colombia 14.4%, Japan 6%, Chile 4.5%, Brazil 4.1% (2002) | US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%, Brazil 4% (2000) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 31.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.5% (2002 est.) | 22% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | 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 |
Legislative branch | 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 NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD 5, DP 4, PS 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 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.89 years
male: 69.06 years female: 74.86 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 71.61 years
male: 68.79 years female: 74.57 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.) |
Merchant marine | total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 239,276 GRT/392,048 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: 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.) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,555,068 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2003 est.) | 20 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 137,433 (2003 est.) | males: 132,978 (2002 est.) |
Net migration rate | -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 71 km; oil 1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003) | crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km |
Political parties and leaders | Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; National Action Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [leader NA]; Pachakutik Movement [Miguel LLUCO]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [leader NA]; 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]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA] | 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] |
Population | 13,710,234 (July 2003 est.) | 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.91% (2003 est.) | 1.96% (2002 est.) |
Radios | - | 5 million (2001) |
Railways | total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
total: 965 km
narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.) |
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 (2003 est.) |
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.) |
Total fertility rate | 2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) | 14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) |