-
You are here:
- Homepage » Ecuador
Ecuador Country Guide
Explore Ecuador in South America
Ecuador with the capital city Quito is located in South America (Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator). It covers some 283,560 square kilometres (slightly smaller than Nevada) with 13,927,000 citizens.
The topography includes coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente). The average density of population is approximately 49 per km². The notable climate conditions in Ecuador can be described as tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations with tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands. Possible natural disasters include frequent earthquakes or landslides, volcanic activity, floods or periodic droughts.
To reach someone in Ecuador dial +593 prior to a number. There are 2,004,000 installed telephones. And there are 13,635,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 1800 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".ec". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 120V - 60Hz.
About the flag and history of Ecuador
Three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Columbia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; the yellow color represents sunshine, grain, and mineral wealth, blue the sky, sea, and rivers, and red the blood of patriots spilled in the struggle for freedom and justice note: similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms.
What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty - New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito - gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the traditional name was changed in favor of the "Republic of the Equator." 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 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period was marred by political instability. Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected Presidents. In late 2008, voters approved a new constitution, Ecuador''s 20th since gaining independence. General elections were held in February 2013, and voters re-elected President Rafael CORREA.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: South America Neighbours: Peru, Colombia Capital: Quito |
| Size | 283,560 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 109,483 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than Nevada |
| Population | 13,927,000 |
| Currency | Name Dollar, Currency Code:USD |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .ec |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +593 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 13,635,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 2,004,000 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 283,561 (sq km) | 74 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,439,429 | 67 |
| Population growth rate | 1.40 (%) | 86 |
| Birth rate | 19.23 (births/1,000 population) | 91 |
| Death rate | 5.03 (deaths/1,000 population) | 183 |
| Net migration rate | -0.25 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 122 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 110.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 66 |
| Infant mortality rate | 18.48 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 98 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.15 (years) | 84 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.33 (children born/woman) | 95 |
| Health expenditures | 8.10 (% of GDP) | 57 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.40 (%) | 73 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 37,000 | 63 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 2,200 | 54 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 21.40 (%) | 86 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 6.20 (%) | 80 |
| Education expenditures | 4.90 (% of GDP) | 79 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 14.10 (%) | 91 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 155,800,000,000 | 61 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.00 (%) | 67 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 10,200 | 118 |
| Labor force | 6,779,000 | 64 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.10 (%) | 33 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 47.70 | 27 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 24.60 (% of GDP) | 56 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 19.60 (% of GDP) | 167 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -5.20 (% of GDP) | 162 |
| Public debt | 23.30 (% of GDP) | 122 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.30 (%) | 147 |
| Central bank discount rate | 8.68 (%) | 30 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 8.35 (%) | 111 |
| Stock of narrow money | 7,701,000,000 | 86 |
| Stock of broad money | 26,550,000,000 | 78 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 22,400,000,000 | 80 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 5,263,000,000 | 83 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 10.10 (%) | 11 |
| Current account balance | -1,387,000,000 | 122 |
| Exports | 23,770,000,000 | 72 |
| Imports | 24,670,000,000 | 68 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 2,482,000,000 | 117 |
| Debt - external | 15,480,000,000 | 86 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | 13,110,000,000 | 80 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | 6,330,000,000 | 62 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 21,840,000,000 (kWh) | 70 |
| Electricity - consumption | 14,920,000,000 (kWh) | 78 |
| Electricity - exports | 14,100,000 (kWh) | 83 |
| Electricity - imports | 1,300,000,000 (kWh) | 58 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 4,939,000 (kW) | 74 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 56.20 (% of total installed capacity) | 144 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 41.70 (% of total installed capacity) | 53 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 2.10 (% of total installed capacity) | 57 |
| Crude oil - production | 504,000 (bbl/day) | 30 |
| Crude oil - exports | 366,000 (bbl/day) | 24 |
| Crude oil - imports | 154,000 (bbl/day) | 41 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 6,573,000,000 (bbl) | 22 |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 198,700 (bbl/day) | 57 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 280,000 (bbl/day) | 46 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 28,000 (bbl/day) | 68 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 111,000 (bbl/day) | 46 |
| Natural gas - production | 330,000,000 (cu m) | 75 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 330,000,000 (cu m) | 100 |
| Natural gas - imports | 25,000 (cu m) | 76 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 7,985,000,000 (cu m) | 82 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 24,430,000 (Mt) | 79 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 2,211,000 | 56 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 15,333,000 | 54 |
| Internet hosts | 170,538 | 76 |
| Internet users | 3,352,000 | 64 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 431 | 20 |
| Railways | 965 (km) | 90 |
| Roadways | 43,670 (km) | 84 |
| Waterways | 1,500 (km) | 53 |
| Merchant marine | 44 | 72 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 2.30 (% of GDP) | 61 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| City of Quito Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city and stands at an altitude of 2,850 m. Despite the 1917 earthquake, the city has the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America. The monast ... | 1978 |
| Galápagos Islands Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, ... | 1978 |
| Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca is set in a valley surrounded by the Andean mountains in the south of Ecuador. This inland colonial town (entroterra ), now the country's third city, was founded in 1557 on the rigorous planning guidelines issued 30 ye ... | 1999 |
| Sangay National Park With its outstanding natural beauty and two active volcanoes, the park illustrates the entire spectrum of ecosystems, ranging from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with striking contrasts between the snowcapped peaks and the forests of the plains. I ... | 1983 |