Ecuador

Location:	Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Geographic coordinates:	2 00 S, 77 30 W
Map references:	South America
Area:	total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative:	slightly smaller than Nevada
Land boundaries:	total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Coastline:	2,237 km
Maritime claims:	territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath
Climate:	tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Terrain:	coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m
Natural resources:	petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:	arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)
Irrigated land:	8,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:	frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements:	party to: 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:	Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People

Population:	13,363,593 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942) 15-64 years: 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.)
Median age:	total: 23.27 years male: 22.82 years female: 23.74 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:	1.24% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:	22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:	4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:	-6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 76.21 years male: 73.35 years female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:	2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nationality:	noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian
Ethnic groups:	mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Religions:	Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages:	Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government

Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador
Government type:	republic
Capital:	Quito
Administrative divisions:	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
Independence:	24 May 1822 (from Spain)
National holiday:	Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Constitution:	10 August 1998
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 Source: CIA World Factbook