Ecuador (2003) | Macau (2001) | |
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 | none (special administrative region of China) |
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:
22.68% (male 53,291; female 49,615) 15-64 years: 70.08% (male 150,538; female 167,431) 65 years and over: 7.24% (male 13,287; female 19,571) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp | rice, vegetables |
Airports | 205 (2002) | 1 (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:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 113 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
total:
21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Nevada | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs. |
Birth rate | 24.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$1.26 billion expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | Quito | - |
Climate | tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 2,237 km | 40 km |
Constitution | 10 August 1998 | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" |
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:
Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | pataca (MOP) |
Death rate | 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 3.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $14.4 billion (2002) | $1.7 billion (1997) |
Dependency status | - | special administrative region of China |
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 |
the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong |
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 |
none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $120 million (2001) | $NA |
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. | The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about three-fourths of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. More than 8 million tourists visited Macau in 2000. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods. Output dropped 5% in 1998 and 3% in 1999, with a small 2% gain in 2000. Macau reverted to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999. Gang violence, a dark spot in the economy, probably will be reduced in 2000-01 to the advantage of the tourism sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 69.96 billion kWh (2001) | 1.422 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 165 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 75.23 billion kWh (2001) | 1.355 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands | NA |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other |
Exchange rates | sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.57 (1998) | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2001), 8.025 (2000), 7.990 (1999), 7.978 (1998), 7.974 (1997), 7.966 (1996); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar |
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% |
chief of state:
President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen elections: NA |
Exports | NA (2001) | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish | textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement, footwear, machinery |
Exports - partners | US 39%, Colombia 5.6%, South Korea 5.1%, Germany 5%, Italy 4.4% (2002) | US 47%, EU 30%, China 9.2%, Hong Kong 6.7% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $42.65 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.82 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 33% services: 56% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.4% (2002 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 2 00 S, 77 30 W | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000) |
total:
50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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 | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods | raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US 28.6%, Colombia 14.4%, Japan 6%, Chile 4.5%, Brazil 4.1% (2002) | China 36%, Hong Kong 18%, EU 13%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 7% (1999) |
Independence | 24 May 1822 (from Spain) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5.1% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Industries | petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber | clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism, gambling |
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.) |
4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.5% (2002 est.) | -1.8% (2000 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 | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 31 (2001) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 8,650 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court) | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | 3.7 million (urban) | 283,450 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) | restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 22%, other services 52% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
total:
0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land: 5.69%
permanent crops: 5.15% other: 89.16% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) | Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) |
Legal system | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Portuguese civil law system |
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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by 15 October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APPEM 2, UNIPRO 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UPD 1, ANMD 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.89 years
male: 69.06 years female: 74.86 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
81.69 years male: 78.88 years female: 84.64 years (2001 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% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
Location | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | South America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands
territorial sea: 200 NM |
not specified |
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.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 |
Military branches | Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police | Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes about 500 troops |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $720 million (FY98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.4% (FY98) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,555,068 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
125,737 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
69,191 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 137,433 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
Nationality | noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian |
noun:
Chinese adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts | typhoons |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 9.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 71 km; oil 1,575 km; refined products 1,185 km (2003) | - |
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] | the following is a listing of those associations that participated in the last legislative elections: Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD [leader NA]; Associacao Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM [leader NA]; Convergencia para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM [leader NA]; Uniao Geral para o Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UPD [leader NA]; Uniao Promotora para o Progresso or UNIPRO [leader NA]
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations are used instead |
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] | Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] |
Population | 13,710,234 (July 2003 est.) | 453,733 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 70% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.91% (2003 est.) | 1.79% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo | Macau |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 160,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 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: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters | direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies |
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:
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,115,272 (1999) | 176,837 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 384,000 (1999) | 120,957 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001) | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | 2.99 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.31 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.7%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.) | 6.6% (2000) |
Waterways | 1,500 km | none |