Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and PeruPopulation: 13,363,593
Total Area: 283,560 sq km - slightly smaller than Nevada
Climate: coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
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
National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Economy - brief overview: 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..
Labor force: 4.53 million (urban)Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68%
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals
Oil - production: 523,000 bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - exports: 387,000 bbl/day
Exports: $7.56 billion
Exports - commodities: petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp
Imports: $7.65 billion
Imports - commodities: vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity
Imports - partners: US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.5%, Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3%
Government departments: Governments on the WWW
Media: Ecuador Media Online
Travel Information: Ecuador Ministry of Tourism
Other useful links:
Volcano World
Ecuador Resource Page
Human Rights Watch
Recipes From Ecuador
News headlines
WEEKAHEAD-Emerging debt market eyes Venezuela, Ecuador Reuters
Bolivarian groups abound in Ecuador Miami Herald, Florida (Registration needed)
Peru rejects Chile-Ecuador declaration on maritime borders Xinhua News Agency
U.S. deports convicted embezzler to Ecuador Bradenton Herald
Ecuador's Congress Dismisses Top Bank Controller Dow Jones Newswires
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