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Compare Western Sahara (2008) - Ecuador (2004)

Compare Western Sahara (2008) z Ecuador (2004)

 Western Sahara (2008)Ecuador (2004)
 Western SaharaEcuador
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 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: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356)


15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Airports 9 (2007) 205 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total: 62


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 19


under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 143


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 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 Colorado slightly smaller than Nevada
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. 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. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Nine presidents have governed Ecuador since 1996.
Birth rate NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $6.908 billion


expenditures: planned $6.594 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2003)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Quito
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Coastline 1,110 km 2,237 km
Constitution - 10 August 1998
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador


conventional short form: Ecuador


local long form: Republica del Ecuador


local short form: Ecuador
Currency - US dollar (USD)
Death rate NA 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $NA $15.69 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)


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
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador
Economic aid - recipient $NA $120 million (2001)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public sector 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, who took office in January 2003, Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices, but the government has made little progress on fiscal reforms and reforms of state-owned enterprises necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises.
Electricity - consumption 79.05 million kWh (2005) 69.96 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 75.23 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land 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: none of the selected agreements


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 Arab, Berber mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) Ecuador formally adopted the US dollar as legal tender in March 2000
Executive branch none 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 a four-year term (no immediate 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%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) US 42.4%, Colombia 5.7%, Germany 5.6% (2003)
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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $45.65 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture: 8.7%


industry: 29.7%


services: 61.6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 2.5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
Heliports - 1 (2003 est.)
Highways - total: 43,197 km


paved: 8,164 km


unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.2%


highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)
Illicit drugs - 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, especially vulnerable along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
Imports 1,698 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs consumer goods, industrial raw materials, capital goods
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) US 23.9%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.1%, Chile 4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)
Independence - 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5.3% (2003 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 7.9% (2003 est.)
International organization participation none CAN, 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, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Corte Suprema; note - per 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 12,000 4.36 million (urban) (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total: 2,010 km


border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land: 5.85%


permanent crops: 4.93%


other: 89.22% (2001)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Legal system - based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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-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: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 76.01 years


male: 73.15 years


female: 79 years (2004 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.5%


male: 94%


female: 91% (2003 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue territorial sea: 200 nm


continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Merchant marine - total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT


by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: Greece 1, Paraguay 1, Peru 1


registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)
Military branches - Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $650 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.4% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 3,440,371 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,315,808 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 132,476 (2004 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Ecuadorian(s)


adjective: Ecuadorian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate - -8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders - 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 none 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]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 65% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate NA 1.03% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Railways - total: 966 km


narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Religions Muslim Roman Catholic 95%
Sex ratio NA 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: 0.88 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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 about 2,000 (1999 est.) 1.549 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 2,394,400 (2003)
Television broadcast stations NA 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Total fertility rate NA 2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 9.8%; note - underemployment of 47% (2003 est.)
Waterways - 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)
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