Geography

Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Area:

total area: 283,560 sq km
land area: 276,840 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Nevada
note: includes Galapagos Islands
Coastline:
2,237 km
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.)



People

Population:
10,890,950 (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.)
Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 70.35 years
male: 67.83 years
female: 72.99 years (1995 est.)
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:
10.9 million
by occupation: services: 57%
industry and commerce: 31%
agriculture 12% (1985) 2.8 million
by occupation: agriculture 35%, manufacturing 21%, commerce 16%, services and other activities 28% (1982)



Goverment

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)
Executive branch:

chief of state and head of government: President ............
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held 1 May 1996); seats - (77 total)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court



Economy

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.)
Currency:
1 sucre (S/) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
sucres (S/) per US$1 - 1,198.1 (December 1994)
£1=....... pesos