]! ^! The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are 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. Seven presidents have governed Ecuador since 1996. 
]" ^" Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru ^# 2 00 S, 77 30 W ^$ South America ^% `! 283,560 sq km `" 276,840 sq km `# 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands ^& slightly smaller than Nevada ^' `! 2,010 km `U Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km ^( 2,237 km ^) `$ 200 nm `J 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath ^* tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands ^+ coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) ^, `% Pacific Ocean 0 m `& Chimborazo 6,267 m ^- petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower ^. `' 5.85% `( 4.93% `) 89.22% (2001) ^/ 8,650 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts ^1 deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands _J `K 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 `L none of the selected agreements ^2 Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world 
]# ^3 13,363,593 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942) `+ 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096) `, 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.) ^5 `! 23.27 years `- 22.82 years `. 23.74 years (2005 est.) ^6 1.24% (2005 est.) ^7 22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^8 4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^9 -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^: `/ 1.05 male(s)/female `0 1.04 male(s)/female `+ 0.99 male(s)/female `, 0.88 male(s)/female `1 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.) ^; `! 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births `- 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births `. 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) ^< `1 76.21 years `- 73.35 years `. 79.22 years (2005 est.) ^= 2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> 0.3% (2003 est.) ^? 21,000 (2003 est.) ^@ 1,700 (2003 est.) ^A `2 Ecuadorian(s) `3 Ecuadorian ^B mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% ^C Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% ^D Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write `1 92.5% `- 94% `. 91% (2003 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Republic of Ecuador `5 Ecuador `V Republica del Ecuador `W Ecuador ^H republic ^I Quito ^J 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 ^K 24 May 1822 (from Spain) ^L Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) ^M 10 August 1998 ^N based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction ^O 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters ^P `6 President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office by congress effective 20 April 2005 `7 President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government `8 Cabinet appointed by the president `9 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 October 2006) `: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%; note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio GUTIERREZ from office ^Q unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms) `9 last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006) `: 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 ^R Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to 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) ^S 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] ^T 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] ^U CAN, CSN, 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 ^V `N Ambassador (vacant) `O 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 `P [1] (202) 234-7200 `Q [1] (202) 667-3482 `R Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco ^W `N Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY `Z Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito `[ APO AA 34039 `P [593] (2) 256-2890 `Q [593] (2) 250-2052 `R Guayaquil ^X 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 
]% ^Y Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of central government budget 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 - January 2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices, but the government has made little progress on economic reforms necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises. ^Z $49.51 billion (2004 est.) ^[ 5.8% (2004 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2004 est.) ^] `; 8.7% `< 30.5% `= 60.9% (2004 est.) ^^ 4.53 million (urban) (2004 est.) ^_ agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001) ^` 11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.) ^a 45% (2001 est.) _! `> 2% `? 32% note: data for urban households only (October 2003) _d 42 note: data are for urban households (2003) _" 2% (2004 est.) _P 20.6% of GDP (2004 est.) _# `@ $7.9 billion `A planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.) _Q 49.2% of GDP (2004 est.) _$ bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp _% petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals _& 10% (2004 est.) _' 11.54 billion kWh (2002) _( 10.79 billion kWh (2002) _) 0 kWh (2002) _* 57 million kWh (2002) _+ 523,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _, 129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) _- 387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _. NA _R 4.408 billion bbl (2004 est.) _S 160 million cu m (2001 est.) _T 160 million cu m (2001 est.) _U 0 cu m (2001 est.) _V 0 cu m (2001 est.) _W 106.5 billion cu m (2004) _X $261.1 million (2004 est.) _/ $7.56 billion (2004 est.) _0 petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp _1 US 42.9%, Panama 14.3%, Peru 7.9%, Italy 4.6% (2004) _2 $7.65 billion (2004 est.) _3 vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity _4 US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.5%, Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2004) _Y $1.436 billion (December 2004 est.) _5 $16.81 billion (2004 est.) _6 $216 million (2002) _7 US dollar (USD) _8 25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988 (2000) _9 calendar year 
]& _: 1.549 million (2003) _; 2,394,400 (2003) _< `B generally elementary but being expanded `C facilities generally inadequate and unreliable `D country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) _= AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) _> 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001) _? .ec _@ 3,188 (2003) _A 569,700 (2003) 
]' _e `! 966 km `c 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004) _B `! 43,197 km `E 8,164 km `F 35,033 km (2002) _b 1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003) _[ extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2004) _C Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar _K `! 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 20 `S 3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005) _D 205 (2004 est.) _E `! 62 `] 3 `G 4 `^ 18 `_ 19 `T 18 (2004 est.) _L `! 143 `_ 30 `T 113 (2004 est.) _\ 1 (2004 est.) 
]( _F Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) _M 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004) _] males age 20-49: 2,792,770 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 2,338,428 (2005 est.) _^ `` 133,922 (2005 est.) _N $655 million (2004) _O 2.2% (2004) 
]) _H organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into Ecuador in 2004 _I 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 