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ecuador |
2 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Ecuador n : a republic in western South America; the landscape is dominated by the Andes [syn: {Ecuador}] From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Ecuador Ecuador:Geography Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru Map references: South America Area: total area: 283,560 sq km land area: 276,840 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada note: includes Galapagos Islands Land boundaries: total 2,010 km Colombia 590 km Peru 1,420 km Coastline: 2,237 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea: 200 nm International disputes: three sections of the boundary with Peru are in dispute Climate: tropical along coast becoming cooler inland Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 17% forest and woodland: 51% other: 23% Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1989 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification water pollution natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Tropical Timber 94 Note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world Ecuador:People Population: 10,890,950 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (female 1,928,977; male 1,990,036) 15-64 years: 60% (female 3,281,575; male 3,230,082) 65 years and over: 4% (female 244,862; male 215,418) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 1.95% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 25.08 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 37.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.35 years male: 67.83 years female: 72.99 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.97 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%, Indian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10% Religions: Roman Catholic 95% Languages: Spanish (official), Indian languages (especially Quechua) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 87% male: 90% female: 84% Labor force: 2.8 million by occupation: agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982) Ecuador:Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador Digraph: EC Type: republic Capital: Quito Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pastaza Pichincha Sucumbios Tungurahua Zamora-Chinchipe Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day 10 August (1809) (independence of Quito) Constitution: 10 August 1979 Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN Cordovez (since 10 August 1992); Vice President Alberto DAHIK Garzoni (since 10 August 1992); election runoff election held 5 July 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president and Alberto DAHIK elected as vice president cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held 1 May 1994 (next to be held 1 May 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA seats - (77 total) PSC 25, PRE 11, MPD 8, ID 7, DP 7, PCE 7, PUR 2, CFP 2, APRE 2, PSE 1, FRA 1, PLRE 1, LN 1, independents 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Political parties and leaders: Center-Right parties: Social Christian Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president; Republican Unity Party (PUR), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN, leader; Ecuadorian Conservative Party (PCE), Vice President Alberto DAHIK president Center-Left parties: Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos, Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos leaders; Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo PAZ, leader; Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA, leader; Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario director populist parties: Roldista Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz director; Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO Nazur, leader; Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS Passos, leader Far-Left parties: Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose CASTELLO, leader; Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS leader; Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman; Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist) Member of: AG ECLAC FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL PCA, RG UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UPU, WCL, WFTU WHO WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edgar TERAN Teran chancery: 2535 15th Street NW Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Newark US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. ROMERO embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039-3420 telephone: [593] (2) 562-890, 561-624, 561-749 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil Flag: 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 that is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms Economy Overview: Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Growth has been uneven in recent years because of fluctuations in prices for Ecuador's primary exports - oil and bananas - as well as because of government policies designed to curb inflation. President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN launched a series of macroeconomic reforms when he came into office in August 1992 which included raising domestic fuel prices and utility rates, eliminating most subsidies, and bringing the government budget into balance. These measures helped to reduce inflation from 55% in 1992 to 25% in 1994. DURAN-BALLEN has a much more favorable attitude toward foreign investment than his predecessor and has supported several laws designed to encourage foreign investment. Ecuador has implemented free or complementary trade agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as applied for World Trade Organization membership. Ecuador signed a standby agreement with the IMF and rescheduled its $7.6 billion commercial debt in 1994 thereby regaining access to multilateral lending. Growth in 1994 speeded up to 3.9%, based on increased exports of bananas and non-traditional products, while international reserves increased to a record $1.6 billion. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $41.1 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 3.9% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $3,840 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1994) Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1994) Budget: revenues: $2.76 billion expenditures: $2.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994) Exports: $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum 39%, bananas 17%, shrimp 16%, cocoa 3%, coffee 6% partners: US 42%, Latin America 29%, Caribbean, EU countries 17% Imports: $3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, chemicals partners: US 28%, EU 17%, Latin America 31%, Caribbean, Japan External debt: $13.2 billion (yearend 1993 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 6.4% (1993); accounts for almost 35% of GDP, including petroleum Electricity: capacity: 2,230,000 kW production: 6.9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 612 kWh (1993) Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber Agriculture: accounts for 14% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); leading producer and exporter of bananas and balsawood other agricultural exports - coffee, cocoa, fish, shrimp; other crops - rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugarcane; livestock products - cattle, sheep, hogs, beef, pork, dairy products; net importer of foodgrains dairy products, and sugar Illicit drugs: significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; minor illicit producer of coca; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $498 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-91), $2.39 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $64 million Currency: 1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,198.1 (December 1994), 2,196.7 (1994), 1,919.1 (1993), 1,534.0 (1992), 1,046.25 (1991), 767.8 (1990), 767.78 (1990), 526.35 (1989) Fiscal year: calendar year Ecuador:Transportation Railroads: total: 965 km (single track) narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge Highways: total: 43,709 km paved: 5,245 km unpaved: 38,464 km Inland waterways: 1,500 km Pipelines: crude oil 800 km petroleum products 1,358 km Ports: Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo Merchant marine: total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 222,822 GRT/326,447 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, container 2, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 13, passenger 3, refrigerated cargo 10 Airports: total: 175 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 15 with paved runways under 914 m: 107 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 31 Ecuador:Communications Telephone system: 318,000 telephones; 30 telephones/1,000 persons; domestic facilities generally inadequate and unreliable local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 272, FM 0, shortwave 39 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 33 televisions: NA Ecuador:Defense Forces Branches: Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,814,867; males fit for military service 1,903,979; males reach military age (20) annually 113,985 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
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