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Republic of Ecuador
National name: República del Ecuador
President: Gustavo Noboa (2000)
Area: 106,822 sq. mi (283,560 sq. km)
Population (1999 est.): 12,562,496 (average annual rate of natural increase: 1.72%); birth rate: 22.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 30.7/1000; density per sq. mi.: 118
Capital (1998 est.): Quito, 1,500,000
Other large cities (1998 est.): Guayaquil, 2,000,000; Cuenca, 200,000
Monetary unit: Sucre
Languages: Spanish (by 90% of population), Quéchua
Ethnicity/race: mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish) 55%, Indian 25%, Spanish 10%, black 10%
Religion: Roman Catholic, 95%
Literacy rate: 90%
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (1998 est.): $58.7 billion; $4,800 per capita. Real growth rate: 1%. Inflation: 43%. Unemployment: 12% (Nov. 1998 est.). Arable land: 6%. Agriculture: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp. Labor force: 4.2 million; agriculture, 29%; manufacturing, 18%; services, 38% (1990). Industry: petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber. Exports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997): petroleum, bananas, shrimp, cut flowers, fish. Imports: $2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997): transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, chemicals. Major trading partners: U.S., Latin America, EU, Asia.
